Tag Archives: Harry Potter

A letter to those who do not understand the “Harry Potter generation”

12 Sunday Jul 2015

Posted by in Life, Literature, Movies, Uncategorized

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The words that changed a generation.

Dear muggles, squibs, half-bloods, purebloods and everybody else who doesn’t know what I’m talking about:

I feel bad for you.

There are various reasons why you may have never watched a Harry Potter movie or read a Harry Potter book and for that I feel like you’ve lost out on a generation’s greatest icon. Maybe your parents wouldn’t let you watch it. Maybe you didn’t have an interest in the genre. Maybe you live under a rock. It could be anything but I want to let you know why it was a cultural phenomenon and such a huge part of the 2000s because I’m sure you’re scratching your head and asking why.

We grew up with Harry Potter, literally. For those kids who started reading the first book when it came out in 1997, chances are they were around the same age as the protagonist, Harry Potter, and when the next book came out they grew a year older with Harry. In the films, Harry, played by Daniel Radcliffe, starts off as a young boy and as every movie came out he was a bit older just as we were.

The first time they saw the Hogwarts, we saw it too.

The first time they saw the Hogwarts, we saw it too.

The same went for all the characters. As they aged, we did. As they struggled to make new friends, we did. As they went through their awkward phase, we did. As they found love, we did. As they fought their demons, we did. As they came of age, we did. Nearly every year since 1997 we had either a book or movie we looked forward to; the two exceptions are 2006 and 2008.

Most of us dreamed of receiving a letter from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, sitting in front of the student body in the Great Hall as the Sorting Hat told us what house we would be in and most of us hoped we would be in any house but Slytherin. We dreamed of watching Professor Sprout pulling up Mandrakes and Professor Flitwick teaching us the “swish and flick” movement as we cast spells. We wanted so badly for Madam Hooch’s yellow eyes to watch over us as we rode a broom for the first time and Madam Pomfrey to mend a sprain obtained during Quidditch practice. We vowed to stay out of the Dark Forrest and out of the third floor corridor because we could get killed or worse…expelled.

Harry getting his wand at Ollivander's.

Harry getting his wand at Ollivander’s.

I still dream of getting to go to Diagon Alley and getting Mr. Ollivander to help me find my wand, getting fit for robes at Madam Malkin’s Robes for All Occasions, getting my books from Flourish and Blotts, getting my first cauldron from Potage’s Cauldron Shop and finally getting my own owl at Eeylops Owl Emporium.

The worst part of Harry Potter for most of us was walking out of the theatre after watching “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2” and realizing there was nothing after to come. No more books and no more movies. It was literally like a huge part of your youth had shut the door on us as reality rained down.

Granted, in the time since the final movie was released J.K. Rowling, the author of the series, has teased a possible continuation of the series and put never before read details of the Dursley family on Pottermore. There is hope for the future.

To all those who turn their nose up at the Harry Potter series and all it’s fans, you’re basically turning your nose up at a generation of kids who wanted to be accepted and wanted to have the same courage as The Boy Who Lived.

Neville Longbottom getting a Remebrall from his grandmother so he wouldn't forget anything.

Neville Longbottom getting a Remebrall from his grandmother so he wouldn’t forget anything.

Shall I get you a Remembrall to remind you of that?

Sincerely,

The girl still waiting for her letter from Hogwarts

The 10 most influential books I’ve read

14 Tuesday Apr 2015

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This came to me by means of a challenge from my high school librarian and book club leader. She tagged me in a post with hers and passed it on to me because I was one of the more active students in the book club all those years ago. We’ve kept in touch via Facebook and this wasn’t the first time she’s tagged me in something relating to reading or books.

I would like to note these are my most influential books at the moment. A huge part of living your life is evolving and as I evolve I am sure this list will alter.200px-hsbhill

1: Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill. It’s my favorite book but I love rock stars, music and ghosts and this little gem combines all three.

2: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. Do I really need to explain?

3: Richard III by William Shakespeare. No, not a book but I read it in a book. It’s all about the loopholes. As an admitted Shakespeare nerd, I think Richard III is my favorite mostly because of the opening soliloquy and Richard’s ability to be a silver-tongued master manipulator.

4: Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. A classic and starts with one of my all-time favorite hooks, “It was a pleasure to burn.” I know own a copy printed in the sixties as part of my antique book collection.interview-with-the-vampire

5: Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice. My love of vampires is border line obsessive and they way I turned out is mostly because of Anne Rice’s works. This one is the first really “adult” (by that I mean a huge book with small print and lots of big words for an 11 year-old) I read.

6: Wake by Lisa McMann. In a time when supernatural storylines were beginning to cross into the territory of annoying, Wake became one of those books you remember because it was just different and refreshing.

7: The Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling. I can’t choose just one book. This series truly defined my generation and as a self-proclaimed Potterhead I was no exception. These books got me back reading and heighted my love for magic.harry-potter-series

8: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Steig Larsson. I’ve never read such an intricate and detailed mystery that catches you off guard more than once and leaves you running for the next book in the series. And I’ve always been able to identify with the leading lady, Lisbeth, because of how different she is.

9: Mightier than the Sword: How the News Media Have Shaped American History by Roger Streitmatter. This was supposed to be a boring “textbook” for one of Jack Lessenberry’s classes but it turned into one of the best books I’ve had to read for any class I’ve ever had.agoodmanishardtofind_book-botfoj

10: Born on the Fourth of July by Ron Kovic. I had to read this one for one of my freshmen history classes. It was an honest portrayal of a boy growing up with stars in his eyes only for them to burst and fade when he was pushed into the reality of war.

 

 

*Images obtained via Google Images