Reading through the Wizarding World


“I hope you're pleased with yourselves. We could all have been killed - or worse, expelled. Now if you don't mind, I'm going to bed.” -Hermione Granger, "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone"

Prior to recently, I'd never read a "Harry Potter" book. There's a couple reasons. First, I think I've been up front that I usually like to see a film or TV show first, and then go deeper in the story. And second, I never really got caught up in "Harry Potter." By the time it debuted, I was a junior in high school. It wasn't high on my list.

Then when I saw the first movie in 2001, I thought it seemed like something of a children's story. It wasn't until the third and fourth film I started to get interested in the world and the ongoing story. Then I tore through all the movies and have a different appreciation for the series. When Binge Mode tackled Harry Potter last summer, it made me curious. So I've decided to go back through and read through the books. And I'm going to capture the process.

Over Christmas break, I finally finished my first "Harry Potter" book, "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone." Of course it has a different name in England, but that's another conversation.

One of the things I realized when going through the book is I was already invested in the story because I've seen all the films. I know these characters and like them a lot. And that helped me sink into the first book because, much like the movie, it feels more like a children's story than later installments. That owes to the fact the principal characters re children. They're just 11 years old.

I was fascinated by how much was different from page to screen. The way sequences come together, etc. really was interesting. And two, since I'd seen the film, I had a pre-conceived picture of some of these characters that are a little different from the illustrations and even some of the descriptions. And that was interesting, too.

It's fair to say, watching the films, that Hermione was probably one of my favorite characters, but I felt that more reading the book. I was really struck by chapter 10. It starts with Ron being cold to Hermione and ends with them defeating a troll and becoming something of better friends. It was a chapter that really hooked me emotionally in a way I found different than the films.

In fact, I found the whole exercise of the book to be something that gave me a new appreciation for the story, especially as I re-watched the movie following finishing the book. It made me more excited to go through the series and see how it changes my appreciation of the characters and the world.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Burial a courtroom drama with heart

Image
Willie Gary (Jamie Foxx) is a brash trial lawyer who is good at rallying a jury to his cause. Jeremiah O’Keefe (Tommy Lee Jones) is a quiet grandfather who is trying to ensure the business his family built remains viable after he’s gone. These two don’t appear to have much in common on the surface. But when they’re brought together by young lawyer Hal Dockins (Mamoudou Athie) brings them together, a connection is formed over their shared background of working hard to become self-made men. And it turned out that Willie was just who Jerry needed in his corner to win the fight of his life. The new Prime Video film The Burial, which opened in theaters October 6 and started streaming October 13, captures that trial against the Loewen Group that changed the course of their lives. The film is based on the true story and covers the trial, but more importantly captures the relationship between the men. The film plays out like a traditional courtroom drama. Foxx is solid as Willie Gary, while Ju...
Read more

Broncos Draft Targets

Image
  The NFL Draft is just a few days away. On April 25, the Denver Broncos will head into the draft in the midst of something of a rebuild. In the draft, the Broncos have the No. 12 pick in Round 1, then have a Third Round Pick, Fourth Round Pick, three Fifth Round Picks, a Sixth Round Pick, and a Seventh Round Pick. So, what might they be targeting? Let's dive in and look at possible positions. Quarterback : The team clearly needs a long-term quarterback. Jarrett Stidham and Ben DiNucci are there but the team could certainly use someone else. Could they move up for Drake Maye or J.J. McCarthy? Yes, they could. Will the take Bo Nix at 12? It's possible. Or will the Broncos wait until next off-season to make a move? Anything is in play for the Broncos in 2024, but quarterback is surely a need. Tight End: The team brought back Adam Trautman and still has Greg Dulcich, but it's still a need. Dulcich hasn't been able to get on the field and Trautman hasn't been great. Co...
Read more

Favorite Westerns, No. 43

Image
  Do you like a good Western? It's a classic genre in film and this year I've decided to look at some of my favorite Westerns. So, join me each Friday as I count down my favorite Westerns from No. 50 to No. 1. Rooster Cogburn : [ watching Mattie ford the river hanging on the back of her horse] By God. She reminds me of me. True Grit (1969) Starring : John Wayne, Kim Darby, Glen Campbell, Robert Duvall, and Dennis Hopper Director : Henry Hathaway About: This is the third straight week with a film from Wayne. As you might guess, we're not done. As I've mentioned, he sets a standard for the genre. Here, we seen him bring to life an iconic character. This one is based on a novel, and it has endured. He's great as Rooster Cogburn, so good that he got a sequel in the same character. But this is a later film in his career. This is a different, more grizzled Wayne. He's still quite good and this is a film that really has stood the test of time. It's not the only ve...
Read more