So I recognize that the blog about my absolute favorite book series in the world is quite over due, hence the name of my blog. I have indeed been called That Harry Potter girl more than once, and I'm totally okay with this. I could care less if people make fun of me for loving the series so much. I pity them, in fact, because they can't find the beauty that I can within the pages. It's---er---magic!
FIRST THING FIRST!
It needs to be clear that I am a fan of the BOOKS! The only movies I slightly liked were the 6th, and Part 1 and 2.
I've been reading the books since the first came out (1997) when I was 9 years old. In a way, I grew up right alongside Harry. He was 11 in the first book, and I was 9. When the 2nd book came out and he was 12, I was 10. 3rd, Harry 13, me 11. 4th, Harry 14 and me 12. 5th, Harry 15 and me 14. 6th, Harry and I were both 16. 7th, Harry was 17 and I was 18. What was the point of this little time line? To show I really did grow up with this series, of course!
I like to think of this generation as being the Potter generation. I know I am not the only person who grew up right alongside these characters. Though I was a reader even before age 9, I think the series had a great impact on my imagination. These characters became my friends at times when real people kind of sucked. If it weren't for Harry Potter, I might not be an aspiring writer myself. If I could create a cast of characters as intricately as J.K. Rowling has, make them as lovable, hate-able, memorable, and magical as she has, I'll count myself as a success.
One thing that makes me sad is when people write Harry Potter off as stupid or evil before they've even cracked a book. I also (in my opinion) think it is irresponsible to teach children to fear something that you yourself haven't taken the time to investigate. Honestly, Harry Potter is no more evil than the Chronicles of Narnia or Lord of the Rings, and I haven't heard nearly as much commotion over those two series' as I have HP. I don't know if it's because those are considered classics and HP is modern, but I doubt it. I think that it's because there was no question as to what religion C.S. Lewis and J.R.R Tolkein belonged to, and Rowling kept her personal life tight to her vest (though now she has made it public that she belongs to the Church of Scotland and attends church regularly). Anyway, do me a favor and before you completely cast ole' Harry and the gang off as evil, read the books, 1st through 7th. Don't start in the middle, say the 4th, where things start getting a bit more intense. That's like starting Lord of the Rings in the middle of the Two Towers, not having a clue why all these Orks are going crazy and trying to kill some short dude with hairy feet. SAME THING PEOPLE, SAME THING! You CANNOT judge a whole series by one scary moment in a book when you have no idea why it's there in the first place.
Does Harry Potter get scary? Absolutely! Imagine yourself being captured by a bunch of evil scary people and watching the devil himself come up to you in a cemetery! That stuffs crazy, man! But, you know, if you bother to read the books, you will see a very clear line between "good" and "evil" in the books. Yes, every single character (including Albus Dumbledore and Harry Potter himself) have bad points and the capability of darkness, and I hate to be the bearer of bad news...but so do you. We are ALL capable of doing great evils. There is a smudge of darkness inside every good person, and the ray of light inside every dark person. It's just the way it is. As I am not a mind reader (Trelawney is in the loo, so I can't ask her) I do not know what religion you subscribe to, but I'm sure you're familiar with the concept of Yin and Yang? Whether or not you think it's rubbish (personally, I don't subscribe to that religion), but you have to admit it has a point. For every negative, there is positive. There is good, and evil. God, and the devil. In the case of Harry Potter, you have Harry and the ones who fight for the Light, and Voldemort and those who follow him into Darkness.
Harry Potter is ultimately a story about Love, Friendship, Courage, and choosing to do what is right rather than what is easy. Around the time she started this series, Rowling's mother passed away, and it spurred her to write something about the love a mother has for her child. Rowling herself is a mother and knew quite a bit about that.
Anyway, I've heard a lot of arguments against Harry Potter, and as dorky as this sounds, I've made it a mission of my academic life to refute these things. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with all the research I've been doing. A paper? Who will I give it to? No idea. Dissertation? Maybe. Probably. Something about how religon impacts modern fantasy literature or vise versa etc.,
I have no idea. All I know is that I want to help ease the minds of parents who have a problem with the series and prove that, if you look and read the series as its really meant to be, it could even be considered the most epic Christian series since The Chronicles of Narnia. I wouldn't call it that, personally. I think that it has many biblical illusions and there is a lot of greatness to be brought out of the books, but honestly, I don't think Rowling wrote it to be an out right Christian series. I think she wrote one heck of a series and gave light to those of us who were fighting our own personal darkness. I've read the series several times over and I gleam new things every time I read it. I continue to find solace in the pages.
Secondly, my love for Severus Snape
(I have to write in green to show my Slytherin pride)
Now, anyone who has known me for any length of time knows that Severus Snape is not only my favorite character in the Harry Potter world, but my favorite character in literature period. He is probably one of the most complex characters ever created, and I absolutely dig his snarky attitude!
I had a lot of emotions wrapped up in the fate of Severus Snape. I was a freshman in college when the 7th book came out and all the questions people had about Severus were answered. Personally, I never doubted his loyalty. Not to brag, but my friend Josh and I predicted a lot of what came to be in the 7th book, right down to who the infamous R.A.B. was and which Weasley would leave us for good. I always knew Severus was Dumbledore's man and would be to the very end. I also, sadly, predicted his ultimate demise. I feel no shame in telling you, dear reader, that I sobbed quite heavily when I read of the death of our dearly beloved and misunderstood Potions Master. When I watched it on the screen, I sobbed again. Though I'm not a huge fan of the movies (which I'll address in a few paragraphs) it hit me hard to see it on the screen.
But I digress. When I was in high school, I had a few super awful relationships. Well, okay, the relationships themselves weren't awful, but the endings SUCKED! I was cheated on, lied to, and used by at least one of them. The other one, I didn't figure out till later that he hadn't exactly been honest with me either. These were two guys I really thought were genuine. Only one had I fallen in love with, really thought could be the one, and that crushed me. I'd known him for a really long time, he was my best friend, and my first love. I felt betrayed and really screwed up in the head because I just didn't understand. So, when the 7th book came out, I was like "Okay, he HAS to be a good guy, because if he isn't, every man I've ever had faith in will officially have let me down!" besides my Daddy. Daddy never ever, not once, let me down. He was awesome.
Severus Snape did not let me down. He fell in love once in his life and let it transform him. This transformation is evident in not only his extremely selfless and brave actions, but his Patronus is changed. A Patronus is kind of like someones spirit animal, in a way. And it can be change when someone is going through an emotional upheaval. Tonks shows this to us for the first time when she falls in love with Remus Lupin and hers changes to a wolf. Well, Severus is and always has been in love with the late Lily Evans Potter, who's Patronus was supposedly a doe (her husband James was an Animagus and turned into a stag when transforming). In my opinion, Severus is the real hero of the series because, without him right from the beginning, Harry would had failed. Harry recognizes this, naming one of his sons Albus Severus, and telling him that Severus was probably the braves man he'd ever known. Too right, Harry!
Alright, now down to business. Why do I have a problem with the movies? Sit back and relax folks, this may take a while.
Firstly, they left out too much. I understand that the books are huge, complex, and quite intricate, but for Pete's sake, they left out whole characters who were absolutely necessary to create the full picture! Anyone remember Ludo Bagman from Goblet of Fire? Yeah, probably not. But he was there! As was Winky the house-elf, and freaking CHARLIE WEASLEY! How could they leave out a Weasley!!!!!!!!!! And we don't see Bill till part 1 which is ridiculous! We meet the elder Weasley brothers in the beginning of Goblet of Fire!!! And Bill's injury due to Fenrir Greyback is sorely understated. His face is JACKED UP and they gave him an almost pretty scar on his face. Ridiculous, I tell you! Also, Remus Lupin and Tonks are extremely important characters whose importance was very much down played. I was extremely disappointed when they left out a lot of their story line from the 5th movie on. Anyone remember in the 7th book when Remus totally blew Harry into a wall after Harry gave him what for about not being happy about Tonks being pregnant? No? Well, it happened, and they left it out! It was an incredible scene in the book and it was what knocked sense into Remus' head! I mean, it was necessary. As was Mundugus Fletcher, who we meet in the 5th book. Not introduced till the 7th. Majorly underplayed character as well. Also, Harry's hair is always shaggy and unkempt. It's a point Rowling makes over and over to tye him with his father James. 5th movie, they cut his bloody hair! His hair is short! Never short in the books guys! And by the by, Hermione's dress is periwinkle blue in Goblet of Fire, not bloody pink. Also, Harry shares his emerald eyes with his mother Lily. I understand the actor was allergic or whatnot to the contacts they tried to have him wear, but there is something called video editing. Coulda edited that stuff. Also, Lily's younger self in the movies has brown eyes. WRONG! I could go on and on with the disappointments but not lets get on to my second complaint.
Casting! They screwed up majorly on some characters, and were absolutely spot on with others! Lets start with the positive.
Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley
The golden trio was perfectly chosen. These three actors/actress embody their characters nearly perfectly. Daniel Radcliffe has done an amazing job carrying the burden of being Harry Potter. Radcliffe is a perfect fit for Potter physically as well as in personality. I wish they had of edited his eyes to be green, but oh well I reckon. Rupert Grint is a proud little ginger who grows into his character perfectly. He's so adorable when he's little, and plays the awkward teenager amazingly as well. I was very happy with their selection for Ron. Hermione as well. Emma Watson gives off this air of intelligent superiority, as does Hermione, and the hair is adorable! I understand they were unable to give her large teeth, I could live with that oddity, because Watson is so stinkin' perfect as Hermione in every other way.
Other characters they got right? Luna Lovegood. Evanna Lynch IS Luna Lovegood. As was the man who played her father, they were both spot on. Neville Longbottom was also portrayed perfectly by Matthew Lewis. Neville is one of those underdog characters that you absolutely love to watch grow and prove himself properly chosen to be a Gryffindor. Honestly, the casting isn't that bad. Okay okay, they did great on the castings. I just wish they hadn't screwed up the ones they did.
Here are the people I felt like they got wrong: Every single Marauder, including James Potter.
The people making the movies made them all to be much older than they are in the books. James and Lily Potter always appear to be middle-aged. They were 21 when they died. The Marauder's were all about 38 when the series ends. I like all the actors who play them, but they are just simply too old. Where Severus is concerned, Alan Rickman was PERFECT if Severus were an older man , but he's not. He's the same age as the lot. I honestly don't think they could have found a better Snape, but facts are facts and Rickman is 60. I have no suggestion for who could have done it better, because in my opinion, no one could. I also don't know anyone who could have been Lily or James, as neither of them interested me much during the series.
Remus Lupin would be better played by Ewan McGregor.
Or Dominic West. Both men appear to be younger (and more handsome) in my opinion and I just like their acting.
Sirius Black should have been played by my personal favorite actor, Hugh Jackman! Not only is he absolutely gorgeous (Sirius is described as handsome) he's an amazing actor and I think would do Sirius' character justice. Gary Oldman (or however you spell his name) is a great actor, as is the man who plays Lupin, but they simply do not fit, characterization wise.
Wormtail I suppose is okay since he definitely looks like a rat.
Alright, I'm done with the writing of this blog. I mean, it's incredibly long. Maybe I'll come back to the subject later, but for now, this is my two cents about the wonderful world of Harry Potter!
Have a magical night all!
Alison
P.S. This video is amazing. Please enjoy :D
"Wizard Love" -Meekakitty ft. Heyhihello
Who would have known that I could like a boy like you
Tall dark and Slytherin, what's a girl to do?
You used your Nimbus to sweep me off my feet.
But now without you by my side I feel incomplete.
Slytherin and Gryffindor, parted by the sorting hat
From rival houses boy but we don't have to be like that
Cause you've confundesed me, and now I'm feeling well
Like this is magical, I'm under your spell.
I never thought you'd be in my life
Two different worlds that we let collide
and it will never be the way it was before
Cause baby I'm a Slytherin and girl you are a Gryffindor
Yeah yeah yeah
yeah yeah yeah
yeah yeah yeah
Cause baby I'm a Slytherin and girl you are a Gryffindor
Walking down a corridor with tricks right up my sleeve
bump into this girl that's on my floor, she just wants to see
what would it be like to hold hands with someone dark
who would have you don't need a wand to start a spark
I'll slyther up to you, you can be my lion cub
Let's share a butter beer down at Rosemerta's pub
I'll chase right after you, you are my golden snitch
I'll be your Wizard love, you are are my only witch
I never thought you'd be in my life
Two different worlds that we let collide
and it will never be the way it was before
Cause baby I'm a Slytherin and girl you are a Gryffindor
Yeah yeah yeah
yeah yeah yeah
yeah yeah yeah
Cause baby I'm a Slytherin and girl you are a Gryffindor
Oh girl, this isn't like me.
Two hearts quickly beating.
Ooooh, it's taking hald.
Now our world is shining read and gold.
I never thought you'd be in my life
Two different worlds that we let collide
and it will never be the way it was before
Cause baby I'm a Slytherin and girl you are a Gryffindor
I never thought you'd be in my life
Two different worlds that we let collide
and it will never be the way it was before
Cause baby I'm a Slytherin and girl you are a Gryffindor
Yeah yeah yeah
yeah yeah yeah
yeah yeah yeah
Cause baby I'm a Slytherin and girl you are a Gryffindor
No comments:
Post a Comment