tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22927650.post6664892018074648449..comments2023-09-22T02:24:42.144-07:00Comments on a light inside: Harry Potter Book Club: Sorcerer's Stone, Chapters 5-6Jenna St.Hilairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16528611770211261141noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22927650.post-61433959308551882602013-06-07T10:32:20.239-07:002013-06-07T10:32:20.239-07:00Erm... "felt about Hermione"Erm... "felt about Hermione"Jenna St. Hilairehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04474588706124865006noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22927650.post-30612312270400794942013-06-07T10:31:42.079-07:002013-06-07T10:31:42.079-07:00Yeah... the way I see it, she's not as likable...Yeah... the way I see it, she's not <i>as</i> likable as Ron is <i>at first.</i> Ron was my favorite character except for Harry and Dumbledore in book 1. By book 7, of course, I felt about her exactly like <b>Laura</b> just expressed. <3Jenna St. Hilairehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04474588706124865006noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22927650.post-65718083581748282442013-06-07T06:47:05.005-07:002013-06-07T06:47:05.005-07:00Well, say she doesn't get along with people as...Well, say she doesn't get along with people as easily as he does. She needs to loosen up some at this point.BTanakahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03247800533467244131noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22927650.post-6964784613244121992013-05-25T06:38:44.776-07:002013-05-25T06:38:44.776-07:00Hermione's not likeable? I would never have gu...Hermione's not likeable? I would never have guessed this in a million years. <br /><br />This is how I feel about Hermione:<br /><br /><3 <3 <3 (((((Hermione))))) <3 <3 <3 <br /><br />Good point otherwise though.Lauranoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22927650.post-72475764315400991072013-05-24T22:43:00.527-07:002013-05-24T22:43:00.527-07:00It seems like it would be interesting to study wha...<i> It seems like it would be interesting to study what makes a deed great, and whether greatness is really as morally ambiguous as Ollivander seems to suggest.</i><br /><br />You could probably do a whole new Harry Potter and Philosophy book on this one, but it would be made entirely of [SPOILERS]. I DARE SAY NO MORE. <br /><br />To me, using "great" in a morally neutral (or even counter-intuitive sense) to mean "really big" or "super conquer-y" or "monstrous in his stabbination," as in, e.g. Alexander the Great reads as more an old-fashioned speech pattern than anything -- part of the wizarding culture's anachronism stew. Like you'd mostly expect people to get looked at funny now if they talked about Hitler doing things that were "terrible but great," but Napoleon got some hefty adulation from his former enemies back in the day.<br /><br />I don't know if that's quite it, though. And my further thoughts on wizarding world morality are [SPOILERS] in the extreme. Lauranoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22927650.post-39976376329121437102013-05-23T13:47:34.924-07:002013-05-23T13:47:34.924-07:00You're so right!! And you put it very well. An...You're so right!! And you put it very well. And I'm trying not to be spoilerific in response, but it's not working. **********SPOILER WARNING********** Rowling didn't hide her cards where those two were concerned, did she? Halfway through this book, I was convinced that a certain book 7 event involving a comment about house-elves and an armload of basilisk fangs was just a matter of time. ;)Jenna St. Hilairehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04474588706124865006noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22927650.post-57619938399620338512013-05-23T13:39:43.831-07:002013-05-23T13:39:43.831-07:00Ooh, interesting. And appropriate. :D Thanks!!Ooh, interesting. And appropriate. :D Thanks!!Jenna St. Hilairehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04474588706124865006noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22927650.post-82584039720829144772013-05-23T10:57:20.189-07:002013-05-23T10:57:20.189-07:00Oh, dear; most of my thoughts are extremely spoile...Oh, dear; most of my thoughts are extremely spoileriffic. <br /><br />I love the first meeting of Ron and Hermione (yeah, Harry's there too, but who cares about him?). Basically, he fails at something, she criticizes, he decideds he doesn't want anything to do with her. It sort of encapsulates their differences; Ron's not as talented or clever as she is, Hermione's not as empathetic or likeable as he is. It also plays on their mutual insecurities, since the first thing Hermione does is criticize him and the first thing Ron does is reject her. The seeds of all the ups and downs in their relationship are laid in this one scene. <br /><br />BTanakahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03247800533467244131noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22927650.post-64306537829810895292013-05-22T22:27:31.697-07:002013-05-22T22:27:31.697-07:00Not to mention, crossing water is usually a sign o...Not to mention, crossing water is usually a sign of entering the 'otherworld'. Again, particularly in celtic mythology (at least, from what I know).Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05536373669811879997noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22927650.post-54059218779338233702013-05-22T20:12:28.840-07:002013-05-22T20:12:28.840-07:00Actually, Taxol is now synthetically made, which i...Actually, Taxol is now synthetically made, which is a relief, as there simply wasn't enough yew to supply the need. I can testify to it's poisonous impact, though!<br /><br />--ArabellaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22927650.post-31659549625397715362013-05-21T11:44:40.210-07:002013-05-21T11:44:40.210-07:00Fascinating! I have sort of a romantic love for bo...Fascinating! I have sort of a romantic love for boats and water crossings, even after scaring myself half to death raft guiding. Here in the Pacific Northwest, it's hard to get anywhere without crossing water. I'll definitely be keeping this concept in mind for future storytelling. :D<br /><br /><i>I usually imagine you with either a white birch or an apple wood wand</i>... Cool! What do those mean? According to the HP wiki, apple wood doesn't mix well with the Dark Arts, which I definitely like. But they didn't have anything at all on birch.<br /><br />I figured you'd have some better thoughts on the woods than I could come up with by way of the internet. I like the thought of holly as a protective tree, and of yew being sort of like an unbaptized version. Anyway, the relationship of both to "resurrection, to life-in-death" is just perfect for the story. And the information on willows is intriguing. I love them, am strongly drawn to them, would love to get one in my yard, not that I have THAT much space, but the gnarled trunk of the weeping willow--my favorite--has always made me think of dark fairy tale things.<br /><br />"Great things"... hmmm. I like that line, too, although it creeps me out. It seems like it would be interesting to study what makes a deed great, and whether greatness is really as morally ambiguous as Ollivander seems to suggest. In secular terms, I think it is, but it doesn't work that way in my Catholic head at all. :)Jenna St. Hilairehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04474588706124865006noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22927650.post-71022579804890312013-05-21T11:29:33.635-07:002013-05-21T11:29:33.635-07:00Yeah, Rowling planned things out pretty intricatel...Yeah, Rowling planned things out pretty intricately! But I liked your research. Had no idea that yew was the source for Taxol.<br /><br />Supposedly Rowling gave the Trio all wand-woods from the Celtic calendar as kind of a hidden connection between the three of them. I didn't realize there was an alphabet involved... I don't know much about the Celts and Druids.<br /><br />Malfoy's was a hawthorn wand, and the <a href="http://harrypotter.wikia.com/wiki/Hawthorn" rel="nofollow">Potter wiki entry on that</a> is pretty interesting.<br /><br />Ha, the leap <i>is</i> sort of literally done! I hadn't thought of that before. :)Jenna St. Hilairehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04474588706124865006noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22927650.post-56277178326611370382013-05-21T10:02:43.393-07:002013-05-21T10:02:43.393-07:00What I noticed most about the student's journe...What I noticed most about the student's journey to Hogwarts was the crossing of the lake, crossing water attracts good fortune (generally though, it's best to cross it three times - three being the wonderful number it is..) But all journeys that you want to end well should being with a water crossing of some sort. I was glad to see it there, it was sort of nice to see Rowling watching out for her young characters in that way, even the one's she so obviously dislikes.<br /><br />With the woods..Jenna, I usually imagine you with either a white birch or an apple wood wand..Holly is always associated in my mind with protection. It's less a symbol of unconditional love..and more of renewing strength. It defends against witches and demons, and, since it's a midwinter tree - it has all the solstice symbolism - the return of light to triumph over darkness..and it's Christologically significant, in that it is often linked to the Crown of Thorns that Christ worn (the red berries signifying his blood)..so there's lots of suffering linked in with Holly as well..In general, a very good tree..much safer than Yew..But Yew isn't evil in anyway -darker, more dangerous..Yew is almost-but-not-quite a sort of unbaptized Holly. Both relate very much to resurrection, to life-in-death, but Yew is Pagan in the old sense - there's more danger in Yew..It is a death tree..but not in a negative sense, more because it's often used to represent the Cross, and because it's long, long life gives us over to thoughts of eternity. It's a sinister looking tree, and a Yew forest is a frightening place. I can see Yew being a good choice for V. - especially if, as I hope, but doubt - Rowling wanted to give him a chance to not grow into Voldemort, but into a good, powerful, wizard.<br /><br />Mahogany is not super important symbolically. Willows are dream-givers, but can turn nasty..sort of changeable trees, like water - they're dangerous at night especially. There's lots of sorrow in willows, willow's bring premonitions. I think they're an ok tree, but I have no affinity for them.. :( <br /><br />There is a lot to discuss in this section isn't there..If I have time (and I should) I kind of want to do a couple posts..one on the Class mockery in these books (Durslys, Malfoys, Weasleys..) and one on ...<br /><br />"Great things"..I like that line. I want to talk about it..where to begin..thoughts???Mashahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06943998810222103926noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22927650.post-48787649523460611902013-05-20T23:58:43.967-07:002013-05-20T23:58:43.967-07:00Actually, re-reading your post, it seems that Rowl...Actually, re-reading your post, it seems that Rowling was indeed thinking of those aspects of the wood/wands. Ha! of course. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05536373669811879997noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22927650.post-28390352512323314472013-05-20T23:55:20.262-07:002013-05-20T23:55:20.262-07:00The wands in Harry Potter are very interesting, ar...The wands in Harry Potter are very interesting, aren't they? When I think of traditional faerie lore and trees, I think of Holly, Hazel and Hawthorne. I did a quick google search and found the following descriptions of Holly and yew,.They're from an article titled 'The Wisdom of Trees in the Celtic Landscape'<br /><br />"Holly (Old Irish “Tinne,” genus Ilex) is a densly foliated tree that can grow to 50 feet in height and 40 feet in width. Dark green leaves accented with red berries decorate this slow growing tree.<br />Evergreen plants, such as the holly, hold favour in European folklore for their unwavering green attire during winter months – *a life in death aspect.*<br />The holly represents the letter “T” in the ogham alphabet and the eighth month from July 8 to August 4." *July 31 is Harry's b-day, right? ;)* <br />Here's the one for yew:<br />The Yew (Old Irish “Ibar,” genus Taxus) can become an enormous tree, reaching 60 feet in height and sometimes living 100 years. The yew carries dark green evergreen needles. It has attractive red-brown, deeply furrowed, flaky bark and fleshy red seeds.<br /><br />**Symbolizing immortality**, the yew was commonly planted in churchyards. The yew is found throughout Celtic mythology and the Druids thought as highly of the yew as they did of the oak, preferring the yew for their wands. Considered a “guardian of mysteries,” an old grove of yews almost certainly signals the presence of a sacred location. The remains of an ancient Druidic yew grove are said to be located near the location of the Chalice Well garden in Glastonbury, England.<br />The yew is also known as the “death tree” due to the highly poisonous alkaloids contained in its foliage and seeds. Interestingly, today, the cancer-fighting drug Taxol is made from the bark of the relatively scarce Pacific yew tree.<br />The yew represents the vowel “I” in the ogham alphabet and it rules year’s end, the eve of the winter solstice.<br />Who knows if Rowling was thinking of this stuff when she was writing, but I wouldn't put it past her.<br />On a different note, I love that the students of Hogwarts have to, as you put it, take a leap of faith in order to begin their magical journey. It's almost a literal leap, isn't it! And faith is such an important thing in these novels.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05536373669811879997noreply@blogger.com