a confusion of dreams

Classic Books

2010-08-08T10:11:00.005-04:00

Thanks to all my friends who responded to my inquiry into meaningful and life-changing classic books. I have already read a few of the selections, and I wholeheartedly agree with many of your choices (To Kill a Mockingbird is an all-time favorite!)

I perused the selections and have decided to read the following books this school year.

The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky
Friday Night Lights by H.G. Bissinger
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce
The Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger
Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
East of Eden by John Steinbeck
The Lord of the Ringss by JRR Tolkein
For Whom the Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemingway
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

School Supplies

2010-07-31T11:25:00.004-04:00

“Don’t you love New York in the fall? It makes me want to buy school supplies." ~You've Got Mail

The appearance of aisles upon aisles of school supplies at Wal-Mart and Target always brings me mixed feelings. I am sad that the thought of school starting impedes upon my summer reverie, but deep down: I am profoundly excited. The annual trip to purchase new pencils, notebooks, folders, binders, and--if I was lucky--a new backpack was a highlight of my year. In fifth grade, I organized my six class folders in rainbow order--pink for the first class of the day all the way through purple for the last. Every time I would peek into my desk and see my tiny, hidden, personal rainbow, I would smile. As I got older, I was faced with the decision--what is my color this year? More specifically, what color of Five Star, 5 subject college-ruled notebook would I choose? Everything had to coordinate, you see. This decision was crucial, because it set the style precedent for the rest of the year.

Now that I'm on the other side as a teacher/librarian, my feelings remain unchanged. I still buy a new package of pencils and pens for my desk. They are fiercely guarded and never given out to students. Lesser pencils (like those found on the floor) are used instead. There's something about opening a package of paper, placing those pencils and pens in a fashionable pencil case that never gets old. They are imbued with promise and hope: This will be a good year. I'm going to be organized. This year is going to matter. One of the things I like most about being on a "school schedule" is that around this time, every year, is a new beginning. A chance to do things right. I think I will always wander through the aisles, no matter how old I am. I delight in the learning and knowledge that will fill each folder, each piece of notebook paper. And if you're lucky, you might just catch me indulging in my favorite of all back-to-school smells: crayons.

Poem of the Day

2010-07-27T22:28:00.000-04:00

Listen by W.S. Merwin

with the night falling we are saying thank you
we are stopping on the bridge to bow from the railings
we are running out of the glass rooms
with our mouths full of food to look at the sky
and say thank you
we are standing by the water looking out
in different directions

back from a series of hospitals back from a mugging
after funerals we are saying thank you
after the news of the dead
whether or not we knew them we are saying thank you
in a culture up to its chin in shame
living in the stench it has chosen we are saying thank you

over telephones we are saying thank you
in doorways and in the backs of cars and in elevators
remembering wars and the police at the back door
and the beatings on stairs we are saying thank you
in the banks that use us we are saying thank you
with the crooks in office with the rich and fashionable
unchanged we go on saying thank you thank you

with the animals dying around us
our lost feelings we are saying thank you
with the forests falling faster than the minutes
of our lives we are saying thank you
with the words going out like cells of a brain
with the cities growing over us like the earth
we are saying thank you faster and faster
with nobody listening we are saying thank you
we are saying thank you and waving
dark though it is

...discovered today in Traveling Mercies by Anne Lamott

Poem of the Day

2010-07-06T16:24:00.001-04:00

My Life had stood - a Loaded Gun -
In Corners - till a Day
The Owner passed - identified -
And carried Me away -
And now We roam in Sovereign Woods -
And now We hunt the Doe -
And every time I speak for Him -
The Mountains straight reply -

And do I smile, such cordial light
Upon the Valley glow -
It is as a Vesuvian face
Had let its pleasure through -

And when at Night - Our good Day done -
I guard My Master's Head -
'Tis better than the Eider-Duck's
Deep Pillow - to have shared -

To foe of His - I'm deadly foe -
None stir the second time -
On whom I lay a Yellow Eye -
Or an emphatic Thumb -

Though I than He - may longer live
He longer must - than I -
For I have but the power to kill,
Without--the power to die--

~Emily Dickinson

inspired by today's Fresh Air

Poem of the Day

2010-07-02T20:36:00.000-04:00

"Underneath an Abject Willow"
W. H. Auden

Underneath an abject willow,
Lover, sulk no more:
Act from thought should quickly follow.
What is thinking for?
Your unique and moping station
Proves you cold;
Stand up and fold
Your map of desolation.

Bells that toll across the meadows
From the sombre spire
Toll for these unloving shadows
Love does not require.
All that lives may love; why longer
Bow to loss
With arms cross?
Strike and you shall conquer.

Geese in flocks above you flying.
Their direction know,
Icy brooks beneath you flowing,
To their ocean go.
Dark and dull is your distraction:
Walk then, come,
No longer numb
Into your satisfaction.

Poem of the Day

2010-06-25T19:38:00.000-04:00

This world is not conclusion;
A sequel stands beyond,
Invisible, as music,
But positive, as sound.
It beckons and it baffles;
Philosophies don’t know,
And through a riddle, at the last,
Sagacity must go.
To guess it puzzles scholars;
To gain it, men have shown
Contempt of generations,
And crucifixion known.

~Emily Dickinson

Favorite Quotes from A Wrinkle in Time, Part Two

2010-06-21T12:40:00.005-04:00

"Like and equal are not the same thing at all!" ~Meg Murray
We were sent here for something. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose." ~Mr. Murray

Perplexity came to her from the beast. “What is this dark? What is this light? We do not understand. Your father and the boy, Calvin, have asked this too. They say that it is night now on our planet, and that they cannot see. They have told us that our atmosphere is what they call opaque, so that the stars are not visible, and then they were surprised that we know stars, that we know their music and the movements of their dance far better than beings like you who spend hours studying them through what you call telescopes. We do not understand what this means, to see.”
“Well it's what things look like,” Meg said helplessly.
“We do not know what things look like, as you say,” the beast said. “We know what things are like. It must be a very limiting thing, this seeing.”
“Oh, no!” Meg cried. “It's—it's the most wonderful thing in the world!”
“What a very strange world yours must be!” the beast said, “that such a peculiar-seeming thing should be of such importance. Try to tell me, what is this thing called light that you are able to do so little without?”
“Well, we can't see without it,” Meg said, realizing that she was completely unable to explain vision and light and dark. How can you explain sight on a world where no on has ever seen and where there is no need of eyes? “Well, on this planet,” she fumbled, “you have a sun, don't you?”
“A most wonderful sun, from which comes our warmth, and the rays which give us our flowers, our food, our music, and all the things which make life and growth.”
“Well,” Meg said, “when we are turned toward the sun—our earth, our planet, I mean, toward our sun—we receive its light. And when we're turned away from it, it is night. And if we want to see we have to use artificial lights.”
“Artificial lights,” the beast sighed. “How very complicated life you're your planet must be. Later on you must try to explain some more to me.”

If it was impossible to describe sight to Aunt Beast, it would be even more impossible to describe the singing of Aunt Beast to a human being. It was a music even more glorious than the music of the singing creatures on Uriel. It was a music more tangible than form or sight. It had essence and structure. It supported Meg more firmly than the arms of Aunt Beast It seemed to travel with her, to sweep her aloft in the power of song, so that she was moving in glory among the stars, and for a moment she, too, felt that the words Darkness and Light had no meaning, and only this melody was real.

Meg did not know when she fell asleep within the body of the music. When she wakened Aunt Beast was asleep, too, the softness of her furry, faceless head drooping. Night had gone and a dull gray light filled the room. But she realized now that here on this planet there was no need for color, that the grays and browns merging into each other were not what the beasts knew, and that what she, herself, saw was only the smallest fraction of what the planet was really like. It was she who was limited by her senses, not the blind boasts, for they must have senses of which she could not even dream.

"Are you fighting the Black Thing?" Meg asked.

"Oh, yes," Aunt Beast replied. "In doing that we can never relax. We are the called according to His purpose, and whom He calls, them He also justifies. Of course we have help, and without help it would be much more cult."

"Who helps you?" Meg asked.

"Oh, dear, it is so difficult to explain things to you, small one. And I know now that it is not just because you are a child. The other two are as hard to reach into as you are. what can I tell you that will mean anything to you? Good helps us, the stars helps us, perhaps what you would call light helps us, love helps us. Oh, my child, I cannot explain! This is something you just have to know or not know."

"But--"

"We look not at the things which are what you would call seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporal. But the things which are not seen are eternal." "Aunt Beast, do you know Mrs. Whatsit?" Meg asked with a sudden flooding of hope. "Mrs. whatsit?" Aunt Beast was puzzled. "Oh, child, your language is so utterly simple and limited that it has the effect of extreme complication."

"We want nothing from you that you do without grace," Mrs. Whatsit said, "or that you do without understanding."

"You mean you're comparing our lives to a sonnet? A strict form, but freedom within it?"

"Yes." Mrs. Whatsit said. "You're given the form, but you have to write the sonnet yourself. What you say is completely up to you."

The foolishmess of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For ye see your calling, bretheren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called, but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty. And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are."

Then, seeming to echo from all around her, came Mrs. Which's unforgettable voice. "I hhave nnott ggivenn yyou mmyy ggifftt. Yyou hhave ssomethinngg thatt ITT hhass nnott. Thiss ssometlnnngg iss yyourr onlly wweapponn. Bbutt yyou mmusstt ffinndd itt ffoff yyourrssellff." Then the voice ceased, and Meg knew that she was alone.

"Mrs. Whatsit hates you," Charles Wallace said.
And that was where IT made ITs fatal mistake, for as Meg said, automatically, "Mrs. Whatsit loves me; that's what she told me, that she loves me," suddenly she knew.
She knew!
Love.
That was what she had that IT did not have.
She had Mrs. Whatsit's love, and her father's, and her mother's, and the real Charles Wallace's love, and the twins', and Aunt Beast's.
And she had her love for them.
But how could she use it? What was she meant to do?
If she could give love to IT perhaps it would shrivel up and die, for she was sure that IT could not withstand love. But she, in all her weakness and foolishness and baseness and nothingness, was incapable of loving IT. Perhaps it was not too much to ask of her, but she could not do it.
But she could love Charles Wallace.

Favorite Quotes from A Wrinkle in Time, Part One

2010-06-21T11:53:00.003-04:00

"'If you have some liniment I'll put it on my dignity,' Mrs. Whatsit said, still supine. 'I think it's sprained.'"...."Have you ever tried to get to your feet with a sprained dignity?" Mrs. Whatsit

"...one thing I've learned is that you don't have to understand things for them to be." ~Mrs. Murray

"But you see, Meg, just because we don't understand doesn't mean that the explanation doesn't exist." ~Mrs. Murray

"Anndd wee mussttn'tt looose ourr sensses of hummorr," Mrs. Which said. "Thee onnlly wway ttoo ccope withh ssometthingg ddeadly sseriouss iss ttoo ttry ttoo trreatt itt a llittlle ligghtly."

"Just how old are you?" Calvin asked her.
"Just a moment," Mrs. Whatsit murmured, and appeared to calculate rapidly upon her fingers. She nodded triumphantly. "Exactly 2,379,152,497 years, 8 months, and 3 days. That is according to your calendar, of course, which even you know isn't very accurate."

"'Listen, then,' Mrs. Whatsit said. The resonant voice rose and the words seemed to be all around them so that Meg felt that she could almost reach out and touch them: 'Sing unto the Lord a new song, and his praise from the end of the earth, ye that go down to the sea, and all that is therein; the isles, and the inhabitants thereof. Let the wilderness and the cities thereof lift their voice; let the inhabitants of the rock sing, let them shout from the top of the mountains. Let them give glory unto the Lord!'
Throughout her entire body Meg felt a pulse of joy such as she had never known before."

Mrs. Whatsit sighed. "Explanations are not easy when they areabout things for which your civilization still has no words."

"But what is it?" Calvin demanded. "We know that it's evil, but what is it?"
"Yyouu hhave ssaidd itt!" Mrs. Which's voice rang out. "Itt iss Eevill. Itt iss thee Ppowers of Ddarrkknesss!"
"But what's going to happen?" Meg's voice trembled. "Oh, please, Mrs. Which, tell us what's going to happen!"
"Wee wwill cconnttinnue tto ffightt!"
Something in Mrs. Which's voice made all three of the children stand straighter, throwing back their shoulders with determination, looking at the glimmer that was Mrs. Which with pride and confidence.
"And we're not alone, you know, children," came Mrs. Whatsit, the comforter. "All through the universe it's being fought, all through the cosmos, and my, but it's a grand and exciting battle. I know it's hard for you to understand about size, how there's very little difference in the size of the tiniest microbe and the greatest galaxy. You think about that, and maybe it won't seem strange to you that some of our very best fighters have come right from your own planet, and it's a little planet, dears, out on the edge of a little galaxy. You can be proud that it's done so well."
"Who have our fighters been?" Calvin asked.
"Oh, you must know them, dear," Mrs. Whatsit said.
Mrs. Who's spectacles shown out at them triumphantly. "And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not."
"Jesus!" Charles Wallace said. "Why of course, Jesus!"
"Of course!" Mrs. Whatsit said. "Go on, Charles, love. There were others. All your great artists. They've been lights for us to see by."
"Leonardo da Vinci?" Calvin suggested tentatively. "And Michelangelo?"
"And Shakespeare," Charles Wallace called out, "and Bach! And Pasteur and Madame Curie and Einstein!"
Now Calvin's voice rang with confidence. "And Schweitzer and Ghandi and Buddha and Beethoven and Rembrandtand St. Francis!"
"Now you, Meg," Mrs. Whatsit ordered.
"Oh, Euclid, I suppose." Meg was in such an agony of impatience that her voice grated irritably. "And Copernicus. But what about Father? Please, what about Father?"
"Wee aarre ggoingg tto your ffatherr," Mrs. Which said.
"But where is he?" Meg went over to Mrs. Which and stamped as though she were as young as Charles Wallace.
Mrs. Whatsit answered in a voice that was low but quite firm. "On a planet that has given in. So you must prepare to be very strong."

The complete, the true Mrs. Whatsit, Meg realized, was beyond human understanding. What she saw was only the game Mrs. Whatsit was playing; it was an amusing and charming game, a game full of both laughter and comfort, but it was only the tiniest facet of all the things Mrs. Whatsit could be.

Thoughts from A Wrinkle in Time

2010-06-21T11:52:00.004-04:00

I wish I could say every wonderful thing there is to say about Madeleine L'Engle and her books, but I cannot. Many critics and fellow authors have said more eloquent and elaborate things about her, her books, her contributions to the understanding of science and religion. Quite simply, she's one of my favorite authors. She's not afraid to tackle big topics in books for children, she sees science and religion as complimentary things and not as enemies, and she's just a flat-out great writer. Below are a few of my meager thoughts about A Wrinkle in Time.

****

I can really relate to Meg. She's insecure, feels ugly, and doesn't quite know what to do with her intelligence. She's impulsive, impatient, and immature, but also loves deeply and is very intelligent. (Hmmm. Sounds like someone I know...) She's also a thirteen year old girl, which last time I checked, is probably the most awkward living creature known to man. Throughout this book (and the rest of the series) we see Meg mature. We see her learn to turn her weaknesses into strengths, to become comfortable in her own skin. I haven't read the later books featuring the adult Meg, but I'm interested to see how she turned out.

I love all the different planets and universes they visit. Uriel, the two-dimensional planet, Camazotz, and finally Ixchel. They are all different--some are untouched by evil, some not. Some are three dimensional--some not. It's cool to think about all the different ways life could exist in the universe. We have a tendency to think that we're God's only creations in the universe. This book was written in the 1960's before black holes were discovered (and the idea of multiple universes probably hadn't even been dreamt of yet). AWIT is a book unlike any other. It takes these complex ideas about science and reality and makes them thought provoking and (gasp) entertaining. Our shortsightedness about our own abilties and the universe are exemplified by Aunt Beast and the creatures of Ixchel. Aunt Beast is one of my favorite characters. On Ixchel, the in habitants cannot see as we see on earth, with our eyes. They see things in a different way. They see things as they truly are. Appearances aren't everything--for God (1 Samuel 16:7) or for the inhabitants of Ixchel. Meg meets Aunt Beast (who initially frightens her) but she later comes to love this strange creature who helps her to see that her earthly sight is very limited.

IT invites Meg, Calvin, and Charles Wallace to come into IT, saying, "I am peace and utter rest. I am freedom from all responsibility. To come in to me is the last difficult decision you will ever have to make." IT plays off the words of Jesus in Matthew 11:28-30, hoping to entice them to surrender to IT. I think IT represents a lot of things, but I one way I see IT is representing our culture's desire to "check out" and have other people think and choose our beliefs for us. They surrender their responsibility to use their God-given reason. So many people like to accept what the TV says, what their preacher says, or what their daddy said without ever considering for themselves. They can't tolerate anyone believing in or being something different. IT offers uniformity, but what an awful world it would be if everyone was the same. In both A Wrinkle in Time and A Wind in the Door, the power of love to define oneself and others is a recurring theme. It becomes more prevalent in the second book, but Meg defeats IT by loving it. The evil IT cannot stand to be loved. IT cannot stand for people to be different...to be Named as God created them. More about this particular evil in my upcoming A Wind in the Door posts.

I love how L'Engle weaves verses and themes from the Bible throughout the book. L'Engle works her magic, taking the story beyond terrestiral bounds, and ultimately illustrating God's grace and love extends to the whole universe (and whoever or whatever may inhabit it). To L'Engle, science and religion are "one and the same," two ways of telling the same story. I have seen first hand the conflict of placing religion against science. It's not a competition because though each subject asks many of the same questions, the each seek answers in different ways. Madeleine L'Engle is one of the few writers I have found who can balance these two fields and reconcile them in a way that even children seem to understand.

"You have to write the book that wants to be written. And if the book will be too difficult for grown-ups, then you write it for children."
~Madeleine L'Engle

Top Ten Awesome Things I'm Looking Forward to this Summer

2010-06-06T15:52:00.002-04:00

1. The World Cup -- a whole month of non-stop soccer on television.
2. Visiting the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. With my best friend. And her mom.
3. Mellow Mushroom Trivia with Scholars' Bowl every Wednesday night.
4. Toy Story 3 on June 18. You're never too old...
5. Reading an insane quantity of books. Over 1000 pages so far this summer
6. Visiting a dear friend in Texas.
7. Visiting with wonderful friends/sisters. We'll most likely be found eating sushi.
8. Playing with my new toy: a digital camera.
9. Laying in my hammock watching it storm.
10. Watching every BBC miniseries available on demand from Netflix.

Favorite Quotes from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

2010-06-05T22:53:00.004-04:00

There are so many....but here's a sampling of my favorites...

The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.
~Epitaph on the graves of Lily and James Potter

“If you loved Lily Evans, if you truly loved her, then your way forward is clear.” ~Dumbledore to Severus Snape

“He is his father over again—“
“In looks perhaps, but his deepest nature is much more like his mothers.”
Dumbledore: But this is touching Severus, have you grown to care for the boy, after all?
Severus Snape: For him? Expecto Patronum!
From the tip of his wand burst the silver doe: She landed on the office floor, bounded once across the office, and soared out of the window.

Dumbledore watched her fly away, and as her silvery glow faded he turned back to Snape, and his eyes were full of tears.
“After all this time?”
“Always,” said Snape.

“Look…at…me.” ~Severus Snape

Every second he breathed, the smell of the grass, the cool air on his face, was so precious: To think that people had years and years, time to waste, so much time it dragged, and he was clinging to each second.

“You’ve been so brave.”
He could not speak. His eyes feasted on her, and he thought that he would like to stand and look at her forever, and that would be enough.

“You’ll stay with me?”
“Until the very end,” said James.
…
“Stay close to me,” he said quietly

“That which Voldemort does not value, he takes no trouble to understand. Of house-elves and children's tales, of love, loyalty, and innocence, Voldemort knows and understands nothing. Nothing. That they all have a power beyond his own, a power beyond the reach of any magic, is a truth he has never grasped.” ~Dumbledore

“It is a curious thing, Harry, but perhaps those who are best suited to power are those who have never sought it. Those who, like you, have leadership thrust upon them, and take up the mantle because they must, and find to their own surprise that they wear it well.” ~Dumbledore

“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?” ~Dumbledore

"Not my Daughter, you Bitch!" ~Molly Wasley

“I’d want some peace and quiet, if it were me,” she said,
(I love how Luna always seems to know what Harry needs. I love their friendship.)

Thoughts about Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

2010-06-05T22:52:00.004-04:00

I'm sure all 2 of my faithful readers thought this post was never going to come...but here it is. Finally.

Deathly Hallows is my favorite Harry Potter book. I love how action packed it is and how (most) every mystery is explained.

Dumbledore
Until now, he has been the perfect, grandfatherly wizard who always explains everything at the end of the book. Now, we see a different side of Dumbledore—one where he is power hungry, flawed, and easily blinded by power and his feelings for Grindelwald. Harry always had Dumbledore in highest esteem, but now we see him confused and angry with him. Dumbledore leaves Harry with abundant mysteries (Hallows, Horcruxes, and the objects from his will), and Harry must figure it all out.
We learn about Dumbledore’s surprisingly tragic past and how it ties him even more to Harry. And we finally learn what Dumbledore saw in the Mirror of Erised.

Horcruxes or Hallows? (Or the stuff Dumbledore left them?)
I have to hand it to J. K. Rowling—being able to manage seven horcruxes, three Deathly Hallows, and Dumbledore’s four mysterious items left to Harry, Ron, and Hermione. That’s a lot to integrate and resolve into a story. Seeing how these items are all found and integrated into the story is amazing. I couldn’t remember how all of Dumbledore’s former possessions played into the story (except for Tales of Beedle the Bard). I also love the twist with Draco being the master of the Elder Wand. Brilliant.

Dobby
Dobby used to get on my nerves. Later, he becomes Harry Potter’s elf through and through. He saves Harry and the others from Malfoy Manner, only to die in Harry’s arms. For some reason, this death hit me hardest of all. In the same way Dobby’s death allows him to grieve Sirius, Dumbledore, Hedwig, and Mad Eye Moody, his death was cathartic for me too. The way Rowling describes Dobby reaching out "with a look of supplication" towards Harry…it broke my heart. Here’s to you, Dobby.

Snape, Snape, Severus Snape
Oh my stars. Chapter thirty-three. The chapter we’d all been waiting for. The chapter I weep through every time I read it. Is Snape good or bad? Or a little of both? Now we know. Little did we know that Severus’s undying love for Lily is what propelled him to watch over Harry (however begrudgingly) all these years. What prompted his defection from the Death Eaters into becoming Dumbledore’s man through and through. What made his patronus a doe. What made Harry having “his mother’s eyes” so important. What makes Severus Snape one of the bravest men ever. His love for Lily is a beautiful thing. The thought of loving someone for the rest of your life and having that love transform your whole self…to dedicate your life to the memory and spirit of that person. This is what makes Snape truly awesome.

Friendship
Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Luna’s amazing decoration in her bedroom. Ron leaving and then coming back. Sharing burdens. Not going it alone. This story is about so much, but one thing it is most about is friendship, loyalty and love. Enough said. (I just wish Harry had said goodbye before he went into the forest.)

Love
It’s all about love.
It was love that protected Harry all these years. Love that was so undervalued by Voldemort. Love that transformed Snape. Love that bonded Harry, Ron, and Hermione (and Neville and Luna). Harry’s loved ones lead him into the forest to meet Voldemort. Love that keeps Narcissa from telling the truth about Harry being dead. Love protected Harry and was the downfall of evil. Sounds familiar…

Harry Potter as a Christ-figure?
I saw this coming two or three books ago. Once J. K. Rowling said she was a member of the Church of Scotland and that people who knew that should know where the story was going… I knew. Harry would have to die to defeat evil. Little did I know that he, like Jesus, would be resurrected. The scene in the King’s Cross chapter is so amazing in everyway. Perhaps my favorite chapter in the whole series. I’m sure a lot of people would disagree with me on this, but Harry is a Christ figure to me. He struggles with coming to terms with his death (similar to Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane) but he accepts it, goes to it willingly, and that makes all the difference. It’s not an exact parallel of course, but like C. S. Lewis I feel that Rowling steals “past those watchful dragons” to include a truth that is the ultimate truth we’ve seen before. Only that time, it was real.
Here's an interesting article on this topic.

Favorite Quotes from Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

2010-04-27T22:17:00.004-04:00

In no particular order...culled from many different sources...

Let us step into the night and pursue that flighty temptress, adventure. ~Dumbledore

Why Are You Worrying About You-Know-Who?
You SHOULD Be Worrying About
U-NO-POO --
the Constipation Sensation That's Gripping the Nation!

People expect you to have cooler friends than us. ~Luna Lovegood to Harry

Harry did not usually lie in bed reading his textbooks; that sort of behaviour, as Ron rightly said, was indecent in anybody except Hermione, who was simply weird that way.

I make mistakes like the next man. In fact, being — forgive me — rather cleverer than most men, my mistakes tend to be correspondingly huger. ~Dumbledore

Be brave like my mother, Professor. ~Harry to Slughorn

I am good -looking enough for both of us, I theenk! ~Fleur Delacour

We must try not to sink beneath our anguish, Harry, but battle on. ~Dumbledore

"Dumbledore's man through and through," said Harry. "That's right."

He accusued me of being 'Dumbledore's man through and through.'
"How very rude of him."
"I told him I was."
Dumbledore opened his mouth to speak and then closed it again. Behind Harry, Fawkes the phoenix let out a low, soft, musical cry. To Harry’s intense embarrassment, he suddenly realized that Dumbledore’s bright blue eyes looked rather watery, and he stared hastily at his own knees. When Dumbledore spoke, however, his voice was quite steady.
"I am very touched, Harry."

Yes, Harry, you can love....which given everything that has happened to you, is a great and remarkable thing. You are still too young to understand how usual you are, Harry, ~Dumbledore

Don’t you see? Voldemort himself created his worst enemy, just as tyrants everywhere do! Have you any idea how much tyrants fear the people they oppress? All of them realize that, one day, amongst their many victims, there is sure to be one that rises against them and strikes back!

But he understood at last what Dumbledore had been trying to tell him. It was, he thought, the difference between being dragged into the arena to face a battle to the death and walking into the arena with your head held high. Some people, perhaps, would say that there was little to choose between the two ways, but Dumbledore knew — and so do I, thought Harry, with a rush of fierce pride, and so did my parents — that there was all the difference in the world.

Thoughts from Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

2010-04-27T21:19:00.002-04:00

I don't have as many notes on HP 6 as I thought I would because I listened to most of it on audiobook with the wonderful Jim Dale narrating. I wasn't able to underline and scribble thoughts like I was with the others....so here goes.

Harry's protective charm at the Dursley's is finally explained in detail. Harry is safe there until he turns 17 or when he no longer calls Privet Drive home.

Professor Slughorn....sometimes I joke at school that I'm like him because I like to get to know all the smart kids. I like to collect them, but not nearly as much or to the degree as Slugorn. I love the lengths that Dumbledore will go to to get that ONE memory from him.

Molly Weasley's onion soup....I guess I was just hungry when I wrote that down, but it sounded SO GOOD!

I loved reading about Harry, Hermione, and Ron's test score anxiety. I keenly remember waiting for ACT results and AP scores....glad to see some things are the same in the wizarding world as they are for Muggles.

Fred and George's U-No-Poo....hilarioius. Laughter is always the best cure against fear....

I LOVE Harry's loyalty to Dumbledore when he's talking with Rufus Scrimgeour.

Dumbledore refuses to call Tom Riddle anything else. Again, the power of a name..

We finally get to the Horcruxes. This is one of my favorite parts because it's like a puzzle and a treasure hunt. I love how Rowling tucked several of them into the narrative, just in passing. I feel like it's a nod to all the obsessive/close readers out there (like those who spotted Slytherin's locket in Order of the Phoenix).

Harry on Feilx Felicis....I love how he convinces Slughorn by invoking the spirit of his mother, one of his favorite students.

I feel like the conversation between Harry and Dumbledore about the Horcruxes is crucial. I believe at this point, Dumbledore knows he is going to die and he is trying to impart everything he knows to Harry before that happens. I just wish he could've given some sort of warning to Harry that his death was near. Any reason why he wouldn't have?

Harry calls Snape a coward, and that really seems to tick Snape off more than anything. Knowing Snape's true loyalties really lets me see how insulting this would really be. To know how much he risked to be loyal to Dumbledore....wow.

Fawkes again...singing once for Harry's loyalty to Dumbledore and again his final song, after Dumbledore's death as he leaves Hogwarts forever.

I remember the first time I read this book and how the absolute shock of Dumbledore's death was paralyzing. I had no idea of why or how to explain it. Over time, and after the seventh book came out, we finally understood. It doesn't make it any less awful, but it's sad in that Harry has to face his greatest challenge alone. How the last adult person on his side is gone without so much as a goodbye. I do find it poignant that Dumbledore body-bound Harry so that he couldn't fight Draco or Snape...he knew what he was doing all along....which goes with something Erin (and many others) always say...."I trust Dumbledore completely."

Deeper Thoughts from Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

2010-04-20T14:55:00.004-04:00

Occlumency and Legilimency
Learning about these skills is one of the layers necessary for understanding the HP universe. I think it’s great that she pairs Harry and Snape together, creating all kinds of friction and conflict. Later, after book 7, we realize this is exactly how Snape deceived Voldemort and was able to carry on as a double agent for the Order of the Phoenix. J. K. Rowling has an interesting quote about why Harry didn’t make a good Occlumens…and why Draco would:
"...I think Draco would be very gifted in Occlumency, unlike Harry. Harry’s problem with it was always that his emotions were too near the surface and that he is in some ways too damaged. But he's also very in touch with his feelings about what's happened to him. He's not repressed, he's quite honest about facing them, and he couldn't suppress them, he couldn't suppress these memories. But I thought of Draco as someone who is very capable of compartmentalizing his life and his emotions, and always has done. So he's shut down his pity, enabling him to bully effectively. He's shut down compassion — how else would you become a Death Eater? So he suppresses virtually all of the good side of himself."

On a related note, why does Snape call Voldemort “the Dark Lord” and why doesn’t Snape want Harry to say Voldemort’s name? Are the memories Snape remove’s before the lessons the same ones we see at the end of book 7?
Speaking of these memories...they are illuminating. I love seeing glimpses into Snapes past. We learn more about where he came from and how his childhood shaped his adult persona. Does Snape intentionally call Lily a mudblood? Is it to maintain his persona as an angsty rebel? This, I assume, is the turning point in Lily and Severus's relationship.

Ginny
Urgh…Ginny Weasley. I want so much more from her. We get wonderful characters in Tonka, Luna, and Hermione, but I feel shortchanged with Ginny. She’s a Mary Sue. She’s talented, athletic, adored by all. She has no perceivable flaws..except being posessed by Lord Voldemort (which wasn't her fault, of course). She's chased around by all the boys, and then she captures Harry's attention. She's like that girl in high school that was so wonderful and perfect you couldn't help hating her. :-)

Dolores Umbridge
Stephen King says that she is “the greatest make-believe villain since Hannibal Lecter.” I’m inclined to agree. The scariest things are always the ones that don’t appear to be scary on the surface. Basically DU is a sweet little grandmother…who’s been possessed by Satan. She is heartless, cruel, sadistic, and downright EVIL. I love/hate to read about her. I love how the other teachers can't stand her, especially McGonagall. When she is carried off into the forest by the centaurs, I literally cheer out loud. One of the greatest cathartic moments in the book.

Department of Mysteries
One of my favorite places/concepts in the HP world. I love how the things that intriuge us Muggles also intrigue the wizarding world. There is truly deeper magic than spells and curses. Time, death, space, and the greatest mystery of all, behind the locked door: love. Simply beautiful. I find it interesting to see how the characters interact with the veil. Some are afraid (Hermione) and some can walk right up to it and hear voices (Harry and Luna). They have faced death and are not afraid.

Siruis and Harry
Other than his relationship with Dumbledore, none of Harry's relationships (with adults) had more effect on his life than with Sirius. The relationship between Sirius and Harry is one of my favorite parts of book 5. It begins when Sirius speaks up for Harry, saying that he should know what all the OotP is trying to protect him from. The flipside of this is that Sirius is probably still trying to treat Harry like he would’ve James. Regardless, it is obvious Sirius loves Harry so much. Even in their short amount of time together, we see their connection and mourn for what might have been. So much of this book is Harry coming to terms with the truth about his parents, especially his father. He realizes he was kind of a jerk. When Sirius dies, Harry is utterly devasted. Rowling does an amazing job plunging us into Harry's grief and despair. She lost her own mother to cancer, and it is evident that she has been to the depths of such despair. It’s heartbreaking that Harry doesn’t find the two-way mirror until after Sirius is dead. To me, this mirror symbolizes the sadness for all the unlived moments we have with those who have left us, and the regret for what we knew we should have done.

Dumbledore and Harry
Throughout so much of book 5, Dumbledore is absent and when he is with Harry, distant. The narrative cycle of having Dumbledore's actions remain a mystery until finally explained in the last few chapters continues here. However, this chapter is one of the most profound and beautiful chapters in the whole series. We see Dumbledore counseling Harry through his grief, explaining his actions in avoiding him, and discussing the powerful magic that imbues him thanks to his mother's sacrifice. One of the few complaints I hear about the fifth movie is that they give a lot of Dumbledore's great lines during this conversation to Sirius. I mean, I guess it's better than giving them to, say, Dobby, but Sirius would be the next best choice. Regardless, I ended up underlining half of this chapter because everything Dumbledore says is so profound and poignant, especially given what happens in the next book.

Thoughts and Observations from Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

2010-04-14T12:01:00.005-04:00

When Petunia refers to “that boy” we think she’s talking about James, but we later realize she’s talking about Severus.

When they fly away from Privet Drive, it foreshadows the disastrous escape in Deathly Hallows.

We meet two wonderful characters in OotP: Tonks and Luna Lovegood. It’s so good to additional strong female characters. I love Luna’s whimsical take loose on reality, as well as Tonks’ spunk and fire. I love how Luna becomes a friend and confidant for Harry through their shared experiences of loss. Then when she (and another favorite Neville) fight with Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny in the Department of Mysteries, we see that those who may not be the coolest or most popular people are oftentimes the most reliable and faithful friends.

I was so proud when Hermione finally says Voldemort’s name out loud.

I was right! Dumbledore DID hint at the Room of Requirement to Harry at the end of book 4.

Harry’s signature charm is quickly becoming Expelliarmus…taught to him by none other than Snape. (Thanks Mandy for this one)

Question: What is the machine that Dumbledore uses in his office…the one that uses smoke? (p. 470)

“God Rest Ye Merrye Hippogriffs” is awesome….there should be a whole suite of hippogriff inspired songs… “I’m on a Hippogriff” anyone?

LOVE the scene with Neville at St. Mungo’s. We see Harry taking compassion on Neville by trying to give him is privacy. And when Neville pockets the wrapper his mother gave him…heartbreaking.

I love learning about a character's patronus. Hermione's patronus is J. K. Rowling's favorite animal: an otter.

When Dumbledore destroys the statue, it's like he's overturning the status quo of wizards being the "superior" magical creature.

The fifth book is the longest, but ironically has the shortest movie.

Favorite Quotes from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

2010-03-24T22:51:00.004-04:00

"Why do they have to move in packs? How're you supposed to get one on their own to ask them?" - Harry Potter

"Hermy-own."
"Her-my-oh-nee."
"Herm-own-ninny." - Viktor, being educated in pronunciation by Hermione

"I sometimes find, and I am sure you know the feeling, that I simply have too many thoughts and memories crammed into my mind... At these times... I use the Pensieve. One simply siphons the excess thoughts from one's mind, pours them into the basin, and examines them at one's leisure." - Albus Dumbledore

"He said my blood would make him stronger than if he'd used someone else's," Harry told Dumbledore. "He said the protection my - my mother left in me - he'd have it too. And he was right - he could touch me without hurting himself, he touched my face."

For a fleeting instant, Harry thought he saw a gleam of something like triumph in Dumbledore's eyes. But next second, Harry was sure he had imagined it, for when Dumbledore had returned to his seat behind the desk, he looked as old and weary as Harry had ever seen him.
"Very well," he said, sitting down again. "Voldemort has overcome that particular barrier. Harry, continue, please." -Dumbledore to Harry

"Remember, if the time should come when you have to make a choice between what is right and what is easy, remember what happened to a boy who was good, and kind, and brave, because he strayed across the path of Lord Voldemort." - Albus Dumbledore

Thoughts on Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire: Part Two

2010-03-24T22:11:00.008-04:00

*Poor Hermione and her hate mail.

*I love the Pensieve. I think this is one of my favorite elements of the HP universe. I love the idea of being able to remove/draw out memories and store them in the pensieve.

*Does Dumbledore realize or begin to suspect that Harry is a Horcrux when he says that it's "no ordinary scar"?

*Learning the truth about Neville's parents is heartbreaking.

*When Harry asks Dumbledore, "What made you think he'd really stopped following Voldemort?" do you think he's talking about when Voldemort killed Lily?

*The turning point for the whole series is when they enter the maze...everything changes. I still remember turning the page after Cedric and Harry touched the Triwizard Cup and discovering they were in a graveyard. I thought "this can't be good..."

*Seeing Voldemort as a shriveled up, creepy lizard baby reminds me of his appearance later in book 7 in the King's Cross station.

*Would this possibly be a biblical allusion: Wormtail touching the hem of Voldemort's robe after Voldemort "healed" him by replacing his hand? (Mark 5:21-34)

*Voldemort believes the protective powers in Harry's will help keep him alive. Dumbledore later has his infamous "gleam of triumph." I need a little clarification on this...Did Voldemort intentionally make Harry a Horcrux or was it accidental?

*The priori incantatem scene is intense! Fawkes again appears (in a way) with his phoenix song, which is one of my favorite symbols/occurrences I love how the ghosts of the people Voldemort has killed emerge to help Harry. In my edition, James comes out before Lily, which is a serious typo. I think it was corrected in later editions.

*When Cedric asks Harry to take his body back to his parents---ANGUISH! Harry is so noble to do this. And when he stands up to the school and announces what really happened in the graveyard--I'm just so proud of him.

*We get to see Angry Dumbledore--a rarity--when he goes after Barty Crouch, Jr.

*From here on out...everything just gets darker, more complex, and so much more readable!

Thoughts on Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire: Part One

2010-03-14T12:05:00.015-04:00

*Opening scene: It's a jolting beginning--the death of Frank Bryce. You instantly know that this book is not going to be like the others.

*Learaning the Unforgivable Curses: This is a really intense scene. It's kind of strange because this is where the magic gets really dark. They are no longer innocent to the dark powers of their world. It was sad to see Neville Longbottom have to learn about the Cruciatis curse. Is this where we learned about his parents?

*Neville: He's just so relateable....I love how he's kind of a loser, but in the end gets his moment. The fact that he loves Herbology...so great. A plant nerd. He's just a kind, sensitive soul. I really do like Neville. He's a good anti-hero.

*Other wizarding schools: I enjoy learning about other schools. It would be interesting to see what life is like at Beauxbatons or Durmstrang. I wonder if the name Durmstrang came from "Sturm und Drang" which literally translates as "storm and stress" in German.

*I hate to see Harry and Ron fight. However, I knew it was only a matter of time before the green monster reared its ugly head and came between them.

*Harry having to learn to dance is great. It's like every teen movie where the climax is always...the PROM! (and somehow everyone knows the same choreographed dance...)

*I love Hermione's transition. I think without the movies and Emma Watson, this might
be more dramatic. She's so pretty (even when they're trying to make her unattractive) that when I visualize her as Hermione in the book...it looses some of its luster. This is one case where it's good to have not seen the movies, because then her makeover is more exciting for her character and...Ron's.

*Snape is AWFUL to Hermione. Why is this? "I see no difference." What a jerk!

*Is Dumbledore hinting at the Room of Requirement when he describes finding a bathroom in the middle of the night (p 417 in my book)? I think he even winks at Harry, too.

*I wonder if Viktor mispronouncing Hermione's name is JK Rowling poking fun at all the people trying to figure out how to say her name. She once remarked that the weirdest pronunciation she ever heard was "Hermy-one"

*I just have to say that the Prefect's bathroom sounds amazing. I wish they would have that at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter....oh, and Moaning Myrtle's a perv. ;-)

Four Yorkshiremen

2010-03-13T06:57:00.002-05:00

When I was at Governor's School waaay back in 2001, three friends and I performed this Monty Pyton skit. I'd been meaning to look it up for ages, until my friend posted it on Facebook this morning.

Whenever people start talking about "how it used to be," I can't help but think about this..

Favorite quotes from Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

2010-03-08T21:10:00.001-05:00

"Them Azkaban guards give me the collywobbles." ~Ernie Prang

"I'm not going to be murdered." ~Harry Potter
"That's the spirit, dear." ~Sleepy mirror

The description of Honeydukes (cue the Homer Simpson noise)
There were shelves upon shelves of the most succulent-looking sweets imaginable. Creamy chunks of nougat, shimmering pink squares of coconut ice, fat, honey-colored toffees; hundreds of different kinds of chocolate in neat rows; there was a large barrel of Every Flavor Beans, and another of Fizzing Whizbees, the levitating sherbert balls that Ron had mentioned; along yet another wall were "Special Effects" sweets: Droobles Best Blowing Hum (which filled a room with bluebell-coloured bubbles that refused to pop for days), the strange, splintery Toothflossing Stringmints, tiny black Pepper Imps ("breathe fire for your friends!"), Ice Mice ("here your teeth chatter and squeak!"), peppermint creams shaped like toads ("hop realistically in the stomach!"), fragile sugar-spin quills, and exploding bonbons.

"What was there to be gained by fighting the most evil wizard who has ever existed? Only innocent lives, Peter!"
"You don't understand! He would have killed me, Sirius!"
"THEN YOU SHOULD HAVE DIED! DIED RATHER THAN BETRAY YOUR FRIENDS, AS WE WOULD HAVE DONE FOR YOU!"
~ Sirius Black, Peter Pettigrew

"Pettigrew owes his life to you. You have sent Voldemort a deputy who is in your debt . . . When one wizard saves another wizard's life, it creates a certain bond between them . . . and I'm much mistaken if Voldemort wants his servant in the debt of Harry Potter."
"I don't want a connection with Pettigrew! He killed my parents!"
"This is magic at its deepest, its most impenetrable, Harry. But trust me . . . the time may come when you will be very glad you saved Pettigrew's life."
~ Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter

Thoughts on Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

2010-03-08T19:30:00.004-05:00

* I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: the Dursley’s are so one-dimensional. I guess they only exist to diametrically oppose the magical world. I mean…who sends a coat hanger for Christmas? Why do they even bother. Does anyone remember why Harry *has* to go back to the Dursely’s every year.
* I had completely forgotten about the Knight Bus. It’s just a weird little part of the Potter universe. I think the driver comes into the story later, but I can’t remember.
* Sirius. The most important part of the book, and the part I thought most about. I hadn’t read the 3rd book since reading the later ones, so it’s interesting to go back. It’s almost amusing how afraid of Sirius everyone is, when he turns out to be harmless and a pivotal figure in Harry’s life. His presence wasn’t nearly as menacing as it was bittersweet.
* I love how Dumbledore calls Voldemort Tom. I think he’s the only one that does it, and it’s just one more reason why Dumbledore is awesome. It reminded me of another one of my favorite series, The Time Quartet by Madeleine L’Engle. In the second book, Meg Wallace must face evil--defeating it through her calling--naming. The concept of naming has always intrigued me....
* Ugh...the Dementors. They are truly frightening. I like how they mention that Muggles can sense them. I think Rowling struggled with depression after the death of her mother, and I guess this is one way that she "explained" it. They also remind me of the Ring Wraiths in LOTR. Were the dementors once human? Or are they some of other kind of creature/spirit/incarnation.
* The Patronus: I love this concept of the Patronus. It reminds me a little of the daemons in the His Dark Materials series. I wonder which one came first? I also love that chocolate is the cure for the effects of the Dementors. I also like how Rowling defeats the Boggarts with laughter. I've often found that laughter is the best cure for any kind of fear or nervousness.
* Please excuse the seventh grade boy in me, but I think this line spoken by Snape is (unintentionally) hilarious: "Potter, you can skin Malfoy's shrivelfig." (TWSS)
* Speaking of Malfoy...he's such a weenie complaining about his arm. I just want to smack him.
* I enjoy learning about James, Lily, Remus, and Severus as young people. I'm sure it was special for Harry to learn about his family, but it would be difficult to learn the bad things about your parents, too. It's also neat to see how their traits show up in Harry, learning about himself as he learns about his parents.
* WHY OH WHY did Harry's parents make Wormtail the secret keeper???
* I read an interesting article in one my books about Snape and it pointed out how much he picked on Hermione, and it was right! Snape really is a jerk to Hermione on every possible occasion.
* Crookshanks is awesome. He's part Kneazle, so he can detect untrustworthy individuals. I love how he is always trying to kill Scabbers. The first time I read through the series, I suspected Crookshanks could be a secret animagi, but, alas, I was wrong.
* The Maurader's Map....As a teacher, I must say that I really respect such creativity, even if it does lead to mischief...
* Peter Pettigrew now owes his life to Harry. I remember discussing this before the 7th book came out, and wondering if it would be a plot point (and it was).
* It is heartbreaking to realize how little time Harry has with Sirius. When he thinks that he could live with Sirius instead of the Dursley's, we see a glimmer of hope, only to have it dashed. As a friend of mine said, "I want to explain to him how Sirius is (one of) the greatest men he will ever meet and that he should cherish each moment he has with him." Couldn't agree more.
* One of my favorite moments of book 3 is when Harry goes back in time to cast the Patronus. He thinks his father is the person casting it, but it's really him. Rowling does a nice little time-travel magic there. The Latin Expecto Patronum translates to "I await a protector" which I think is interesting. I also like how Harry's patronus takes that of his father...a stag. I wonder if there's a Matronus charm...what would it do?

Poems for Spring

2010-03-08T17:21:00.002-05:00

i thank You God for most this amazing
day:for the leaping greenly spirits of trees
and a blue true dream of sky;and for everything
wich is natural which is infinite which is yes

(i who have died am alive again today,
and this is the sun's birthday;this is the birth
day of life and love and wings:and of the gay
great happening illimitably earth)

how should tasting touching hearing seeing
breathing any-lifted from the no
of all nothing-human merely being
doubt unimaginable You?

(now the ears of my ears awake and
now the eyes of my eyes are opened)

~e.e. cummings

Bonus: Hear this poem set to music composed by Eric Whitacre

IV

2010-03-08T17:10:00.001-05:00

The woods and pastures are joyous
in their abundance now
in a season of warmth and much rain.
We walk amidst foliage, amidst
song. The sheep and cattle graze
like souls in bliss (except for flies)
and lie down satisfied. Who now
can believe in winter? In winter
who could have hoped for this?
~Wendell Berry
Given: Poems

Favorite quotes from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

2010-02-27T18:01:00.001-05:00

Hermione, however, clapped a hand to her forehead. "Harry -- I think I've just understood something! I've got to go to the library!" And she sprinted away, up the stairs.
"What does she understand?" said Harry distractedly, still looking around, trying to tell where the voice had come from.
"Loads more than I do." said Ron, shaking his head.
"But why's she got to go to the library?"
"Because that's what Hermione does," said Ron, shrugging. "When in doubt, go to the library."

"I will only truly have left this school when none here are loyal to me. You will also find that help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it." " –Dumbledore

"You must have shown me real loyalty down in the Chamber. Nothing but that could have called Fawkes to you." Dumbledore

And an all-time favorite quote from any book ever:
"It is our choices Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities." –Dumbledore to Harry (especially poignant after we learn Dumbledore’s history and temptation into power with the Deathly Hallows)

Thoughts Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

2010-02-27T16:48:00.005-05:00

Thoughts on Chamber of Secrets:
• Bah...to have to go back to the Durselys. I forgot how much it pained me to read about Harry in Muggle Hell. And then it’s the Weasleys to the rescue in an enchanted Ford Anglia. Perfect.
• Talking about Voldemort's "failed curse" and "deeper magic" reminds me of the "deep magic" Aslan talks about in the Chronicles of Narnia.
• I had forgotten how early in the story Dobby appears. In previous readings, I thought Dobby was annoying, but now it's poignant to read about him and his devotion to Harry.
• The Vanishing Cabinet(s): after reading book 6, they become much more obvious. Harry appears in one in Borgin and Burkes when he first uses Floo Powder to travel to Diagon Alley. He doesn’t close the door all the way—if he had, he’d have appeared in the Hogwarts vanishing cabinet. It later appears in chapter 8, when Peeves knocks it over to distract Filch from getting Harry in trouble (thanks to Erin on this observance). This is what damages it and why it has to be repaired….setting it up for book 6. Draco also mentions in passing a secret chamber under his living room, which becomes vital in book 7.
• Gilderoy Lockhart: J. K. Rowling has said that this is the only character that is based on a real person and that she “barely exaggerated” the character. Problem is: she’s never said who. Some say Phillip Pullman….who knows? All I know is that he’s annoying as hell, and I would love to see who he’s really based on.
• I love the description of Harry in Dumbledore’s office. It just sets the scene for all the conversations they have later. We see that Harry is still a little bit nervous or scared to be truthful with Dumbledore. Also, the conversation Harry has with the sorting hat is important later in the story.
• I find all the professions of “the end of Hogwarts!” and “we’ll have to close the school!” amusing only because of the relative triviality of what happens now versus what happens later. I mean…in every book it’s like they’re going to have to close the school…..drama! It’s a little nitpicky, but it amuses me now…when things are still so innocent.
• Fawkes….probably my favorite part of the story upon re-reading. We first learn about Fawkes and the abilities of a phoenix. We learn they are loyal, and I think that loyalty is a major theme of this book. Loyalty calls Fawkes to Harry in the Chamber, and the issue of Harry’s loyalty to Dumbledore first emerges. We first hear Fawkes's cry as a sign of loyalty to his master Dumbledore. This foreshadows a beautiful moment in book 6.
• Holographic Tom Riddle dismisses the sorting hat and Fawkes as Harry’s weapons in the Chamber, and it foreshadows what Dumbledore says in book 7 about Voldemort not caring for house elves, children’s tales, and the like.
• When Harry returns the diary to Dumbledore, this is where he first realizes that Voldemort created Horcruxes. He says later that he realized it was no ordinary dark magic. (Thanks to Erin for this one)
• When Harry and Dumbledore discuss Voldemort “put a bit of himself in [Harry], they didn’t realize how right they were….

Weekend Reading

2010-02-27T08:07:00.005-05:00

I know I'm truly obsessed with an author or series when I want to read critical analysis of the work. I guess it's the almost-English major in me. I accumulated these texts on HP from various sources, and I'm eager to dive in and find new insights. I will finish Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets today, so look for a post on it soon.

Favorite quotes from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

2010-02-22T12:56:00.002-05:00

(All by Dumbledore in chapter 17)
"To the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure."
"Humans have a knack of choosing precisely those things that are worst for them."
"Call him Voldemort, Harry. Always use the proper name for things. Fear of a name increases fear of the thing itself."
"The truth is a beautiful and terrible thing, and should therefore be treated with great caution."
"Your mother died to save you. If there is one thing Voldemort cannot understand, it is love. He didn't realize that love as powerful as your mother's for you leaves its own mark. Not a scar, no visible sign ... to have been loved so deeply, even though the person who loved us is gone, will give us some protection forever. (...) It was agony to touch a person marked by something so good."
"'There are all kinds of courage,' said Dumbledore, smiling. 'It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends...'"

If you’re out there, reading with me, please let me know! I want to hear what you think, too! Email me at eudaimonia22@gmail.com

Thoughts on Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

2010-02-22T06:59:00.000-05:00

HP Thoughts, Book One:
I finished Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone last night. My initial thoughts upon completion were, “Is that it?” I’m so used to reading epic 800-page-long books, that it struck me how quickly everything happens in book one. This is also the first time reading book one with knowledge of how the series ends. So many things in book 1 reappear in book 7. Questions are answered, ultimate loyalties revealed. If you haven’t read the entire series, my thoughts will contain spoilers, so I wouldn’t read any further. My thoughts and questions are admittedly disjointed, but I’ll try to make them coherent and meaningful (or at least sequential). Please add your thoughts, because, at times, I get more out of HP from hearing my friends’ opinions than from my own readings.
· The first book is definitely a children’s book, whereas the later books move into young adult territory. These later books are fresher in my mind, so the simplicity of the first book is charming. In the first book, nothing really bad happens. Everything works out in the end. We all know that this doesn’t last for long. Beloved characters die, and sacrifices are made. Its almost sad to read them, knowing what all will happen.
· I would love to read a real British copy of book one. I know they edited out much of the British slang and terminology, and I think the book is the poorer for it. I know they kept more of it in with the later books, but still….
· One of my greatest pleasures in rereading so far has been the rediscovery of all the charming world building. Learning about the magical world, its candies, traditions, and customs brought back the delight I experienced when I first read these books long ago.
· I remember the feeling of wanting to be found out to be someone special, just like Harry. I think all kids (and I dare say adults) hope that others will see things in us that we don’t see in ourselves. We all wish we had hidden, secret powers, or an incredible destiny.
· Certain scenes stand out as really special. Harry and Ron on the train. Harry’s first real Christmas (with presents). Their adventure to retrieve the Sorcerer’s Stone. And most of all…Harry in front of the Mirror of Erised. To me, that was one of the most memorable and emotional scenes of the whole series. For so long, Harry has been alone, and now he finally has friends and a family supporting him.
· Things from book seven that appear in book one: Grindelwald, Goblins, the dragons at Gringotts, the invisibility cloak, the mystery of Harry’s scar, and having his mother’s eyes.
· I had forgotten how awesome the food at Hogwarts is. Who’s up for a HP-themed banquet?
· Snape. Oh, Snape. With Dumbledore, one of the most complex characters in the whole series. We never quite know what each is thinking. From the seventh book, we know Snape’s true thoughts towards Harry and what Dumbledore sees in his reflection of the Mirror of Erised. I look forward to hearing their stories again.
· I’m sad that Madam Pince is the stereotypical mean librarian, but I do love that the first place Harry sneaks off to in his invisibility cloak is…the library!
· I had totally forgotten about the centaurs. It like how they are separate from the other magical creatures, as well as their cryptic predictions. I love Firenze’s relationship with Harry.
· I remember how surprised I was to find out it was Quirrell. The first of JK Rowling’s many plot twists and surprises.
· I love the whole aspect of Harry being protected by his mother’s love. The power of Harry’s blood to defeat evil is one theme of the series that is closest to my heart. More to come on that…
· Props to Neville. He always gets overlooked, but I will enjoy hearing his journey again. I’m so proud of him for standing up to his friends.

A Poem for Lent

2010-02-19T09:25:00.002-05:00

THE COMING

And God held in his hand
a small globe. Look, he said,
the son looked. Far off,
as through water, he saw
a scorched land of fierce
color. The light burned
there: crusted buildings
cast their shadows; a bright
serpent, a river
uncoiled itself, radiant
with slime.

On a bare
hill a bare tree saddened
the sky. Many people
held out their thin arms
to it, as though waiting
for a vanished April
to return to its crossed
boughs. The son watched
them. Let me go there, he said.

Harry Potter Re-Read

2010-02-15T06:19:00.004-05:00

I've officially began to re-read all the Harry Potter books. I have never read them all the way through from beginning to end. I am doing this for several reasons. First: I can't go for very long in my life without a little Harry Potter. It's been too long, so I'm overcompensating. Second: I have many wonderful friends who are also lovers of HP, and I want to connect with them in a new way. My hope is that we will be able to discuss them, laugh with them, cry with them, and then watch the movie at the end. Third: the first part of the seventh movie comes out in November, and I wanted to have the full weight of the story behind me. Fourth: the Wizarding World of Harry Potter opens this summer in Florida, and as Liz Lemon would say, "I want to go to there." I may even have a chance to go in July thanks to my friend Mandy and her mom.

I don't have a definite timeline set, but I foresee that I will read through them rather quickly. But even if you're a slow reader, I invite you to join me. Who's in?

Latte Bowls

2010-02-12T20:44:00.010-05:00

I believe that even the most mundane things in our lives can bring us joy. I began a collection of latte bowls from Anthropologie.

I first read about them on the NieNie Dialogues. Normally, I can't afford anything in Anthropologie, but these bowls are only $4 each. Anytime I have the chance to shop at Anthropologie (which is rarely), I will pick up a few. They come in beautiful colors and are the perfect size for cereal, chili, anything. Even better, my spoon does not fall in the bowl (as it did with our other bowls).

A few years ago, I decided that my New Year's resolution would be to "embrace color." At that time, most of my clothes were black (because it goes with everything, right) or blue. Now I feel like I've embraced all colors, including ones I did not like so much before....(hear that, orange?) Two of the most colorful, inspirational people I follow are Anna Maria Horner and Color Me Katie.

Every morning, when I open my cabinet doors, I get to choose a color. Will I choose a bowl that matches my outfit? Coordinates with the season? The food I will put in it? Strange as it seems, all these thoughts have crossed my mind. These bowls are so great, they even make the dirty dishes in the dishwasher beautiful.

AASL Conference

2009-11-07T14:50:00.003-05:00

I've been at the AASL conference in Charlotte, NC for the past few days. Despite my sister's best guess, it was not the Association of Arby's Sauce Lovers (though I would love to go to that conference). The American Association of School Librarians is a great organization of my peers. I won a travel grant to visit the conference, and it's been worth it! I have been strengthened and encouraged by some wonderful fellow school librarians and authors. I had the honor of meeting Laurie Halse Anderson who is a goddess among YA authors. She is so gracious, witty, and genuine. She gave a speech at the author's dinner that moved many people (including me) to tears. I always think the conferences are so expensive, but after it's all said and done, I am so glad I spent the money (and gave up the time) to come. A few cool people I met (and are now my gurus) include

Joyce Valenza
Buffy Hamilton

Whatever your profession, I hope you get a chance to go and spend time with your peers and learn lots of cool new stuff. If you're not a school librarian, thanks for reading through this probably long and meaningless post. Just please do me a favor and visit a library, thank a librarian, thank a teacher...do something with a library because it's been humbling to be with 3,000 other people who love reading, students, and learning as much as I do.

Angophilia

2009-10-16T07:22:00.003-04:00

I want to go to there....

http://www.bookbinding.co.uk/

because they make these...

Getting ARCs in the Mail

2009-10-15T11:21:00.004-04:00

Last month I was suprised when I recieved an ARC (advance reader copy) of Fire by Kristin Cashore in the mail. This month, I recieved a copy of Hold Still by Nina LaCour. The cool thing is that I can read these books before they are released to the general public. I am going to try to be a good little book blogger and review these books I am so graciously recieving in the mail from the publisher. I am reading Fire right now (which, BTW I think has a *most beautiful* cover) and I finished Hold Still yesterday. Reviews to come!

Ode to Cuisinart

2009-10-15T11:13:00.003-04:00

Oh, stick blender
I was so sad when you
stopped blending,
stopped chopping.
How was I to
mix my mochas?

You sat
in the cabinet
six months
waiting to be given
a second chance.

I called your number
and a nice man
named Doug
said he would
send a new one
for only ten dollars.

Thank you Cuisinart
for knowing how
business is done.

I'm back

2009-10-05T12:37:00.001-04:00

After many months of neglect, I've decided to start blogging again. I know of two people out there (Howdy, Sarahs!) who have read this blog, so this is for you. I hope it will challenge me to be more creative and improve my writing skills. What I hope to focus on is things that I love or that make me happy, make me smile, make me laugh, etc. I may bother you with the occasional rant but I want it to be a happy place amidst the negativity and hoopla of the rest of the internet.

See you soon!

13 Ways to Raise a Non-Reader

2009-03-12T11:24:00.000-04:00

Tenure

2009-03-09T16:38:00.000-04:00

I am sad to foul my lovely blog with such negativity, but here it goes..

The educational tenure system is absolutely infuriating and anti-productive. When GOOD teachers loose out because another CRAPPIER teacher has tenure, then our schools are doomed to fail. Not to even mention all the other reasons public education is doomed to fail, but when people who actually DO their jobs are cut just because someone else has "tenure" then the tenure system is actually hurting the school system. Just today I found out that two of my very good friends are losing their jobs due to the ridiculous and heretofore un-rationalized budget cuts in our county. They are both in their first year in their positions, but they are actually doing their jobs WELL and with responsibility. Their co-workers (by all accounts) do NOT do their jobs well, doing only what's necessary to get by or do it with such a terrible attitude as to render their services virtually non-existent. The one chance that a principal would have to get rid of them is gone simply because they are tenured. In any other business situation, someone doing such a terrible job would surely be let go. Maybe not. I don't know. But when you take away the ability to cut out such counterproductivity, surely it's a recipe for disaster. Tenure surely has its positives, but this is ridiculous. Something has to change...but how?

If Elizabeth Bennet were alive today...

2009-03-07T18:29:00.000-05:00

...I think she would wear this dress.
(from jcrew.com)

Flikr Meme

2009-03-07T15:22:00.001-05:00

a. Type your answer to each of the questions below into Flickr Search.
b. Using only the first page, pick an image.
c. Copy and paste each of the URLs for the images into fd’s mosaic maker.

1. What is your first name?
2. What is your favorite food?
3. What school did you go to?
4. What is your favorite color?
5. Who is your celebrity crush?
6. Favorite drink?
7. Dream vacation?
8. Favorite dessert?
9. What you want to be when you grow up?
10. What do you love most in life?
11. One Word to describe you.
12. Your flickr name.

1. Not available, 2. Not available, 3. Carson-Newman College, 4. Royal Blue Flow, 5. OUT169470226. Not available7. Not available8. Not available9. Not available10. Not available11. Not available12. Not available

2008 YA Favorites

2009-01-07T17:50:00.001-05:00

I know these lists usually come out at the end of the year, so I apologize for my lateness.

Top Ten YA Books Published in 2008 (or thereabouts....in no particular order)
1. Little Brother by Cory Doctorow
2. Unwind by Neal Shusterman
3. Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer
4. Impossible by Nancy Werlin
5. The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson
6. Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac by Gabrielle Zevin (Her novel Elsewhere is an all-time favorite)
7. The Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale (The Goose Girl is an all-time, tip-top favorite, too)
8. The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau Banks by E. Lockhart
9. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
10. Paper Towns by John Green
11. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

Wordle

2009-01-07T17:26:00.001-05:00

Christmas Music

2008-12-26T09:38:00.000-05:00

I'm always on the lookout for good Christmas music, especially the kind I don't hear played incessantly in malls or on TV. I happily discovered a few new albums I'd like to share.

Andrew Peterson's Behold the Lamb of God: The True Tall Tale of the Coming of Christ

Sojourn's Advent Songs

Rosie Thomas's A Very Rosie Christmas

Quote of the Day

2008-10-29T07:00:00.001-04:00

delete edit

“Student: “Can I cite the book from here [the online catalog] or do I have to actually go get the book?”
Me: “What do you think?”
Student: [short pause] “Aw, that’s what I thought. I really don’t want to go get it.”
Me: “Well, I’m sorry, but that’s really not doing research.”

Sisters

2008-10-26T15:57:00.000-04:00

I've been following this story since the beginning, and it's truly amazing. This couple's been in my thoughts and prayers for months now.

The Girl Effect

2008-10-25T16:10:00.001-04:00

I think it's time....

2008-10-25T13:47:00.001-04:00

I started posting on here again....

The Golden Compass

2007-04-28T22:15:00.000-04:00

Phillip Pullman's His Dark Materials series is now a movie. Read the first book, The Golden Compass--it's brilliant fantasy.

http://www.goldencompassmovie.com

Children's Books

2007-04-28T22:05:00.000-04:00

It's all I've been reading lately....

Some of my favorites:

Holes by Louis Sachar
Homeless Bird by Gloria Whelan
Kira-Kira by Cynthia Kadohata
Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo
Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt

A few of my favorite things...

2006-11-11T23:18:00.000-05:00

How I stay informed in a busy world...

The Writer's Almanac
NY Times 25 Most E-mailed Stories
Speaking of Faith podcast