To understand the story behind the stories, Granger introduces the themes and patterns J.K. This book is for "serious readers" but Granger writes in a very entertaining style.
Everything you need to know about Harry Potter! From plot summaries to refresh your memory (Do you remember which book introduces the character of Luna Lovegood?) to a delightful glossary of characters, places, spells and special objects (Do you know what the spell aparecium does?), this book, authored by Colin Duriez, is designed to be an excellent companion to the Harry Potter books. With loads of quotes from interviews, you'll learn all about J. K. Rowling's life and her literary influences. Chapters on the spirituality of Potter explore the question of how Rowling's faith is reflected in the stories, what she believes about witchcraft and how the stories fit with Christian tradition. (Note: unauthorized version)
When Harry Potter first boards the Hogwarts Express, he journeys to a world which Rowling says has alchemy as its "internal logic." The Philosopher's Stone, known for its power to transform base metals into gold and to give immortality to its maker, is the subject of the conflict between Harry and Voldemort in the first book of the series. But alchemy is not about money or eternal life, it is much more about the transformations of desire, of power and of people--through love. Harry's equally remarkable and ordinary power to love leads to his desire to find but not use the Philosopher's Stone at the start of the series and his wish to end the destructive power of the Elder Wand at the end. This collection of essays on alchemical symbolism and transformations in Rowling's series demonstrates how Harry's work with magical objects, people, and creatures transfigure desire, power, and identity. As Harry's leaden existence on Privet Drive is transformed in the company of his friends and teachers, the Harry Potter novels have transformed millions of readers, inspiring us to find the gold in our ordinary lives.
The Harry Potter phenomenon created a surge in reading with a lasting effect on all areas of culture, especially education. Today, teachers across the world are harnessing the power of the series to teach history, gender studies, chemistry, religion, philosophy, sociology, architecture, Latin, medieval studies, astronomy, SAT skills, and much more. These essays discuss the diverse educational possibilities of J.K. Rowling's books. Teachers of younger students use Harry and Hermione to encourage kids with disabilities or show girls the power of being brainy scientists. Students are reading fanfiction, splicing video clips, or exploring Rowling's new website, Pottermore. Harry Potter continues to open new doors to learning.
Contributions by Lauren R. Carmacci, Keridiana Chez, Kate Glassman, John Granger, Marie Schilling Grogan, Beatrice Groves, Tolonda Henderson, Nusaiba Imady, Cecilia Konchar Farr, Juliana Valadão Lopes, Amy Mars, Christina Phillips-Mattson, Patrick McCauley, Jennifer M. Reeher, Jonathan A. Rose, and Emily Strand Despite their decades-long, phenomenal success, the Harry Potter novels have attracted relatively little attention from literary critics and scholars. While popular books, articles, blogs, and fan sites for general readers proliferate, and while philosophers, historians, theologians, sociologists, psychologists, and even business professors have taken on book-length studies and edited essay collections about Harry Potter, literature scholars, outside of the children’s books community, have paid few serious visits to the Potterverse. Could it be that scholars are still reluctant to recognize popular novels, especially those with genre labels “children’s literature” or “fantasy,” as worthy subjects for academic study? This book challenges that oversight, assembling and foregrounding some of the best literary critical work by scholars trying to move the needle on these novels to reflect their importance to twenty-first-century literary culture. In Open at the Close, contributors consciously address Harry Potter primarily as a literary phenomenon rather than a cultural one. They interrogate the novels on many levels, from multiple perspectives, and with various conclusions, but they come together around the overarching question: What is it about these books? At their heart, what is it that makes the Harry Potter novels so exceptionally compelling, so irresistible to their readers, and so relevant in our time?
This is an essential text for primary trainees and teachers. While the focus in early reading is on systematic synthetic phonics, it is important to see the bigger picture and understand that teaching reading is a continuum that involves more much than the mechanics of reading. The book focuses on a range of issues to develop children who can read into children who do read, including extending reading with proficient readers, engaging disengaged readers, sustaining interest in reading in the transition from primary to secondary, and the importance of oracy in reading. Additionally, there is an exploration of the wider context of reading including international perspectives, new literacies and the importance of reading to personal development. Case studies and activities demonstrate practical applications with clear links to the underpinning theory, while critical reflections challenge the reader and encourage deeper thought about the chapter content.
Provides a Christian interpretation of Harry Potter, arguing that the series supports biblical teaching as opposed to the practice of the occult, and offers insights into character names, imagery, and themes.
This political analysis of Harry Potter uses the beloved wizarding world to introduce readers to the equally murky and intimidating world of politics. Rowling's work provides us with entries into all of the most important political questions in history, from terrorism and human rights to the classic foundations of political thought.
What if there is much more to the Harry Potter saga than a simple tale of adventure and fantasy for kids? “Yes, there is much more,” is the guiding premise of the annual, academic gatherings at Edinboro University known as The Ravenclaw Conferences. Since 2011, faculty and students have met in Edinboro to deliver papers and discuss the many intellectual and ethical issues raised in this story of an orphan boy’s journey from being a nobody to becoming the Chosen One of prophecy. In The Ravenclaw Chronicles, the reader will find select articles developed from these conferences, most from professors, but a few from student presenters. There is even one original short story of Harry Potter fan fiction. These reflections come from diverse perspectives: namely, philosophy, history, English literature, media studies, and world languages.