La salle commune que Fred et Dominique avaient crée quand ils étaient dans leur première année au Poudlard semblait le lieu parfait pour Lily : elle pouvait s’y cacher et être seule des qu’elle était libérée, pendant que ses amies, Chloé et Michelle, et son cousin, Hugo, avaient classe. Donc c’était le meilleur moment de venir ici penser a la mort de sa meilleure amie, Annalise. La solitude aidait également Lily, puisque ses amies ne pouvaient comprendre pourquoi elle était toujours triste, alors que le petit ami d’Annalise était heureux.
Mais Lily et Annalise étaient plus proches que les autres. Elles avaient connu l’amitié que Albus, le frère de Lily, et Scorpius avaient. Elles pouvaient tout comprendre, simplement parce qu’ils avaient tout partagé :leurs histoires, leurs vêtements, et leurs secrets avec l’autre. Elles s’etaient consolées, et elles habitaient dans la maison de l’autre pendant les étés. Elles étaient des sœurs jumelles depuis longtemps perdues, et cela n’avait pas aidé qu’elles aient eu le même anniversaire.
Donc quand Annalise n’était pas retournée pour une autre année au Poudlard, Lily s’était inquiétée, jusqu’au moment ou elle a reçu les informations qu’Annalise était malade. Et puisqu’ Annalise était née-moldue, ses parents n’avaient pas compris comment les magiciens pouvaient l’aider, donc ils l’avaient gardée à la maison pour les traitements. Lily était allée souvent lui rendre visite, jusqu'au 27 mars, , c’était la dernière fois qu’elle l’avait vue avant sa mort..
Maintenant, deux ans plus tard, Lily était toujours triste de la morte d’Annalise. Elle savait que son amie ne serait pas heureuse de la savoir si triste, mais Annalise et Lily n’était pas juste des amies. Lily venait d’arrivait dans la salle d’exigence, et au moment où ’elle s’est assise, deux souvenirs se sont imposées à elle, le souvenir de la fois qu’elles s’etaient rencontrées sur le Poudlard Express, et le souvenir de la dernière fois qu’elles s’etaient vues. Et plus elle se souvenait, et plus les larmes tombaient sur ses joues.
Apres quelques moments, elle a oublié que le monde existait. Elle était certaine que Michelle, Chloé, et Hugo la cherchaient, mais elle ne voulait pas quitter sa solitude. Donc quand quelqu’un est venu dans la salle d’exigence, et quand il l’a serrée dans ses bras, Lily s’est attendue a voir Hugo, son cousin, mais elle ne s’est pas attendue a voir Scorpius, pour deux raisons. Les deux n’étaient jamais trop proches (il était le meilleur ami d’Albus, le frère de Lily), et aussi parce qu’il a fini son éducation au Poudlard. Comme s’il pouvait entendre ses pensées, il a dit, « Hugo m’a envoyé une lettre il y a deux heures. Il s’est inquiété quand il ne pouvait pas te trouver après sa classe. » Il a attendu … « Je sais la date. C’est le jour qu’Annalise est morte. J’étais là aussi. »
Lily s’est souvenue. Scorpius était le petit ami d’Annalise. « Scorpius, comment as-tu supporté sa mort. Comment es-tu heureux après qu’elle soit partie ? »
« Lily, avant de mourir, elle m’a dit qu’elle était heureuse de partir du monde. Elle m’a exigé de vivre ma vie. Je suis triste quelque fois, mais je trouve…quand je pense au fait qu’elle est dans un meilleur lieu, je suis plus heureux. Je sais que tu es triste, mais tu dois penser à elle, et comme elle a plus de bonheur maintenant. »
Ils ont parlé pendant quelques minutes avant que Scorpius se soit levé. « Viens avec moi. Professeur McGonagall m’a donné l’autorisation de te sortir de l’école pour une fois, et je voudrais te montrer quelque chose. »
Quand ils se sont arrivés au Pré-au-Lard, Lily a su qu’ils allaient disparaître, donc elle s’est préparée pour la sensation de partir, la sensation qu’on sent quand on est mis dans un tube. La sensation est venue un moment avant qu’elle soit partie, et Lily a ouvert ses yeux pour voir un cimetière — le même cimetière ou Annalise a été enterrée. À ce moment, Lily n’était pas sure de pourquoi il l’avait amenée ici. Elle devait avoir l’air effraye, donc il lui a dit,
« Je viens ici chaque année, a cette date, donc je peux lui raconter toutes mes histoires de l’année. Après, quand je pars, je me sens mieux, et je peux être sur qu’elle est plus heureuse, et qu’elle ne sens plus la peine. Je pense que si tu fais ceci chaque année, avec les pensées qu’elle est plus heureuse, tu seras plus heureuse aussi. Je sais que c’est difficile Lily, mais tu ne peux pas tenir au passé. Ce n’est pas bon pour ta vie, ou pour ta santé. »
Et avec ça, il est parti, donc il pouvait lui donner le temps d’être avec sa meilleure amie. Quand elle a raconté tout a son amie, Lily s’est enfin rendue compte qu’Annalise était dans un meilleur lieu, et que si Annalise était heureuse, elle méritait la chance d’être heureuse aussi.
Quand elle s’est levée, elle a dit les derniers mots : « Au revoir Annalise. Je t’aime, et tu me manques. Je viendrai te voir l’année prochaine. » Et elle a marché pour trouver Scorpius, donc ils pouvaient retourner au Poudlard encore.
Trois ans plus tard, Lily et Scorpius ont marché ensemble à la pierre tombale d’Annalise. Quelque chose avait changé entre les deux, et ils s’etaient mariés une année après que Lily ait fini avec l’école, et maintenant Lily était enceinte avec des jumeaux, et ils voulaient raconter a Annalise les nouvelles. Lily était triste que sa meilleure amie ne puisse pas être la demoiselle d'honneur au mariage, mais elle était toujours là en esprit.
Scorpius a su qu’elle voulait raconter les informations, donc Lily a ouvert sa bouche pour lui dire,
« Annalise, quelque chose de merveilleux s’est passé. Je suis enceinte d’un garçon, et d’une fille. Puisque tu étais ma meilleure amie, je voudrais que nous puissions nommer notre fille après toi. Son nom sera Annalise Molly Malfoy. Je t’aime, et je sais que ton homonyme sera courageuse et vraie, juste comme toi. Et juste comme toi, elle sera la meilleure amie d’une autre, juste comme tu étais ma meilleure amie. »
Scorpius a parlé un petit peu, mais la sensation d’un vent chaud l’a serrée, et elle a su que tout irait bien, parce qu’Annalise et Lily, les deux filles, étaient enfin heureuses.
Between 1995, when the first Harry Potter manuscript was finished, and now, the Harry Potter series has grown to be something sensational…magnificent. It is a series of books that steals you by hooking you in, and then tossing you into an amazing whirlwind of wonder. A lot of people I have spoken with have not been able to put it down, whether it is the first time they’ve read it, or the twentieth time. It has also grown to be one of the most controversial books that people have read, along with Catcher in the Rye and Go Ask Alice. It has been challenged seven times by the American Library Association, by far the most challenged book. (http://www.about.com/cs/censorship/a/challenged.htm)
In Harry Potter, we see a boy who is raised by Muggles, or non-magic folks, after his parents are killed by Voldemort, the most powerful dark wizard of all ages. After many years, he is rescued by wizards. He decides to go to Hogwarts School Witchcraft and Wizardry. Every year, when he returns, he faces a dark magic force, such as Voldemort, the soul of Voldemort, and even more Voldemort, until he was defeated. After the sixteen years of fear, he finally brings peace to the magical world.
The Harry Potter books are filled with themes, such as friendship, love, death, and life after death. But the device of witchcraft is why Harry Potter is so controversial. It is all pointed to Wiccans, who believe that they are their own goddess, and that they should be worshipped. “Immanent means that God or Goddess is within us - within all of us. And also within all of nature, which is why we revere nature. Heinlein wrote ‘Thou art God’ and ‘Thou art Goddess’, and some Christians will call this the ‘Christ Consciousness’; it means the same thing. Deity lives within us; we are the God or Goddess incarnate.” (Lady Bridget, http://www.ladybridget.com)
In many other religions, people believe that should only one god should be worshipped, and that there should be no others. They believe that anything that is worshipped other than God is idolatry. Anyone who is committing idolatry is with the devil. That belief is where Wiccans and most other religions differ. “The harmless fantasy of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry can only seem dangerous from the perspective of someone who believes that ‘witches and occult powers are real, and contrary to God’s laws.’” (Michael Ostling, p. 23) This fact influences the parents in those religions. They don’t want their children to get attached to the idea of sorcery, witchcraft, and magic, because they might fear that the child might grow up and become a big part of a more real magic belief, such as being a Wiccan. This causes them to want to pull their children out of classes when the book is read, or for it to be banned at the school completely.
There have been many attempts to have them banned in elementary schools. Laura Mallory, who has never read the books, is convinced that they promote witchcraft. She has had it contested many times in court.
“Referring to the recent rash of deadly assaults at schools, Mallory said books that promote evil - as she claims the Potter ones do - help foster the kind of culture where school shootings happen. ‘That would not happen if students instead read the Bible,’ Mallory said.” (http://www.dailymail.co.uk)
However, there is no way to know if the Harry Potter books really did cause the shooters to shoot in the first place.
Is it ethical to ban Harry Potter solely based on the fact that it promotes witchcraft? Due to the fact that witchcraft is not the only thing that it promotes, it creates a place for children to mold their imagination (and it gets them INTO reading in the first place), and the fantasy genre would not exist without witchcraft and magic, Harry Potter should not be banned based on witchcraft. If anything, because of these things, Harry Potter should be allowed to be read by children, as well as in classrooms.
One of the things that J.K. Rowling understands about writing is themes. She understands that many books out there aren’t just pure magic, but there are other messages in them as well. Throughout his life, Harry was neglected and made fun of by his family, and the people at school. When he went to Hogwarts, he made friends. The fact that they stayed with him shows us the themes of friendship and love. The theme of love is the main theme of the books. It is what shields everyone from the evil forces of Lord Voldemort’s killing curse. When Harry delays Voldemort’s rise to power for another year, every year, it demonstrates the theme of good triumphing over evil. When characters died, she shows the theme of death. And when she shows Lily, James, Sirius, and Remus, who are his parents and their friends, shows us the theme of life after death.
"The essence of Harry Potter, as I read it, is that love leaves a mark," Small concluded, referring to the lightning bolt scar that the main character bears as a symbol of his mother's love. "This is a story of ultimate love and the eternal struggle such power has against that of destruction." (Brian Ragle, page 10)
In a young child’s age, there are certain distractions that keep children away from books. In other words, children generally don’t like to read. They don’t like to commit themselves to something so big, and so time consuming, when there is something that is easy for them to do, such as watch TV, or playing on the computer. However, this series allows them to mold their imagination, and it leaves them wanting more. In addition, as the child grows, the series grows as well.
If Harry Potter is banned, then they can’t get all that stimulation from the book, and the child cannot be expected to enjoy reading as much. They won’t want to read books like it, because they won’t know what books to actually read, that they can get all the adventure, fantasy, and everything else that is mixed with it.
“Katherine Thompson, owner of Frugal Frigate Bookstore, declared the series a ‘literary phenomenon.’ She noted that children as young as eight-years old will devour the books over seven hundred pages long and ‘still be hungry for more.’ Thompson suggested that the Potter novels interest children in reading books other than just the Potter series. She said that children come into her store between books and ask her, ‘What can I read that’s as good as Harry Potter?’” (Anne Woodrum)
Fantasy is something that happens a lot, in people’s day dreams, as well as in books. In the books category, there seems to be a lot of magic and witchcraft involved.
“Most of us remember with delight the Oz books, in which Dorothy, like Harry, was an orphan living in a bleak world until she was blown by a cyclone into the magic world of Oz. Did anyone try to ban these popular books which are filled with witches and improbable creatures? A more recent book series, the Chronicles of Narnia by the well-known British author, C. S. Lewis, also uses the device of children entering a world of magic…Why then have the Harry Potter books become such an issue?…The increasingly political Christian fundamentalists maintain that witchcraft is the work of the devil. Several evangelical pastors are preaching against Harry Potter, convinced that the popularity of these books is a very real sign of Satan's strength.” (S.B. Ballard)
If books like Harry Potter were banned, then all these other books would have to be banned, just to be fair. This would include books such as the aforementioned Chronicles of Narnia, as well as the Lord of the Rings Trilogy. As a result, there would be no fantasy genre in the schools for young people to read, and no imagination for them two dwell in.
Yes, the content changes how youth view the world around them and it causes them to believe in fictional things, but in a world like this, that is something that’s needed. The world is turning into something that makes children need to grow faster than what they are capable of doing. They need a distraction from the speed of the world around them, so they can have time to themselves to think. The world is also turning into this world where everyone wants to be more logical, and that gives people a chance to let the right side of their brain take over and be satisfied. The themes are some things that need to be re-taught in this world, because people get caught up in their daily rituals, and their jobs, and school.
There is also the issue of death. Parents don’t want their children to be exposed to the fact that people’s deaths start piling on after the fourth book, in more violent ways than the previous one. But that is one of the things that people need to learn happens in life. People die, and that’s natural. It’s not something that children need to get used to, and be familiar with the fact that it happens.
Yes, you can ban the books, but deleting the whole fantasy genre, getting rid of someone’s fictional views of the world, slaughtering a child’s desire to read, and helping a young child not understand some of the things that happen in the world are not really things that are really ethical. So no, banning Harry Potter solely based on the fact that it promotes witchcraft is not ethical.
Ballard, S.B. "Thoughts on Harry Potter: Wizardry, Good and Evil". Anglican Theological Review Vol. 82 Issue 1 2000: 173-175.
"Ban Harry Potter or face more school shootings'". Mail News Online. 2/28/10 http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-408490/Ban-Harry-Potter-face-school-shootings.html.
Ostling, Michael. "Harry Potter and the Disenchantment of the World ". Journal of Contemporary Religion Vol. 18 No. 1 2003: 2-23.
Robinson, B.A.. "Common Wiccan Beliefs". Religious Tolerance. 2/28/10 http://www.religioustolerance.org/wic_beli.htm.
Ragle, Brian. "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fear". Skeptic Vol. 12 Issue 2 2006: 10-11.
Woodrum, Anne. "The Harry Potter Controversy". East Carolina University. 2/28/10 http://www.ecu.edu/lib/Reference/Instruction/HarryPotter.cfm.
If you own any of these one hundred movies, and you want to let me borrow them, then allow me to please.
1. Ghostbusters
2. Lord of the Ring (Ally owns)
3. Back to the Future
4. Pretty in Pink
5. Sixteen Candles
6. Edward Scissorhands (Ally owns)
7. Forest Gump (Dallon owns) (Watched already)
8. Castaway (Dallon owns)
9. Pride and Prejudice (Colin Firth version)
10. When Harry met Sally (Ally Owns)
11. Sleepless in Seattle (Joy owns)
12. You've Got Mail (Joy owns)
13. My Best Friend's Wedding (Reed owns) (Watched Already)
14. Runaway Bride
15. Some Like It Hot (Joy owns) (Watched Already)
16. Pretty Woman
17. The Graduate
18. Singing in the Rain
19. Oklahoma (Hugh Jackman version)
20. Italian Job (BOTH) (New one: Reed owns) (NEW ONE: Watched already)
21. Men in Black
22. Batman (older ones)
23. Spirited Away
24. Princess Monanoke
25. The Notebook (Dallon owns) (Watched Already)
26. Indiana Jones (All 3)
27. Exorcist
28. Birds (Alfred Hitchcock version)
29. Signs
30. The Village (Joy owns)
31. Sixth Sense (Joy owns)
32. Adam's Family
33. 8 Mile
34. Green Mile
35. House of Flying Daggers (Ally owns)
36. Chariots of Fire
37. James Bond movies
38. Jaws (Joy owns)
39. Matrix
40. Robin Hood Prince of Thieves
41. Independence Day
42. Audrey Hepburn movies
43. Sense and Sensibility (Alan Rickman version) (Ally owns) (Watched Already)
44. Sound of Music
45. Marry Poppins
46. Avatar
47. Fight Club
48. Gone with The Wind
49. How to Marry a Millionaire
50. Space Balls
51. Casablanca (Martha owns)
52. Muppet Christmas Carol (Martha owns)
53. Muppet Treasure Island (Martha owns)
54. Christmas Carol (Reed owns)
55. Patchy Adams (Dallon owns)
56. Doctor Horrible Sing along Blog
57. Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (Joy owns)
58. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
59. Harvey
60. Charade
61. Katherine Hepburn movies
62. Fahrenheit 451
63. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
64. The Birdcage (Reed owns)
65. V for Vendetta (Ally owns)
66. Garden State (Ally owns)
67. Never been Kissed
68. Ever After (Ally owns)
69. P.S. I Love You (Ally Owns)
70. Something's Gotta Give
71. Little Women (Ally owns)
72. Dirty Dancing
73. Ghost
74. Nottinghill
75. Miracle on 34th Street
76. Hocus Pocus (Joy owns)
77. Practical Magic (Joy owns)
78. Fried Green Tomatoes
79. Funny Girl
80. Mona Lisa Smile
81. Dead Poets Society
82. Chocolat
83. Romney and Michelle's High School Reunion
84. Raising Helen
85. Labyrinth (Reed owns)
86. Dark Crystal (Dallon owns)
87. Can't Buy Me Love
88. Wedding Singer (Nikki owns) (Watched Already)
89. Much Ado about Nothing (Ally owns)
90. Erin Brokovich
91. 13 Going on 30
92. A Few Good Men
93. Camelot
94. The Producers (Matthew Broderick version) (Dallon owns) (Watched Already)
95. Better Off Dead
96. Wayne's World
97. Annie (Redhead version)
98. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
99. War Games
100. Tron (older version) (Nikki owns)
101. Gladiator
Owned 36/100
Watched: 8/100
If you own one and can let me borrow it, let me know.
I, like many around me, love a good movie, especially when the movie is based off a book that has captured the hearts and minds of millions of people. However, when it comes to movies like the Harry Potter series, I am often rather critical of the movies. Something wasn’t quite right here, or something was completely wrong there. You could say that I am picky, but there is a reason, especially with the third movie, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. I feel like it sticks out as a film, and it could blend in better if they had made some changes in the actor inconsistencies with the characters, the plot and character growth, and the tone.
“Consistent: constant, regular, steady.” The reason I put for those synonyms is because the actors don’t follow the meaning of consistent. In every movie, each character who is a student wears a uniform, which helps us to see that they are a student at a boarding school with a uniform. As long as they are on school grounds, they are supposed to wear a button down shirt, slacks for the boys (skirts for the girls), and a robe. Their hair also makes a statement about the character. For example, in the first two movies, Hermione was stricter, which is how she should have been. But suddenly, in the third movie, when she was supposed to be more ragged and frazzled, and appear to be more isolated because of her studies, suddenly appears to be more about how she looks. Instead of studying, she’s hanging out with Ron and Harry, and seems far less concerned about the uniform that shows that she goes to a boarding school.
For Emma, I believe she is the one that needs the most change to get into character, her costume, but also to get into character. Some actors will do everything it takes to get into character, from research, to spending time in the habitat of the role. Jim Carrey and Ewan McGregor have even gone as far as to go to a gay bar, and sat in prison, just to help them get into character. I feel that if Emma had done this to get herself prepared for the role, then she would have been more convincing as Hermione. That, and if she hadn't tried to be all fashionable, then she could have done so much better.
As a contrast, there couldn't be anyone more in character than the marauders and Severus Snape. They are the cream of the crop when it comes to acting. However, the only two out of the three looked like they were the right age for the role. Sirius looked like he was the right age because he had a haunted look about him, the look he was supposed to have, which made him look older than he should have. Snape looked the right age, because let’s face it, Alan Rickman is an acting god, and with the black hair, I feel he pulled the look off well. The only one who looks like he is too old to play their role and that is David Thewlis as Remus Lupin. He has the costume down, and the acting skills, so with the makeup, and the special effects, they could have made him look slightly younger than he appeared. He only should have appeared a few years older than he was, so if the people in charge of the special effects could have made a tree move around, they could have found a way to make him appear slightly younger.
With getting into character, it’s not entirely their faults, but also the faults of the people who wrote the script. It was too rushed, leaving out any room for change into a person who would have been able to understand what happened in the shrieking shack. However, the script for the shrieking shack, as well as everything afterwards, was amazing, except for a few parts. The reason being Alfonso Cuàron told the cast to just duke it out: that was genius. If he had just had them do that in any scene that needed to show true anger, sadness, or happiness, then it may have shown more depth and emotional growth that we needed to see from all the characters that we see from the books.
However, the script might have been rushed because the plot seemed rushed. Scenes were cut here and there, especially important scenes that show something that was really important in the book, such as when they cut out Harry’s birthday. That birthday was the first time he received a meaningful a present on his birthday since his parents died. The fact that Harry was deprived of that life becomes more important in this book, as he could have had a life like that with Sirius, but he didn’t. Ron didn’t get a chance to show us his other side: the side of him when he gets the attention he feels he finally deserves, after being overshadowed his entire life (one of his best friends is the savior of the wizarding world; his other best friend is the smartest in their year; his brothers Bill, Charlie, Percy, Fred, and George were Head Boy, Quidditch Captain, second Head Boy, and the pranksters respectively; and his sister was the first Weasley girl born in generations). He was almost stabbed, something else that comes to be very important in the plot of the book, and something else they cut out of the movie. And the third book is where Harry hears more about the deaths of his parents, which is important, as he has been learning his whole life, and wanting to hear his parents’ voices his whole life. If they had added this to the movie, this would have added more to the script, which would have helped with the emotional growth and depth of the characters.
However, there were things that needed to be cut from the movie, as they made the tone too dark at times, or they tried to make it seem funny at times when it wasn’t funny or appropriate at all. The tone should have started off a lot lighter, but with the Jamaican shrunken heads, and the monster screaming at the cleaning lady, added a darker, more twisted tone than there should have been, especially since they weren’t even appropriate for Harry Potter at all. If there were a section where they were in Knockturn Alley, then maybe the shrunken heads would have been better, but they don’t go near there. The blowing up of Aunt Marge was funny, but done to a point where they…over did it. It seemed too light. Yes, the movie should have been lighter, but without the shrunken heads and the monster, they could have made the blowing up of Aunt Marge the length it should have been, and it would have flowed better.
Another thing that made the tone seem darker was the background music. If it got too fast, it made the tone seem either too dark, or too fast. The song, “Something Wicked This Way Comes” wasn’t placed in the right movie. If it should have been placed in any movie, it should have been the fourth late, but not the third movie. However, with that melody of the song slowed down in the background, it would have helped with the tone.
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban was good, but it stuck out too much, which made it seem worse than how it really was. If those changes were made, the movie could have had more flow, and would have been more appropriate. The actors would be more into their character, the script and plot wouldn’t be so rushed, important scenes would have been there, and it would have had better flow. At least, I hope it would. J
