In my last post, I talked about my kids being fans of Winnie the Pooh. Just the other day, an article made me realize something I had known since long, and yet refused to acknowledge; that I am as much (or perhaps even more) of a die-hard fan of Harry Potter than my kids are of Winnie the Pooh.
This year marks two decades of the introduction of the magical world of Harry Potter. It was on June 26 1997 that the first book, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, had hit bookshelves and taken the world by storm. And the magic continues to live on and multiply ever since.
This year marks two decades of the introduction of the magical world of Harry Potter. It was on June 26 1997 that the first book, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, had hit bookshelves and taken the world by storm. And the magic continues to live on and multiply ever since.
Those who haven’t read the series sometimes seem flummoxed at the magical madness of it all. I mean, it’s actually a make-believe world with wizards and witches flying around on broomsticks, using wands to cast spells at each other and there’s apparently a school that teaches it all. What’s with the brouhaha about this non-existent world? Neither is our protagonist a superhero – he’s a very normal-looking, bespectacled boy who is neither strikingly handsome, nor outstandingly intelligent. Then why the great fan following?
If you ask me, it’s the words that are captivating more than the storyline itself. Rowling has managed to weave a wonderful tale of friendship and love, the triumph of good over evil and the hardships that must be overcome along the way. Here are some of my favorite lines from the books:
“Happiness can be found in the darkest of places, if only one remembers to turn on the lights.”
“It’s our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.”
And I’m pretty sure Rowling unknowingly described herself when she penned this dialogue for one of her characters:
“Words are, in my not-so-humble opinion, our most inexhaustible source of magic.”
If you ask me, it’s the words that are captivating more than the storyline itself. Rowling has managed to weave a wonderful tale of friendship and love, the triumph of good over evil and the hardships that must be overcome along the way. Here are some of my favorite lines from the books:
“Happiness can be found in the darkest of places, if only one remembers to turn on the lights.”
“It’s our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.”
And I’m pretty sure Rowling unknowingly described herself when she penned this dialogue for one of her characters:
“Words are, in my not-so-humble opinion, our most inexhaustible source of magic.”