Episode 78: Harry Potter Tutorial

 

Topic: Harry Potter Tutorial

 

Eventually we’re going to get to something a bit more literary, and it was a topic that was teased a number of times.  So we dive into Harry Potter and its rather lengthy book series.  Our conversation takes  a bit to get there due to the most recent events regarding the author, but I still felt it was a good discussion.

 

History

Written by J.K. Rowling, she was convinced of the idea while her train from Manchester to London was delayed in 1990.  Between when she finally published the first book in the series, her mother had died, she had her first child, and her husband divorced her, not to mention she was in relative poverty prior to the first book coming out.  She continued to write the books of Harry Potter until 2007 when the final book came out.  She has continued to write books, primarily aimed at young adult, but also some crime stories aimed at adult, under the pen name: Robert Galbraith.

 

The seven books in total were published from 1997 to 2007, each book encompassing a fictional school year in the life of Harry Potter at the fictional Hogwarts School boarding school for Wizards and Witches.  The seven books include: 

1. Philosopher's Stone (1997)
2. Chamber of Secrets (1998)
3. Prisoner of Azkaban (1999)
4. Goblet of Fire (2000)
5. Order of the Phoenix (2003)
6. Half-Blood Prince (2005)
7. Deathly Hallows (2007)

The first three books each one awards Smarties Prize, a well respected Children Literature award.  Rowling removed her subsequent books, in order to allow other winners.  Each book sold better than the last and was a huge financial success for the author.

 

Although J.K. Rowling did not intend to continue writing any more books in the Harry Potter series after the release of Deathly Hallows, and admitted her next fiction would likely not be fantasy, she mentioned in 2010 that she was working on a new book in the saga.  This new book was intended to be an encyclopedia of various terms, placed, characters, and notes about the Harry Potter universe, intended to continue fleshing out the universe, and include ideas or notes that never made it in to the books.  The encyclopedia ended up being Pottermore.com, which offered an interactive collection of notes, games, and elements of the Harry Potter world.  By 2019, the site was rebranded as WizardingWorld.com, as much of the media outside of the books is branded under the Wizarding World name.

 

An 8^th Story was introduced in 2016, as Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, which was a stage Play, and eventual book. 

 

The Harry Potter Wiki, is just the Harry Potter Wiki, no clever name.

 

Separating the Author from their work

While J.K. Rowling is a professed Christian, but her books often promote magic, a notion which has put her in hot water with some communities.  She is also considered center left of politics, promoting gay marriage in Scotland when it was up for referendum.

 

 In late mid June 2020, Rowling made comments that read:

 “If sex isn’t real, the lived reality of women globally is erased. I know and love trans people, but erasing the concept of sex removes the ability of many to meaningfully discuss their lives.”

 

Many individuals took the comments as being ‘Anti-Trans’ and cruel to the community.   The comment seems to be in reference to the phrase ‘people who menstruate’, which is prescribed to transgender men and non-binary individuals, and Rowling’s preference that they be called women.  Many groups found this hurtful, including a many of the lead cast members of the Harry Potter Films.  She eventually returned her Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights (RFKHR) Award after the award’s president called her statement harmful.

 

 

Premise/world

The world of Harry Potter, also known as the Wizarding World, depicts a version of our modern world that has a secondary magical world layered underneath it.  This world depicts modern humans capable of magic, though keeping it secret from the rest of the world.  At one point, those without magical abilities (Muggles) and Wizards lived together, but as fear and persecution of wizards grew, the Wizarding community eventually went underground.  Much of their world is hidden from public view, through enchantments, barriers, and manipulating memories of those.  While the story of Harry Potter primarily takes place in Britain and the United Kingdoms, Wizards and Witches come from all over the world, even in America.

 

The Wizarding World of Britain primarily centers on the Ministry of Magic, led by the Minster of Magic, which enforces magical laws and structures, similar to the Prime Minister or President for Wizards.  Their job is to primarily manage magical laws and ensure that Muggles don’t learn of the Wizarding World. While Muggles aren’t allowed to know, some individuals in high political positions, Prime Ministers, etc, are aware of the Wizarding World for security reasons.

 

Unlike the rest of the world however, the Wizarding World does not keep up with modern technology.  As an example, instead of pen and paper, the still use quill pens, ink, and parchment.  Most Wizards and Witches have no greater understanding of modern technology, with some out right despising it.  Most magical areas actually disrupt electricity, stopping them from working all together.  While you can enchant electronic items to work with magic, they often don’t take on the same characteristics.  The Wizarding World itself is considered very old fashioned, often still in the 1500s of technology.

 

Magic in the Harry Potter world is an inherent ability, and while someone may have magical capability, most are not capable of Magic without proper training and study.  To this end, Magical Schools exist throughout the world, including Hogwarts, which acts as a traditional British Boarding school that takes in children throughout the year. 

 

Most magic requires a wand, which is specifically tailored by a wand maker using various types of wood, but also magical cores, such as Phoenix Feathers, Dragon Scales, and other mystical creature’s horns, hairs, and even heartstrings.  While magic is possible without a wand, it is often less precise and powerful.   Most magic requires the precise movement of the wand, in conjunction with an incantation of Latin words that describe the act.  Wands themselves are described as being quasi-sentient, often choosing their owner for themselves; a difficult task for a wand maker is selling their wands to new students, who might have to try out various wands.  While a person can use another person’s wand, the wand is often described as being temperamental, and magic produced from it is often less powerful and less precise.  A wand can change its allegiance though if the original owner is stunned, disarmed, or otherwise defeated or even killed.  Some spells are known to damage or break wands, and as a result, damaged wands perform unexpectedly and are prone to back firing.  A broken wand however cannot be fixed, and the owner will want to procure a new wand as a result.

 

Some magic is available without magical skill, but are commonly found in the magical world.  This includes potions, alchemy, plants, and certainly creatures, which include various dragons, unicorns, and other mystical creatures from around the world.  Entire studies and work goes in to hiding magical creatures, as some people purely study various kinds of animals.

 

 

 

Story

The story primarily follows Harry Potter and his friends as they venture through Magical School over seven years, starting in 1991 until 1997.  Each book covers a year of their lives in the school, starting from age 10 until 17.  The story itself is told from the first hand experience of Harry Potter, so unless Harry Potter sees it or experiences, the actions of other characters and events are left vague or unknown.

 

The story is well known for having lots of recurring characters, however, the most common characters include:

 

Harry Potter

The lead character, he is the audience point of view throughout the series, as also the character with the least amount of knowledge of the Wizarding World.  He is introduced to it at 10 years of age, having learned he is apparently the one who defeated Voldemort 10 years prior to the beginning of the story.  He is easily distinguishable by his unkempt brown hair which hides a thunderbolt scar left behind by Voldemort.  He is described as being a so-so student, but a strong sense of right and wrong, but always put in challenging situations that lead to occasional mistakes.  He eventually comes the Head of Magical Law Enforcement for the Ministry of Magic.

 

Ron Weasley

Harry’s best friend, he comes for a large family of Wizards and witches, each with orange, ginger like hair.  Ron is often a comedic character, being insensitive and immature, but is never the less loyal, strong, and occasionally brave.  He grows over the course of the series to overcome his immaturity, eventually becoming a leader in his own right.  He is described as a poor student, similar to Harry Potter.  He eventually comes to marry Hermione, works with Harry as an Auror for a time, before working with his older brother at the Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes, a magical joke shop. 

 

Hermoine Granger

Harry and Ron’s friend, she is a Muggle-Born witch, a witch whose parents weren’t magical at all.  She noted as being the smart one, with an encyclopedic knowledge of magic and wizarding world.  This often comes off as a know it all, which greatly annoys everyone else.  Much like Harry, who also didn’t come from the Wizarding World, she often see the out-dated norms of magic and it’s beliefs, and it likely the first to try and break or change them too.  She eventually marries Ron Weasley and becomes the Minster of Magic.

 

Albus Dumbledore

The Headmaster of Hogwarts, and a well accomplished Wizard in the Wizarding World.  He is considered one of the most powerful wizards, but is also prone to eccentricity, gentle humor, and unfailing kindness.  He is seen the kind elder statesmen in the franchise and a true hero to all his students.  He his death leaves a profound loss on all those in the Wizarding World.  While never directly expressed in the books, Rowling would later say that Dumbledore was infact Gay, and harbored feelings for his rival, Gellert Grindelwald.

 

Severus Snape

A teacher at Hogwarts, he is initially the Potions Master, Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, and eventually Headmaster of Hogwarts.  He is also head of House Slytherin.  He is a mysterious character that appears to be up to no good and holds a deep disgust and hatred of Harry Potter.  His actions, while they would appear to be against Harry Potter and his friends, are often in the end, to their benefit, as he continues to aid the school and Harry Potter, much to his own charging.

 

Voldemort

Originally born Tom Riddle, he rechristened himself Lord Voldemort as he became the most feared and dangerous Dark Wizard of his time.  He is known for his having survived at the hands of Harry Potter when he was a baby, but is eventually revived by his legion of Death Eaters.  While a gifted student in Hogwarts, his thirst power led to his seeking immortality.  He is the primary antagonist of the series, with Death Eater sleeper agents all over the Wizarding World.

 

 

Movie Adaptations

All seven books were eventually translated to movies, with the final book ‘Deathly Hallow’ turned in to two parts. 

 

While the movies are faithful to the books, they omit a large number of background stories and characters, often omitting them due limited run times of the movies, but also their impact on the story.  As the first movies didn’t come out until 2001, after the first four books were released, it is hard to say what minor elements from one book become a pivotal or important moment later on. 

 

One example includes Rita Skeeter, who is an important back ground character during the 4^th book and but minor appearance in later books, her role in the 4^th movie is nearly entirely cut out and never resolved, though she is often seen in the background.

 

The movies also saw the relative growth of several child actors over the course of 10 years of production, including Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Tom Felton, and Matthew Lewis, all of which have continued in either Film, Tv, or Stage productions, trying to distance themselves from their former Harry Potter Roles as much as possible.  The lone exception being Emma Watson, who has become full blown movie star. 

Homework:

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

Book (Available via Audible)  

Alternatively, others narrate the book on Youtube, but this was the version we listened to.

Movie