Blog 1 Prompt 1: Not Just Her Characters

                Perspective and self identity play a major role in our perception of literary works. Throughout the Harry Potter series, I found myself cultivating varying levels of empathy for the variety of different characters we meet. While much of this is attributable to the choices Rowling makes as to who is a relatable character and who is not, there is also an element of personality which comes from the reader, and is mirrored into the character. As we mainly inform our own opinions with the information gained in our lives, we inform the choices we see characters in the series making with ourselves. When I first met Neville, for example, I gave him more mental leeway than I would a similar character with a different appearance, as Neville reminded me of my brother. As a person with a foolish younger brother, I was more inclined to empathize with Neville than an only child, who may not have experiences with other well meaning, occasionally foolish people.  An opposing example is Hermione, who I had a sincere distaste for well into the first book. When I first read Harry Potter in the third grade I had never met a girl like the one described, seemingly a know it all, unwilling to bend the rules, and overzealous in studies. I had, however, met and disliked people with each of these qualities. Having no experience with girls such as Hermione, I was unable to see the good in her, and could only look to the surface, and see the perfect student. Only when much more of the book was read did I warm to her, as I had become a much more informed reader, and Rowling now had filled in the details previously lifted from my own perspective. Someone other than me could have a drastically different perspective of these characters, as their experiences, unique to them, would fill different personality traits into the characters, mirroring those seen in their own life. Harry Potter, and any work of literature, are deeply connected to each person that reads them, and are crafted not only by the author, but by the perspective of the reader.

Blog Post #1 Response: Fallen Expectations

Throughout the first book, The Sorcerer’s Stone, expectations rise and fall at a rapid rate. Ultimately the grand fallen expectation would be the developed assumption of Snape as the culprit, the core antagonist. Rowling sets the reader up for the trap and then pulls the rug from beneath our feet when Quirrel is revealed as the "bad guy." Through the contrasting personalities and character make-up of Snape and Quirrel, the apparent negative misdeeds of Snape appearing to be hexing Harry’s broom and limping around with a bloody leg, the reader is heavily influenced to pinpoint Snape as the antagonist, but isn’t given enough information to realize that we are being set up.

Though the most developed, the villain reveal is only one of the many fallen expectations in the first book. We can associate each character to a fallen expectation. From the very beginning, through the dialogue and internal thoughts and descriptions produced by the narrator,  the reader is set up to believe that Hermoine would be an antagonizing, criticizing rat towards Ron and Harry for the remainder of the series. But through events that could not have been predicted, a bond was generated between Ron, Hermione, and Harry. A fallen expectation for me, personally, was when it was revealed that the Mirror of Erised showed what the viewer desires the most and that the reflection of Harry’s family is strictly one big, conscious less moving picture and nothing more. Through many suspenseful near-expulsion occurrences, the most shocking was when Professor McGonagall caught Harry flying on his broom to catch Neville’s Remembrall and tells him to follow her. Both Harry and the viewer were convinced that he was in for it this time only to be caught off guard as McGonagall is actually assigning him as the new Seeker.

Blog 1 Prompt 2

J.K. Rowling seems to have a talent for setting up false villains.  In book one and book two she gave us reasons for believing beyond a reasonable doubt that the characters who treated Harry, and other people so poorly in general we behind all the unfortunate and terrible events.  In book one Snape seems to be the obvious villain whereas Professor Quirrell  seemed to be too cowardly to inflict harm to anyone let alone work so closely with you-know-who.  In book two Malfoy seemed to be the villain, but disappointingly (at least for me) he was not.  This keeps the reader intrigued and always wanting to read and find out more.

I can remember the first time that I read Harry Potter especially book one.  Since this was only my second time reading the book but over 10 years later my reaction was still very similar.  I was convinced that Snape was behind all of crimes and strange occurrences.  It seemed clear that he was evil.  Just by the way Snape was treating Harry, Rowling had set up the perfect "bad guy", but she wanted to shock the audience to prove not everything is always what it seems.  Another reason she did this is because if the villain is always the person everyone thinks it is the book will be boring and predicable, you always need surprise your audience.  After we are proven wrong she does a good job at leading us on for a while where we are unsure and basically drooling for the answer as to who is behind all the madness.  For example in the second book after we figure out it wasn't Malfoy Rowling leads us to believe it's Hagrid, who is a beloved character.  When I found out (even though deep down I knew) it wasn't Hagrid I felt so relieved.  Rowling's ability to build a case against one character and give a completely shocking ending is what keeps so many of her readers coming back.

Blog #1 - Prompt 2

Expectations are often raised and intentionally unfulfilled by J.K. Rowling. She often leads us to believe a character is the villain of a story, or a culprit of a crime, when they are not to blame. In Sorcerer's Stone, Rowling's characterization of Snape as a large, overgrown bat who hates Harry leads the reader - viewing things mostly from Harry's point of view - to jump to conclusions. Even Hermione is fooled, and we are too, when she conjures the bluebell flames on the robes of Snape when she suspects Snape is jinxing the broom. She stops the jinx, but not because she targeted Snape, who was doing the counter-jinx, but because in her haste she knocked over Quirrell.

Rowling again knocks our expectations on their head in Chamber of Secrets. From the attack onward, when "enemies of the heir beware" is written on the wall, we are looking for the heir just as the trio are. Malfoy's behavior and general obnoxiousness, praising the attacks, loudly proclaiming that there might not be any more muggleborns at Hogwarts paints him as a likely Heir of Slytherin, or at least somehow involved. Hermione finds this so likely that she eggs on Harry and Ron to break a ton of school rules by brewing the Polyjuice Potion to find out. After Malfoy is eliminated, Hagrid is the next one suspected. His penchant for thinking monsters are better than they truly are forces Ron and Harry to confront him.

The purpose of these misleading clues causes complex characterization. Rowling plays with the idea of good and bad - is there anyone truly evil? Riddle, if only going off of a passing glance at the trophy case, seems like an upstanding, high-achieving student - but in reality is the young Voldemort. When it comes to characterization is not black and white - only grey.

Blog Post #1 Prompt #1

I’ve noticed that many of the other students in this class have either read or have at least watched all of the Harry Potter series (most of them at younger ages). I do not fit into this category. As an adult and as a first time reader, I’m sure my experiences and thoughts during the course of reading greatly differ from those who have read the series at a much younger age. During the course of the first two books, I noticed myself really worrying about Harry’s well being. While I excitedly enjoyed many of the adventures that Harry went on in order to find the Sorcerer’s Stone and conquer the Chamber of Secrets, I always had a slight bit of anxiety due to all of the danger and rule breaking that Harry was involved in. I think much of that has to due to the fact that I am currently in a relationship with someone that has a younger daughter. With that responsibility in my life, I often worry about my girlfriend’s daughter and always try to make sure that she stays out of dangerous situations. A great deal of that attitude came into play when I was reading about all of the crazy, death-defying situations that Harry, Ron, and Hermione got themselves into. Conversely, if I was reading this when I was younger I probably would have been cheering Harry on the whole time without thinking about negative consequences of his actions. With all of that being said, as a first time reader I am VERY excited about the series and finally understand what all the hype is about. I’m really looking forward to the rest of the books!

Blog Prompt #1

Prompt #1 (Part 2)

Whenever someone reads a book for the first time, there are certain expectations raised about the outcome of a character or situation in said book. In the first two Harry Potter books, this is no exception.

In the first book, the expectation was that Professor Snape was the cause of all the mishaps at Hogwarts that year, when all the time it was actually Professor Quirrell (working along with You-Know-Who). In the second book, the expectation was that ------.

It is important to raise expectations in stories like this because it keeps the attention of the reader. When we realize that our expectations weren't fulfilled, we go back and re-examine what was previously read to determine why. We think we know the outcome of every situation faced, but we don't.

Blog 1 prompt 2

There are many different expectations raised in the first two Harry Potter books. For example, in Sorcerer's Stone, you expect Severus Snape to be the bad guy. Throughout the book, it seems like his underlying intent is to kill or harm Harry. He's remarkably mean to him, and is often seen doing less than reputable things (trying to get past the three headed dog on Halloween for example). However, it's proved that it is NOT Severus Snape that is the bad guy, but instead in Professor Quirrel. When first reading the book, nobody would have expected him. I for one was convinced it was Snape the first time I read through the books. I was taken completely by surprise when it was revealed Quirrel was past all the obstacles. But that’s the point of not fulfilling the obvious expectations of the story. It provides a source of shock and mystery to the story. By completely negating the expectations, it keeps the reader guessing and it keeps the story interesting.  If a reader could expect what would happen at every turn, then the books wouldn’t be very interesting. There would be nothing to grab you and keep you entertained.

          While it’s important to keep some expectations unfulfilled, completely turning every expectation on the readers head would make for an annoying story. For example, in The Chamber of Secrets, despite the school having rumors that Harry was the heir of Slytherin, I never once expected him to be. That simply would not make sense with the entire story. I would have been very irritated had he been. The choice to go along with or completely shatter expectations is completely the authors, but in order for it to be a good story that choice must be sensibly made. Good stories thrive on shock and mystery, but still need underlying sense and reason.

-Bethany Birdsell

Blog Post #1; Prompt #1

Through out discussions in class and the perspectives viewed upon for Hermione, I especially connect with her character's drive. Her drive to prove herself whether to the boys, Harry and Ron, that she seems consistently in a know it all rage. I feel this is really just her trying to gain confidence and strength as a strong woman. Whether it is for the case of being woman or on the other hand coming from muggle born parents, she feels she has much to prove. As taunting of mud blood and such follows her as well as it being a struggle in the general culture of the wizarding world, this is a fight for minority which I feel is identifiable with majority of people. Those who have felt alienated in their past due to things that just make the person more individual and especial are not something to doubt a person on. Hermione is a prime example of someone who continually persevered to rise to the challenge and that being muggle born was not something to hinder her abilities. 

 Another determination factor that drives Hermione that I especially identified with was her infatuation with the wizarding world. Those like Ron and Malfoy never had the experience of having literally no idea about magic. On the other hand Hermione had been thrown into a world once she got her letter that one muggle born could barely even comprehend. This diving into a world that I only wish was real was something special and one of a kind to Hermione. She does everything possible to immerse herself in a world many of us only wish we could do the same with. 

Mischeif Managed! Oh wait..

Prompt 2  Kristopher Richmond



I can first remember reading the Harry Potter books when I was a young kid in grade school. Reading was my passion, so I took to this new series of fantasy novels like a candle to a flame; devouring each page, then having to wait so impatiently for the next one. The magic literally sucked me in, as so many plots thickened, and stuff happened, that I came to just go along with the ride, and hang on tight to each corner of the page as so many other young people did.

Like everyone else, I fully believed Snape was the evil, dark, bastard that he seemed to become in the Sorcerer's Stone; hating Harry with a passion reserved for no other. And like everyone else, I was blown away when Quirrel turned out to be the culprit, as who would have thought "p-poor,s-stuttering P-Professor Quirrel?" Thats what got me hook, line, and sinker. The same thing happened with Chamber of Secrets: So many things presented themselves as them being the logical answer to whats was going on at Hogwarts, but when Tom Voldy Riddle with his sidekick, innocent little Ginny Weasley, turns out to be the villain yet again, it blew my mind.  J.K. Rowling early on in her books developed an ingenious way to tell a story, and make the reader feel so strongly against a character that they overlook the minor, crucial details in our desire to figure out just who was the one going after the stone, or the one petrifying the students in the castle. My favorite part about the series now is being able to go back and see all of those details clearly, and it makes me smile, as it truly feels like going back to find an old friend, who still has a trick or two up their sleeve.

expectations Blog 1 prompt 2

The expectations that are put into place in the harry potter books are more like hints at things to come. The book unlike others I have read does so in such a crafty way that you begin to expect certain things but never tells you everything.

In the Sorcerer’s Stone, Harry Potters first act of wizardry occurs when Harry Potter helps the snake escape from his enclosure. During this scene harry potter talks a snake which as a human is unheard of. This is one of the first hints for things to come in the book as in the chamber of secrets Harry Potter will talk to a snake in front of a bunch of other students, they will get scared and harry potter will be shunned by pretty much everybody. That is when Harry Potter is informed that he is a parseltongue and that the last person that could talk to snakes was Lord Voldemort. This in itself connects with several things to come in later books and helps to keep the reader on their toes.

Another well-crafted scenario in the books occurs when Lucius Malfoy puts a black book in Ginny’s possession at the beginning of the Chamber Of Secrets. Nobody has any idea what that book is but it is clear that it was provided by Lucius who hates the Weasley's and is known to be a bad wizard. This book to me instantly made me want to read further into the books to discover what was up with this book. Later in the chamber of secrets it is discovered that this book belonged to Tom Riddle and holds a part of Tom Riddles/Voldemorts soul.

The Harry Potter books in my eyes fulfill these expectations and more. There are subtle hints throughout the entire series of things to come and things that will most likely not happen. Although for the few unfulfilled expectations in the book it is simply a way to keep the reader interested and wanting more. 

Blog Post #1 Response:” Coping with the unexpected

 In every book of Rowling’s Harry Potter Series, there are numerous instances where suspense is used. We as the readers are given text that helps to shape our expectations in a certain way.

In response to Lses’s statement about expectations rarely being fulfilled in literary texts, I am on the fence. I have read literature where initial expectations come true at the end, whereas I have also seen texts where you are literally made to expect the plot or characters to go a certain way, and come to discover that these expectations are basically a 180. I believe that this type of writing (especially how Rowling uses it) is very unique. More so when an author is able to walk a fine line and incorporate what seems like just the perfect balance where she is able to craft a clear and consistent storyline while at the same time incorporating text that causes the reader to not know for certain what to expect as they continue to read.

The Harry Potter series raises many initial expectations for the reader, some of which are subtle, while others are dramatic in form. A subtle example can be found at the very beginning of book one. For a person who is completely blind to the series, it is easy for one to expect that this is a story about the life of Harry the “Muggle.” Up until Hagrid comes to Shell Cottage, there is little to no mention of the wizarding world. I see that moment as a turning point in the series because in essence it is introducing completely new and foreign perspective on the series. With this, the reader can now develop new expectations for the rest of the story. Another

I believe that expectations are only as imaginative and predictable as the reader’s imagination.  

Blog Post 1, Prompt 2

J.K. Rowling has always done a magnificent job of misguiding her readers.  Her plot lines are never expected, which adds to the brilliance of her work. 

An example of this technique in Sorcerer’s Stone is how she leads the reader to believe that Snape is going after the stone.  She spends the whole novel foreshadowing it.  Snape hates Harry from the beginning; he takes points from Gryffindor at any chance, appears to be jinxing Harry during the Quidditch match, and never fails to give Harry and his friends evil glares.  As readers, we spend the whole book paying attention to what Snape is doing and end up overlooking the actual villain.   When Quirrell appears in the chamber at the end of the book, it comes as a complete shock. 

In Chamber of Secrets, Rowling misleads her audience about the character Draco Malfoy.  Harry and Draco have been enemies since the first day they met in Diagon Alley.  He is always finding ways to brag about his pure family lineage while insulting anyone who isn’t from a fully magic family.  He seems the likely choice for the heir of Slytherin.  Surprisingly, Harry and Ron find out that he is not. 

These unmet expectations continue effectively throughout the Harry Potter series.  They are important because they keep the readers wanting more.  I found myself becoming more and more intrigued, as every time I thought I knew what to expect, I was utterly mistaken.  

-Sara Ellingwood

Blog Post 1- Surpassing Expectations

Playing with your reader’s expectations in a novel is an interesting thing and is a tough area to navigate. For example, failing to meet an expectation is okay if the outcome is better than what the readers were led to believe. However, if it is a disappointment, or if it is so unrealistic it isn’t even enjoyable then it’s unsuccessful. I believe that there is something missing in a book or movie, or any story, if the ending is predictable. People naturally like drama and surprises and any good book is rarely lacking in those two categories. Stories need to be continually changing and evolving to keep the interest of the human mind. J.K. Rowling does a brilliant job of this. I was in elementary school the first time I read the first two Harry Potter books so I don’t remember what exactly came as a surprise and what didn’t. But, looking at them now I can think of many things that could be considered twists in the plot. An obvious expectation that is raised is that Snape is going to be the bad guy after the Stone.  Another example is Ginny being the one opening the Chamber. Throughout the entire series Rowling does such a great job of playing with people’s expectations of characters. There is a great lesson in there about not judging people by your first impression of them and that it is dangerous to jump to conclusions without investigating it further. This could be one reason why she made the choice to raise an expectation and then fail to fulfill it. Another reason could be to keep people interested in the constantly changing plot and characters. 

Blog One: Fool Me Once...

Prompt One
Beth McCafferty

As Wolfgang Iser argues, the novels take place within our own being, and because of that, they take on new meaning and life each time we come to read them. This is why we can continue going back to the same texts because we are never the same two times and as we learn more and evolve, we understand more and different things stand out to us.

Throughout the entire Harry Potter Series we see countless times where our expectations are not fulfilled. After the first and second novels, we begin to adopt a “fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me” mentality. After we are led to believe a false lead after lead in the first two, we keep our hearts guarded as we read on in the series. We begin to catch on to Rowling’s writing style and learn not to jump to the obvious conclusion. Although Rowling doesn’t give us any other lead to believe. She leads us where she wants even though we know it is very likely it will not be the final outcome- creating a feeling of suspense and excitement that urges us to continue on .

I think this gives us an experience in the first two novels that we do not receive in the next four or five books. We loose our innocence when it comes to reading the Harry Potter books. I think this makes the first two or three novels realy special because we come to them without any prior knowledge of the wizarding world or what the authors style is. We also never have the innocence we have when we first read the books. And we certainly never have the innocence we once had when we read the books as children. 

 

Blog Post #1 Response: Expecting the Unexpected

Expectations are always present in the reader’s mind. However, they are also constantly changing. With each sentence, a new concept is formed of the information given, changing and adapting the reader’s expectations of where the story is headed. I first read (well, was read to) the Sorcerer’s Stone (SS) when I was in first grade, I still remember some of the expectations I had. I always expected Snape would turn out to be the one after the Stone. Every hint in the book was directed towards him so my expectations only got reinforced as the book went on. Snape hated Harry with a passion, he was muttering/not breaking eye contact while Harry was trying not fall off his bucking broomstick, and he got bitten by Fluffy. Everything pointed to him that I was so sure that he was the culprit, until, of course the last chapter. I remember I was blown away and did not see that coming at all. This blew my mind as even from the beginning I was sure the bad guy was Snape. However, this was much different from my expectations Chamber of Secrets (CoS).

In CoS, instead of “knowing” who the culprit is the whole time like in SS, the plot is followed more like a detective/mystery novel. The trio has no clue what is going on or who to even look toward at first, so neither did I as the reader. I first created an expectation that Draco Malfoy was the one behind it all; following Harry and thinking that it all makes sense. This was quickly discovered to be false and I was back to square one. I did not expect Tom Riddle at all to be bad, but of course I did not figure Hagrid to be either when he was arrested. That Ginny was used by Voldemort was also a complete surprise. 

Of course, expectations like these are very easy to fall into; as the reader believes what the author wants the reader to. Expectations can only come from information previously given and the author makes sure that some are held back. It is important for authors to do this, for it keeps the reader guessing which causes an increase of interest as the book goes on. The fact that the books have this element of surprise combined with the unique world that gives us an ability to escape, shows exactly why this series became the phenomenon it is.