Haha! Now there's a sensational title, one designed to draw crowds armed with pitchforks and skewers, eh? But really, I think it's important for us to review the absolute worst Harry Potter book written: Exploring Harry Potter, part of Beacham's Sourcebooks for Teaching Young Adult Fiction. Wow! A real scholarly work written about a series we all love! It must rock, right?
Heh. Of course not, or I wouldn't be here bitching about it.
The author is one Elizabeth D. Schafer. What qualifications does she have for writing this book? "Elizabeth D. Schafer earned a Ph.D. in the History of Science and Technology from Auburn University." Say, that doesn't sound like it has a lot to do with Kiddie Lit, does it? Fear not: she has also "completed graduate courses in children's literature." Isn't it comforting to know that any one of you is just two 500 level courses away from being qualified to publish a work in Beacham's Sourcebooks for Teaching Young Adult Fiction?
Enough picking at details -- let's see what Schafer has to say.
Regarding the fairy tale tradition of gold troves: " . . . centuries later the Grimm Brothers discovered the fairy tale of Rapunzel, who was forced by a tyrant to spin straw into gold before he would release her to marry the king." Well, that's an easy mistake to make; after all, books of fairy tales are hard to come by, and fact checking the age old tale of Rapunzel certainly couldn't have been done by asking your average 6-year-old.
Harry's "donning of the Invisibility Cloak in Book I symbolizes Harry's new identity, maturity, and healthy self-esteem." Yes, because an adolescent wanting to be invisible is absolutely a sign of healthy self-esteem.
"Interestingly, Harry does not reimburse the Weasleys when they host him at their house." Shockingly rude, isn't he. I know that when I stayed over at friend's house when I was 11, I paid rent and bought groceries at least twice a week.
"Ron's mother Molly . . . serves as an Earth Mother figure guiding [Harry] in his transition from mere mortal to eminent wizard." Okay, a. why does every chubby woman have to be an Earth Mother? and b. what part of constantly trying to shelter Harry and prevent him from growing up constitute guiding him to being an eminent wizard? Just curious.
"[Ginny's] immaturity and infatuation enable Voldemort to invade the school." Wow, blame the victim much?
"Harry seems to be Hermione's price, awakening her with his bravery." Do I sense a frustrated fanfic here?
"Professor Quirrell, whose name suggests his quarrelsome behavior . . ." Funny, I don't recall any quarrels. Evilness, sure. As my friend Brandon suggested, Quirrell seems more likely to suggests "squirrel," an appropriate description of the stuttering, scurrying man, but my friend Brandon has not completed graduate courses in children's literature, so I do not think we can rely on his opinion.
"Lockheart breaks down and loses his mind." Did she even read the books before writing this?
"The librarian Madame Pince pounces on demanding students and is stingy about loaning books. Her surname rhymes with pence . . ." Did they redefine "rhyme" when I wasn't looking?
"Pettigrew's missing finger symbolizes his inability to make his point effectively." Why, yes, she is pulling this straight out of her ass.
All in all, a textual analysis of Harry Potter could be fun, but it ought to have been written by someone not stupid.
1 comment:
Ha! Not rely on my opinion, eh? I have a BS (math), a BA (classics), a dangerously incomplete knowledge of several uncommon languages, an amateur mastery of Indo-European linguistics and Star Trek trivia, and a wicked recipe for authentic Hungarian goulash. That makes me emminently qualified to make lots of preposterous observations on Potteriana too, right?
Just as with Professor Quirrell, the author seems to have missed the obvious allusions suggested by Madame Pince's name. First, it makes you think of the word "pinch" with a more pinched pronuncation, marking the personality of the very anal-retentive (stereo-typically so) librarian. To me (but I suppose not to children), it brings to mind "pince-nez" which an up-tight old maid might wear. I can't recall off hand, but I wouldn't be surprised if she was depicted in the books or movies wearing them.
Brandon
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