Harry Potter News (Cut and pasted)

Wed Sep 20 13:42:31 UTC 2000

No: HPFGUIDX 1764

Tuesday September 19 3:57 PM ET
Harry Potter Wins Round Against 'Muggles' 

TORONTO (Reuters) - It's one point for Harry and zero for the Muggles -- those pesky non-magical people -- after a Canadian school board agreed to remove restrictions on the wildly popular Harry Potter series of books. 

The Durham Region School Board, near Toronto, had required parents to sign a consent form before allowing the internationally best selling books to be read in classrooms after complaints from parents and a board trustee that the J. K. Rowling books glorified witchcraft. 

But the board narrowly decided to remove the restrictions after a heated debate on Monday from parents on both sides of the issue on the books about Potter, the wizard in training who was adopted by humans, or Muggles. 

``It's not the normal way we do business,'' said Doug Ross, chairman of the board on Tuesday. ``If their only intention is to see the books banned then they'll never be happy, because we're not in the business of banning books or censoring material.'' 

Ross said he read his first Harry Potter book over the weekend in preparation for the school board meeting on Monday. ''I think it's a silly book. I had a hard time getting through it to be honest with you, but my wife likes them.'' 

Ross said the parental approval restriction created problems because it overshadowed the board's existing learning materials selection policy requiring parents to file a written complaint form if they were not satisfied with the school's decision. 

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Sourcebook reveals some of the wizardry behind the 'Harry Potter' books 

Thursday, September 14, 2000 

By CECELIA GOODNOW
SEATTLE-POST INTELLIGENCER REPORTER 

Scratch the surface of J.K. Rowling's entertaining "Harry Potter" tales and you'll find classical and mythical allusions, historical references and wordplay that many of Rowling's 35 million-plus readers have yet to discover, says the author of the first comprehensive sourcebook on the boy wizard. 

"Her books are so exciting. There's just so much there," says Elizabeth D. Schafer, whose "Exploring Harry Potter" is the lead title in a new series called "Beacham's Sourcebooks for Teaching Young Adult Fiction." 

Schafer believes Rowling, a former teacher and classics major, knew exactly what she was doing when she laced her stories with character names and plot devices that draw on classical themes. 

"There's a sense of fun," Schafer said in an interview, "like she put (this dimension) in the text and hoped readers would discover it." 

"Exploring Harry Potter" (Beacham Publishing, 479 pages, $24.95) is due in bookstores tomorrow. Like the "Potter" series itself, it became a best seller weeks ahead of its release. By early August, 600,000 copies were on advance order. 

"Initially," said publisher Walton Beacham, "we thought it would be great if we sold 50,000 copies." 

Added company publicist Jim Miller, "You cannot overestimate the interest in 'Harry Potter.'" 

Margin decorations and small drop-in illustrations give the book an inviting look, but it's essentially a straightforward reference tool for kids, parents and teachers. 

"I would not imagine kids reading it cover to cover," Schafer said. 

Upcoming installments will focus on C.S. Lewis' "Narnia" series and L. Frank Baum's "The Wizard of Oz." 

Schafer, incidentally, sees parallels between "Harry Potter" and the "Oz" series, which was the publishing phenomenon of the early 20th century. She notes that Baum opened each tale with a letter thanking children for their loyal readership and their many cards and notes. 

The Potter sourcebook includes a biographical sketch of Rowling and detailed discussion of virtually all aspects of the novels, from their emphasis on food and sports to the allegation -- which Schafer disputes -- that the books promote witchcraft. 

"What Rowling says, and I agree, is that the books are very moral," Schafer said, "and good does prevail over evil." 

The first thing we learn is that Schafer's tome is "NOT Approved by J.K. Rowling." Publicist Miller said the above-the-title disclaimer grew out of negotiations with Scholastic Inc., Rowling's American publisher. 

"We reached an agreement that we can publish this book (with the disclaimer) and they won't try to sue us," Miller said. 

Search the Web and you'll find a grab bag of sites devoted to amateur analysis of the "Harry Potter" books, complete with literary allusions and online links. But the Beacham guide gains credibility from Schafer's credentials -- a doctorate in the history of science and technology and a graduate-studies award for critical scholarship of children's literature. 

Schafer, who lives near Auburn, Ala., says the strength of "Exploring Harry Potter" is its comprehensiveness. 

"I hit a wide variety of topics, and I hit it all in one place," she said. 

Schafer will analyze future Potter books on the Beacham Web site, www.beachampublishing.com The site contains her analysis of Book IV, "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire," which was published after the sourcebook went to press. 

Although Schafer's critique of the series is overwhelmingly favorable, she does pick a few bones, though she doesn't go as far as Yale professor Harold Bloom. His scathing essay in the July 11 Wall Street Journal said the books lack an authentic imaginative vision, are heavy on cliche and make no demands on readers. 

Much as Schafer admires the Potter series, she, too, faults Rowling's tendency to cover well-trod ground. 

"It is derivative, and it is (full of) stereotyped cliches," Schafer said. 

In particular, she mentioned Rowling's continuing focus on obesity as a defining characteristic of Harry's disagreeable cousin Dudley. 

She added that Harry's friend, Hermione, has strong academic skills and a highly developed sense of right and wrong, but her behavior in the first three books also "perpetuates stereotypical images of females being moody, fickle and unreliable." 

Schafer was especially disappointed that Hermione, who took a leading role in brewing the Polyjuice Potion and solving part of the mystery in Book II ("Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban"), was sidelined from further adventure by being turned into a cat and then petrified like Sleeping Beauty. 

"It did upset me when Hermione was absent during the whole adventure," she said. "Hermione could be such a good role model for girls, and it is frustrating to see her not be a part of everything and solve problems." 

And, while social themes such as racism and fair treatment are an important element of the books -- Rowling worked for Amnesty International in college as a researcher on human rights in Africa -- her characterizations do tend to reinforce ethnic stereotypes, Schafer said. 

In "Goblet of Fire," for instance, Rowling describes the Bulgarian quidditch champ as surly and heavy-browed, and she portrays the French wizardry students as snobbish. 

"To me, it doesn't kill the stories, but I wish she could have developed the characterizations without having to rely on those descriptions or those cliches," Schafer said. 

One of the sourcebook's most intriguing features is a historical timeline in which Schafer shows what was happening in the real world as the novels' fictional events unfolded. For instance, sandwiched between the death of King James II during the siege of Roxburgh Castle (Aug. 3, 1460) and the beginning of the Spanish Inquisition (1478), is the entry: "1473: World Cup Quidditch match in which all 700 fouls occurred." Asterisks indicate which entries are fictional. 

Schafer said she apparently is the first to notice that Harry's tenure at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry begins in 1991, which makes him an adult in present time. She bases that conclusion on Book II's Halloween Deathday Party to commemorate the 500th anniversary of Nearly Headless Nick's semi-beheading in 1492. Schafer extrapolates from this and other clues that Harry's birth date is July 31, 1980. 

The book's final section includes a teaching guide with plot summaries, discussion questions and suggested activities. Example: "Discuss the roles of scars and physical markings, both permanent and temporary, in literature." 

When best-selling, escapist fun turns into homework, can disillusionment be far behind? 

Schafer said she doubts school assignments will break the series' spell, since many kids already write lengthy Internet analyses of "Harry Potter." Despite a few flaws, she said the saga enchants through its use of humor, mystery, intricate plot twists and archetypal themes. 

"They're just really good reads," Schafer said. "I didn't want to bash the books, because if kids are so excited about them, maybe it'll open up doors and lead them to other things. If I had to sum up the books, I'd say they're fun more than anything else." 

But, she added, "I hope people are open to realizing just because a book's popular and published, doesn't mean it's perfect." 

Sample wisdom
Want to sound deep and well-read? Try sprinkling your conversations with these nuggets from Elizabeth D. Schafer's "Exploring Harry Potter": 

Character names: Classical allusions abound in character names. Professor Minerva McGonagall, one of the wisest people Harry knows, is named for the Roman goddess of wisdom and war. The name of Harry's nemesis, Draco Malfoy, suggests the ancient Athenian lawyer, Draco, and his Draconian or harsh code of law. "Voldemort," the name of the evil lord, is French for "flight of death." The name may also derive from King Vortigern, an overlord who, according to Arthurian legend, arrested Merlin when he was a child. 

Games: The magical game Quidditch, played on flying broomsticks, has its historical origins in soccer, which was first played at English boarding schools (the inspiration for Hogwarts) in the early 19th century. In the Middle Ages, people played shinty, using a stick to hit a ball in a game somewhat like a land version of Quidditch. 

Geography: Harry was born in England and grew up near London in Little Whinging, a fictional town set in the real county of Surrey. He attends wizard school in northern Scotland. 

Stones' significance: Stones are central to legends of many cultures. The Greeks and Romans worshipped them. Stone slabs such as Stonehenge were used in Druid rituals. The legendary Stone of Destiny in Scotland was said to recognize the true king. And alchemist Nicholas Flamel tried to produce a "philosopher's stone" in the 14th century to convert substances into precious metals. That explains the British title "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone," which became "Sorcerer's Stone" in the U.S. edition. 

Historical allusions: The self-punishing behavior of Dobby, the house elf, mimics medieval religious flagellation, and his garment is like a gallery slave's tunic. 

Hogwarts itself was built as a medieval castle. 

Seen through the prism of modern history, the Chamber of Secrets resembles the underground caverns where prisoners were forced to labor on German munitions during World War II. Salazar Slytherin's initials, S.S., suggest Nazi storm troopers, and the name Ravenclaw is similar to the name of the Ravensbrueck concentration camp. 

Witch hunts through time: In A.D. 367, the Roman emperor Valerian began the first recorded witch hunt. In 1541, witchcraft became a felony under British common law. One hundred women were accused of witchcraft and murdered in South Africa in 1994. 

The meaning of magic: In the Potter series, magic represents imagination and connection with adult mentors who help students achieve maturity and insights not available to other children. 

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P-I reporter Cecelia Goodnow can be reached at 206-448-8353 or ceceliagoodnow at seattle-pi.com

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      Church to lure young with Harry Potter 

      BY RUTH GLEDHILL, RELIGION CORRESPONDENT 

      A VICAR in the Church of England is to hold a special "Harry Potter" family service this weekend, complete with wizards, pointy hats, broomsticks and a game of quidditch. 
      The Hogwarts liturgy, posted on an Internet discussion site, was welcomed by other clergy who wish to adapt it for their churches as well. The service has aroused horror among evangelicals, who condemned it as "importing evil symbols into the Church". 

      A banner featuring a serpent, representing the House of Slytherin in the best-selling books by J.K. Rowling, will adorn the 1960s church of All Saints in Guildford, Surrey, this Sunday. Banners of the other three Hogwarts houses will also be displayed. 

      The church door will be re-ordered as the gateway to "platform 9*", the magical platform at King's Cross Station where children at the Hogwarts school of wizardry catch the Hogwarts Express. 

      The Rev Brian Coleman, Vicar of All Saints, will don wizard's robes and hat to play the Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore to lead the special "service of the word". 

      Mike Truman, a lay member of the parish who is about to qualify as a reader and who has drawn up the new Harry Potter liturgy, a variation on an authorised Church of England service in the new Common Worship service book, will play a teacher at Hogwarts. His 11-year-old son, Mark, will play Harry Potter. A "sorting hat" will be used to enact a drama in which four new teachers are sorted into houses. The service will feature "Muggle songs" (hymns), and will end with a game of quidditch, in which worshippers will compete to capture a "snitch", a yellow rubber ball. 

      This Sunday has been chosen because the New Testament reading in the liturgical calendar, James 1:17-27, is considered particularly appropriate to the themes of Harry Potter. A broomstick, an "invisibility cloak" and "ton-tongue toffees" will be used to illustrate verse 17, about generous gifts coming from God. 

      Mr Coleman conceded that the service might not receive universal approbation. "But if you look at the Narnia chronicles by C.S. Lewis, these are books that also use magic as the background to a story." 

      He insisted that the Harry Potter books were highly moral. "They are about loyalty, standing up for friends, standing up for good against evil. That is exactly what the passage in James is about. Young folk are all very much into Harry Potter. We are using this interest." 

      The service has dismayed the Evangelical Alliance, the umbrella group for evangelical Christians. The Rev Paul Harris, an Anglican clergyman who convenes the alliance's panel on cults and new spiritualities, said: "We do encourage clergy to connect with contemporary culture. But it is going too far to use images from Harry Potter. There is a risk that children are going to be very confused by the use of symbols associated with evil." 

  TIMES BACKGROUND 

  PICTURES OF HARRY AROUND THE WORLD 

  France 

  Germany 

  Iceland 

  Italy 

  Spain 

  UK 

  Picture gallery 

  INTERNET LINKS 

  The Unofficial Harry Potter Fan Club 

  Fan site packed with all sorts of goodies 

  Official Harry Potter site (US) 

  Bloomsbury Publishers 

  Play Quidditch online 

  Webring 

  List of foreign publishers 

  Harry Potter Movie site 

  Lesson plans using Harry Potter 

  Hogwarts Online 

  Australian website 

  The "essential" Harry Potter site 

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Tuesday September 19 9:29 PM ET
Harry Potter casts spell on Scholastic results 

By Ilaina Jonas 

NEW YORK, Sept 19 (Reuters) - Scholastic Corp., U.S. publisher of the smash hit ``Harry Potter'' books, Tuesday reported a much smaller first-quarter loss than Wall Street expected as the frenzy over the broom-flying pupil at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry helped slash its traditional first-quarter loss from a year ago. 

``Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire,'' the fourth in the series of best-selling ``Harry Potter'' books by British author J.K. Rowling, had the largest initial print run in publishing history -- 3.8 million copies -- when it was released on July 8, Scholastic said. 

The book's release inspired bookstores across the nation to open at midnight on July 8, which happened to be a Saturday, and stage wizard parties to greet young ``Harry Potter'' fans and parents eager to get their hands on ``the Goblet of Fire'' tale. A week later, the trade magazine Publishers Weekly dubbed the book the fastest selling in history. And The New York Times responded to the ``Harry Potter'' phenomenon by creating a best-seller list for children's books. 

The New York-based children's book publisher and multimedia concern said its net loss in the period ended Aug. 31 shrank to $10.6 million, or 62 cents per share, from $23.6 million, or $1.43 per share, a year earlier. 

Wall Street analysts had expected Scholastic to report a loss of $1.11 per share, according to research firm First Call/Thomson Financial. 

Scholastic, which also publishes the popular ``Baby-Sitters Club'' series and is the top U.S. operator of school book clubs and fairs, traditionally reports a loss in its fiscal first quarter because school is not in session and revenues ebb to their lowest point during the year. 

Revenue in the first quarter rose 100 percent to $362.1 million, compared with $182.5 million a year ago. That included children's publisher Grolier, acquired from France's Lagardere S.C.A. in June, which contributed $65.8 million in revenue. 

``This was an excellent quarter across the board,'' Richard Robinson, Scholastic chairman, president and chief executive, said in a statement. 

The company said that based on its strong first- quarter results, it boosted its earnings-per-share target before one-time charges for fiscal year 2001 to $4.10-$4.25. Analysts had expected the company to earn $3.77 a share for the year, according to First Call. In fiscal 2000, it earned $3.25 a share. 

The ``Harry Potter'' series was one of the main contributors to the first-quarter results, Scholastic said. Fuelled by the release of ``Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire'' in hardcover and ``Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets'' in paperback, the saga of the boy with the magical powers generated more than $90 million in revenues, compared with $15 million in the year-ago quarter. 

Based on continuing demand, Scholastic said it expects ``Harry Potter'' sales, including related bookmark and journal publishing, to account for between 8 percent to 10 percent of total fiscal 2001 revenues. That compares with about 5 percent to 6 percent in fiscal 2000. 

Its core curriculum revenues jumped nearly 50 percent, due to the success of Scholastic Literacy Place 2000 used in the Texas Reading Adoption program and in sales of Read 180, a help program for below-grade-level readers. 

The company's $15 million cost-cutting plan also contributed to its results, Scholastic said. The company expects to save $20 million by fiscal 2002 through the integration of Grolier, which operates direct mail and online book clubs for kids, online and print children's reference books and significant publishing operations in the United Kingdom, Canada and Southeast Asia. 

Scholastic stock ended down 1/2 at $63-3/4 Tuesday on the New York Stock Exchange. The stock's 52-week high was $70-3/4, its low $43-1/2. 

Reuters/Variety REUTERS 

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