A little of this a little of that!

[Julie]

No: HPFGUIDX 23949

I went away last Friday and was away from the computer until Monday 
and just got caught up reading all the posts I missed and wanted to 
respond to a few.  Now I'm just getting started but I have a feeling 
this may end up long- so be prepared.  Also- I don't have my books 
here and I will not have anyone else's quotes in this because it would 
just be too long to cover everything.

1. Universal Appeal and Autism- My son is a high functioning Autistic 
and loves the books- he knows all about them- could give a few members 
on this list a run for their money in L.O.O.N. terms- SO why the big 
deal a bunch of kids like them- typically autistic kids don't do well 
with abstract and fantasy- and forget handling multiple plot lines- 
and so usually it is more factual books that are read by these kids.  
But this past weekend I was away at a camp for autistic kids- there 
were 20 kids there and 5 of them had their books with them- the mom's 
of 6 more said their children had read all or some of the books and at 
least seemed to enjoy them.  SO we have 11 kids out of 20 add to the 
fact that 6 of the kids either were to young or were not readers and 
you bring it to 11 of 14 kids- I was pretty shocked and Harry Potter 
was a topic of discussion at this camp amoung parents and the kids.
I read the books after my son did and he demanded that I had to read 
them.  My son who has difficulty expressing abstract thoughts and 
feelings participates on many HP websites and he is actually 
discussing these topics.  The Universal appeal is that it is a story- 
that unlike most improves with repeated readings- it always amazes me 
how some mundane thing mentioned in the first book becomes very 
important in the next one- so that when you reread them it means all 
the more to you with the future knowledge in place.  These characters 
come to life and you get to be Harry and also be sitting next to 
Harry.  I need to explore why the appeal is so great in autistic kids 
more but I think in part it is because Harry despite being the hero is 
the best at everything- he isn't an Adonis, he hasn't been privileged, 
he's picked on and teased, and he doesn't always win- I think another 
appeal may be the reality in the fantasy that life isn't always fair- 
and that is a message these kids need- that it isn't their fault they 
are so different and it doesn't mean that they can't win sometimes.

2. Books written for kids- I don't know how many times I have pointed 
out to other adults that these really aren't children's books in the 
sense that most people are used to- I say the main characters are 
children but there really is so much more.  I see these books as aging 
with the reader- so if your kid is now 13 or 14 or older book 5 should 
be handled just fine- but I do see how JK could have her reservations 
of younger children reading the stories and then getting upset by the 
grown up topics involved- these are hard feelings- if they make us 
as adults cry at times they are emotional for kids too- not that I 
think they should be censored from kids I just think that parents need 
 to read them too.

3. Okay this is one that just has always bugged me- forgive me because 
I don't remember Mr. Weasley's title but I know it is something with 
protection of Muggles- how come they know soooo little about Muggles 
yet many of the wizards live amoung them.  You would think they would 
have to appear to be Muggles in most cases to avoid detection as 
wizards- I love the fact that many of the wizards don't have a clue 
about being a muggle (lot's of funny scenes on that point) but you 
would think that Arthur with his close associations would know a 
little more.   

4. Scariest Character- let's see the one that really gives me the 
Heebie Jeebies has got to be Fudge- It is so hard to see what side of 
the fence he is really on and he has so much power and control in the 
situation.  Even if he didn't truly side with Voldamort and become a 
card carrying Death Eater- he could still do damage- the man is sick 
he likes the Dementors too much- which by the way the Dementors as a 
whole rank as my second scariest character- seems like they are 
controled much to loosely for my tastes- sort of wish they would all 
kiss each other!

5. Draco- Let's see- right now I see him as an egotistical bigot who 
has very little self esteem but covers well- yes I do think he is a 
coward even though there isn't a lot of evidence yet to show otherwise
Now I also see him as having a really screwed up home life- his mom 
dotes on him and gives him too much (wizard Duddley) and his dad seems 
like one of those parents at the ball field who punishes his kid 
because they only hit a double instead of a home run- or cmae in 
second place- I see him as having very high expectations from his very 
powerful dad (dad doesn't want to be embarrased by him) and no 
boundries put on him by mom because she gives him everything- so I see 
a pretty screwed up kid- and although I don't ever think that he and 
Harry will be friends I do think there is a strong potential for him 
to do something to help Harry or better yet Ron (who hates Malfoy more 
than Harry who really feels sorry for him).  I could definitely see 
hime doing something- I kind of look at him like a young Snape- 
Severus would never do anything overtly kind to Harry and the rest of 
the trio but he wouldn't wouldn't let them come to harm either- he 
doesn't have to like them to save their lives...

6. Photos and Portraits- Okay- do we know of any paintings of living 
people?  One thought I had was that the life comes to the portraits 
after the person dies.  Or it could be that just in the paint and 
painting and being in Hogwarts allows the paintings to act like they 
do.  Now Photos, posters and Choc. Frog Cards are a different thing 
all together.  These I feel capture the essence but not the life of 
the person so they move around and they wave and get embarrassed but 
they don't otherwise communicate or anything.  I think Penelope's 
photographed self got embarrassed because she would have been 
embarrassed herself.  I also think photos do not change as the person 
ages- so if they were care free and sweet as a kid but turned evil 
later than there baby pictures would still be care free and nice and 
not evil and menacing.

7. Founder's conversation for sorting hat- I loved this conversation- 
it really does seem to be the best explanation I have read for the 
inner workings of the hat.  Thanks!

8. Molly -Does it bug anyone else how she jumps to conclusions so 
quickly?  It bugged me to no end when she was mean to Hermione based 
on the articles in the Witch's Weekly and from Rita Skeeter.  I really 
started to dislike her at that point- I mean doesn't she realize after 
 having the girl in her home that Hermione isn't like that- and if she 
had any doubts how about owling Ron or Harry or even the twins and ask 
if everything was ok and mention that she was worried after reading 
the article.  I guess I just lost some respect for her- I know she 
loves Harry like he was her own but still- Maybe I am reading to much 
into this cuz she reminds me a lot of my mother in law in how she will 
jump to a conclusion like that.  

9. Snape and Snuffles Revealed- Okay- I think Madam Pomfrey was asked 
to leave because it wasn't her business- she didn't need to know.  I 
think Minerva either already knew or would be told shortly but 
Dumbledore wanted her out of the room so that Snape and Sirius could 
mend fences (never mind how poorly) without an extensive audience- 
Minerva holding the position she does would not have needed to be in 
the room for that to occur and would actually have been inappropriate 
for her to be- (Geez- I wish Dumbledore was my boss)- Molly got to 
stay for 2 reasons- one she needed to know- she is I think part of the 
old crowd and no time like the present to reveal the truth and also 
because I really don't thinks she would have left if Dumbledore told 
her too- and there really wasn't a safer place to make the disclosure.
Someone said it was an act of faith on both parts- Dumbledore 
demonstrated to Sirius that he trusts Snape despite his past 
associations and to Snape that he also believes Sirius to be innocent 
of his crimes and to be trusted.  

10. Krum Falling for Hermione- don't remember what was said about this 
for me to right the note on my paper but... I think Viktor fell for 
Hermione because she wasn't chasing after him.  She wasn't empressed 
by his fame and doesn't care much for his expertise at Quidditch 
because she doesn't watch it.  Why should she be impressed- her best 
bud is Harry and she never cuts him slack and he is 
"the-boy-who-lived" and a great on a broom stick!  Hermione went out 
with him because he was probably the first boy who didn't talk to her 
to ask help with homework or that didn't tease or pick on her like I'm 
sure most of the others had.

11. Next teacher that is a former student- if it has to be someone in 
Harry's year I would think it would be Neville and teaching Herbology. 
But if not I would think possibly Charlie coming back as the Care of 
Magical Creatures instructor -assuming that Hagrid may be kept on his 
diplomatic mission (anyone else smile thinking of Hagrid as a 
diplomat?) with the giants.  I also wondered if Krumm would return to 
Hogwarts- he seemed to want to stay and seemed to not like Durmstang- 
and I do recall Fleur saying she would return to learn more English 
but have no idea what she would teach.

12. What surprised me the most- hmmm most of my surprises were 
mentioned by others but I guess maybe the Pettigrew is Scabbers thing 
was the most suprising- followed closely by Sirius is a good guy and 
Harry's Godfather.  Remus is a werewolf didn't get me in the slightest 
with a name like Remus Lupin what else could he be?

13. Green- The writing on the Hogwarts letters is emerald green- I 
assumed it was Minerva's signature color- wasn't she wearing 
emerald green the first time she is intoduced as a character and isn't 
she the one who wrote the letters.  I do see a lot of use of green but 
I think it is just a color that lends it self to so much- it can be 
poisonous or it can be earthy- it can be lively and happy or ominous- 
most of the other colors don't evoke the same cross of feelings- at 
least not from me-

14. Most touching moment- there were many- I had to reread Cedrics 
death scene to make sure I read it right. But I think the thing that 
always gets me is when Harry just keeps going- he doesn't let all the 
bad stuff get him down.  I mean- if he was a muggle the boy could make 
a fortune on the talk show circut- just based on the abuse from the 
Dursleys.  I think the part that really wrenched the gut the most was 
at the end of GoF- when he has to walk to his uncle- after everything 
that had just happened to him and he has to stay with people who don't 
love him, he won't have someone to give him the hugs he needs or the 
understanding shoulder to let him cry and tell about his experiences- 
No he just witnesses the rise of the most evil being known and the 
death of a schoolmate, narrowly escapes death himself, is in on way 
more information than a kid his age really needs to know and he has to 
go back to the people that locked him in the closet under the stairs. 
 It just really got to me- how alone he was at that point.  I sure 
hope JK rescues him from the Dursleys sooner this year!


Alright- that is out now- I feel much better- I hate to say I told you 
so but I'll do it anyway- I told you this would be long.  When I 
started on Monday I was behind like 300 posts then in time I tried to 
catch up another 200-300 posts were made- I did think of asking you 
all to hold off and discontinue posting for a day or so but something 
told me you wouldn't have done it so I just grinned and went on 
reading- good thing the boss's office got moved accross the street!

Julie- who now wants an internet enabled lap top to take to camps and 
on outings so that she never falls this far behind again!