Deathly Hallows Final Thoughts

It’s easy for me to remember, about 32 hours after the release of Deathly Hallows, sitting on my bed teetering with sleep deprivation, surrounded by boxes of snacks and still in my Hogwarts costume, turning the very last page of the book and bawling. I became a hermit for those two days, refusing to leave my bed until I was finished. Harry Potter was, and always will be, a monumental part of my life and it was a huge experience to reach the very end. I’d attended midnight book releases for Goblet of Fire and all the books after, but none of the ones before were as huge as this one. I know I was joined by millions of fans who felt the same way. Rowling is a huge influence on the literary world and on society; you’re living under a rock if you haven’t heard of Harry Potter. Many people will say that Rowling taught them how to love reading, and I think it must be a great honor for her to know that.
That said, my perceptions of Snape and Dumbledore definitely changed with Deathly Hallows. I had a feeling Snape was good, but I didn’t know the entire circumstance—it made the fanfic writer in me squeal when I found out that he was in love with Lily. My view of Dumbledore was quite shaken as well. He was untouchable in until Deathly Hallows; he was crazy, eccentric, but we always trusted him and knew that he knew more than we did. So it came as quite a shock to find out the real reason he never accepted the Minister of Magic job. I was so upset when my view of him was so tarnished by his past; he was no better than the Nazis with his “for the greater good” slogan. It was even worse when I thought he’d betrayed Harry and thought Harry was no more than a puppet to him, from Snape’s memory. I think that scene with him at King’s Cross was really needed to gain the reader’s respect for him again—it made me cry to think of how he and Snape had both kept terrible secrets and had to suffer quietly for them for so many years.
I was really proud of how Hermione, Ron, and Harry grew up. I think Hermione was always the most mature of the group, so it was reassuring to see Harry and Ron meet her level. Harry became a much better friend than his arrogant Order of the Phoenix self, and dealt with his suffering in more dignity than he had in the past. Ron grew up by miles in this book. He abandoned them, but then realized he was in the wrong and came back to him. I loved how after he came back, he took on the role of leader and was trying to motivate them to find the rest of the horcruxes.

Harry Potter, Forever and Always

Tears of joy, sorrow, and anger are all that I can remember after reading the 7^th book for the first time. I thoroughly enjoyed that 7^th book because of the emotional roller coaster it put be through. Every time a character died, I cried. Every time The Trio found another Horcrux, I was proud. There are just so many great parts to this novel; I don’t even know where to begin!

One of my absolute favorite parts was getting to see Kreacher’s story and why he loved the Black family so much. I, along with Hermione and Dumbledore, always believed wizards needed to be nicer and more loving to their house elves; especially Kreacher. I would have thought that Harry would know that too through his relationship with Dobby. Harry knows house elves can be defiant of their masters they do not care for. They have to hurt themselves to do it, but it is possible. Kreacher’s story brought me to tears, but I am proud of Harry for giving Kreacher Regulus’ locket.

I also enjoyed how J.K. Rowling showed a different side of two of my favorite characters—Mrs. Weasley and Neville Longbottom. We have seen Mrs. Weasley irate at the twins or Ron and Harry, but we don’t ever see her actually use her magic to hurt someone. I LOVED that fact that the first time this happens, it’s for Bellatrix. I laughed out loud when I read that scene. I also found comfort in how Neville has grown and changed throughout the entire series. He went from Neville, the boy almost of Squib status who tries to stick up for his friends to protect the points of Gryffindor, to Neville, the man who rallies against Death Eaters and kills Nagini using Gryffindor’s sword. He is the character that has developed and changed the most in the series and I find it very comforting. I never thought Neville was sorted into the correct house, but this book completely changed my mind.

Every time someone died in Deathly Hallows I cried. There were two parts that really had me sobbing during this round of reading, and they were when Dobby died and when Harry turns the Resurrection Stone thrice in hand as he walks toward his “death” in the forest. With this being my 4^th time reading the novel, I still felt like Harry was going to die, even though I knew he wasn’t going to. Rowling just describes that scene so well that it gets me every time.

The parts that I found to be “potentially problematic” were the parts that dealt with Dumbledore and Snape. I never really understood why Dumbledore trusted Snape, but I knew there had to be a pretty damn good reason. Like Harry though, I felt like Dumbledore betrayed me from keeping so much information from Harry. I put my trust in him as the reader, and I felt like if he were around everything would be O.K. Once I found out about his family situation though, I was mad. The story of Dumbledore and Grindelwald trying to find the Deathly Hallows for “the greater good” just irked me. Ariana and Aberforth needed Dumbledore in so many ways, and he failed them. With this being said, when I look back on the series, I know Dumbledore suffered from guilt every moment of his life. From when he looked in the Mirror of Erised to drinking the potion in the cave, I now know what Dumbledore actually saw, and I’m empathetic towards him. Now knowing all that we do about Dumbledore, I can see why he didn’t give all this information to Harry. He didn’t want Harry to worry about anything else, but the Horcruxs. Dumbledore wanted Harry to trust him, but by not telling Harry himself produced confusion and hurt.

Dumbledore’s story really put me on edge, but Snape’s seemed to make sense to me. Earlier in the series we see Snape call Lily a Mudblood in his memory, and both characters are hurt by it. Snape says he didn’t mean it and Lily won’t forgive him, but that’s really the moment I knew Snape loved her. He always seems to look at Harry’s eyes because they are the most obvious trace of his mother. When Snape’s love for Lily was confirmed after he died, my attitude towards him completely changed. He has lived the hardest life, in my opinion, of the series. Constantly be questioned about his allegiance and being called a coward, I can’t imagine how many times Snape just wanted to tell everyone what he was going through. I love his character. His story was a great twist in the plot of the Harry Potter series.

My feelings towards the Trio didn’t change all too much because I expected them to rise up the way they did. I knew they would face whatever they had to together, even with Ron’s little episode of absence. By the end of the series, I was so proud of them all and the journey they went through together. They have grown up so much within this series and it brings a tear to my eye that my friendship and journey with them has come to an end once again.

The Harry Potter series is already placed in a larger social context because of the fan base located around the world. Rowling made this world where people can live with magic, but still deal with death, love, friendship, trauma, empathy, and so much more. She made this world seem so real and relatable to the readers that it’s bringing people from all over our world together. There are hundreds of fan sites discussing the series/films and there’s even an amusement park now to make the Wizarding World appear even more realistic. Even though the series has come to an end, Harry Potter will stay in the hearts of the fans forever because that’s how big of a deal he and the Wizarding World are.

Blog Post #3

This is my first time I am reading the series as well. I have to say that the fifth book is my least favorite. But this last book was extraordinary. And I knew Harry would live before I even read the book but did not know he died first then came back to life. Also for being my first time, it was a lot of information to keep track of and to have read in such a short amount of time. At the end of the series, it was sad that it was over. But it was rewarding to know how the information and connections all pulled together in the end. The little bits and pieces from the first books unified the 7^th book. Over the series, you got to know Harry, Ron and Hermione so well, watched them grow into young adults which were precious in its own way. One powerful moment in the 7^th book is when Neville kills Nagini, Lord Voldemort’s Snake. He kills her by the Gryffindor sword. It is very powerful because Neville starts out timid, shy and not confident at all but by the end of the 7^th book he becomes this hero by killing one of the horcruxes. One problematic moment overall is that it is the first time you hear about the deathly hallows even though it plays a vital role in the 7^th book. I know Harry Potter’s invisibility cloak is in all the books but they don’t reference anything from it or refer to the story at all. You don’t know it is one of the deathly hallows until the 7^th book. So basically it was a surprise all of a sudden. There is some resolution in the end knowing that Snape was trustful overall and basically you receive a mind blowing confession of his loyalty in the 7^th book. Throughout the books, Snape’s trust was always questioned by his evil ways. Originally, Dumbledore was made out to be this heroic wise old wizard that everybody trusts. Then you find out that he messed with dark arts and appeared to abandon his family for his own ambition. So he wasn’t as innocent as he was made out to be. But in the end from all the sacrifices he made from all the people he cared about, he was still a good person. The most prominent context is the coming of age theme which really reflects the adolescents in our society now. It is easy to relate to the feelings within the culture. The changing Harry, Ron and Hermione really reflect the real world growing up. The emotions and physical changes they go through reflect the culture and society today.

The End of An Era

The final chapter of the Harry Potter series was bittersweet. Not only because we learned what happened to Harry, Ron, Hermione and the others but because it meant that the end of an era. I began my journey with Harry Potter when I was in the third grade and it continued until the summer before my junior year of high school, college if the movies are included. Talk about a long-term relationship. It was a complex ending, however. The search for the horcruxes was exciting and I never knew what was going to happen. Even after it all came out and we knew that Snape was good after all, it was still hard to figure everything out. Just thinking about it now, I finally realized that it was Snape who sent the Patronus leading Harry to the Sword of Gryffindor. This was the second time I had read the entire series from start to finish. I definitely read things that I completely forgot about – the entire Winky/Imperiused Barty Crouch scenario, for example. I think overtime I’ve gotten so used to the movies that I forgot how complex and intricate the plots of the books are. One thing I always remembered, however, was the passing of the Elder Wand. When I was reading the last few chapters of Half-Blood Prince I knew what to expect and I carefully read the passage where Draco Malfoy disarms Dumbledore. It was so simple, just in one little, inconspicuous sentence, Rowling changes the plot entirely. Of course, you wouldn’t know that until you read the seventh book… One of the most poignant parts of the final book was when Harry is walking through the grounds towards the Forbidden Forest. He is under his cloak and is a silent observer of the scenes unfolding around him. He sees Ginny, taking care of a wounded classmate, informs Neville of the necessity of Nagini’s death. Harry’s thoughts are all centered around the idea that his life has to end so soon, “The long game was ended, the Snitch had been caught, it was time to leave the air…” (Deathly Hallows 698). It amazes me to think that this seventeen year old boy could sacrifice himself the way that Harry did. It wasn’t even that Harry knew he was going to die, everyone is going to die eventually. The amazing part is that he walks himself into the forest, he leads himself into death. Having said that, the whole scene was somewhat depressing, and still, as I read it, I knew Harry wouldn’t die. The first time I read the book, I had this feeling of disbelief. There’s no way Harry could die, it’s HIS story that we’re reading. How would the book go on without Harry at the story’s center? What would the point of this whole saga be if the hero died at the end? In the end, I was right and Harry lived. The scene where Harry is carried back into the castle by Hagrid is just as powerful as his walk into the forest. The story has come full circle. The man who saved baby Harry from the rubble of his home in Godric’s Hollow is now carrying the same boy into Hogwarts after being ‘killed’ by the same man who tried to murder him all those years ago. The whole chapter I was just waiting for Harry to spring back to life with an “AH-HA!” and when it finally happens, the subsequent duel is brilliant. Voldemort dies by his own Unforgivable Curse and Harry remains true to himself, only attempting to disarm Voldemort. This says something about Harry’s character. Despite all of the pain and suffering that Voldemort has caused Harry, it still does not make him powerful or angry enough to resort to murder.

I started to think less of Dumbledore through the course of the book. Not so much his experiments with the dark arts, but more so the little details that he didn’t tell Harry. I understood that Dumbledore left the Horcrux collecting more open-ended so that Harry, Ron and Hermione have to figure it out for themselves. The similarities between Dumbledore and Harry, however, especially regarding their residencies in Godric’s Hollow were details that the Headmaster really should’ve shared. There were some hints, however, that Dumbledore had also lost some close to him, although it is understandable that he never shared details with Harry. Although they were very close, some things shouldn’t be shared between a student and teacher.

In the end, the seventh book is one, if not the, most exciting installments of the series. When I got to the last few chapters, it was hard to put it down and work on other homework. Being able to discuss the books in class gave me new insight. It made me think of situations in a different light and also brought up things I hadn’t even considered. It’s sad to think that I can no longer read legitimately Harry Potter as opposed to doing other homework..

A Call to Arms and the Silence that Follows

The end of the series was a highly anticipated event. People flocked together to guess at the end of the series, fans developed intricate and complex theories in hopes of uncovering the clues, and friends and families planned extravagant pre-release parties. I was one that could fit into all these categories. The experience of the pre-release mania was something I will always cherish. I was hooked onto the series and emotionally attached to all its characters. I felt a sense of anticipation and a sense of foreboding about the end, but when I finally received my copy of the book and reached the end, I was extremely content with the end.

As I read the last book, a few scenes in particular stuck out to me: Harry’s use of the Resurrection Stone and Harry being carried back to the castle by Hagrid. The Resurrection Stone allowed Harry to see his mom, dad, Sirius and Lupin before he himself walked into the forest where he was sure to meet his death. That scene had such emotional depth. Harry’s lost ones were able to reconvene with him to give him the strength to meet a fate e feared. It was beautifully written and emotionally captivating. It might be my favorite scene within the entire series. Shortly after, we were given the passage where Harry feigns his death and is carried back to Hogwarts by Hagrid the Giant. Though Rowling employed a sense of dramatic irony, the passage was enthralling nonetheless. The reactions to those back at the castle were debilitating and painfully accurate. I firmly believe that the shrill shriek heard as they approached was from McGonagall. I really hope that the movie makers are able to perfectly capture the depth and power of these two scenes.

These two scenes were so powerful for me because I had that emotional attachment to the Trio. The Trio and the Weasley family were the characters I focused on throughout Rowling’s epic. With that said, the whole ordeal with Snape was not as compelling for me. I appreciated all the work and thought Rowling put into the character, but the question as to what his loyalties were was not are prevalent for me. I just simply saw it as another part of the story, one that supported the plot. So, when the time came, the revelation of Snape’s history was not as engaging for me. However, the revelation of Dumbledore’s past was. Throughout the series, Dumbledore is portrayed as a living paragon of perfection, and it’s his past that humanizes him. We see Dumbledore engage in prejudice and discriminatory acts and tendencies, we are exposed to his fear of death and the means he sought to escape it, and we are given a glimpse into his dysfunctional family. Simply, we get to see the man’s flaws. Despite his brilliance and wise nature, Dumbledore was revealed to be a man and not a god. I found this to be very potent for me.

On a larger scale, apart from myself, I know that people were disappointed with the deaths that came from the final battle. Others were upset with the Epilogue chapter at the end of the novel. But if we look past these minute details, I believe that the last book and the series as a whole was positively received by the public. Despite the bumpy beginnings with conservatives Christians banning their children from reading the books, the series ended on a universal note that helped remove that discomfort with the series. It is simple: Good triumphs over Evil. With that said, I know many of my friends who were finally allowed to read the novels because that simple, yet grand, theme came to fruition. In addition, millions of people found ways to relate to the Potter books, and because of that, they have found their way into the lives of all those people and thusly our culture. It would be difficult to find someone who has never heard of the series. And for that, I believe that the series has found a lasting place in our current culture and society.

Blog Post #3

I read the series for the first time in this class. Some of the books were better than others, yet Rowling wrote these books in a way that I could not put them down. Especially this last book! I am so glad that I read all of these books because I finally understand what the big deal is about Harry Potter. I was completely shocked at the ending of the book because I had heard rumors that Harry Potter died. After reading, I know that Harry was the one who in fact lived. He continued to be the “boy who lived” and his love for others and his willingness to sacrifice himself kept him alive, which was something I never expected. Rowling used so many twists and turns throughout the series, which lead people wanting more. I think that Rowling expresses friendship and determination in this last book so well, that it allows society to relate to her stories when they read. I think however, death should not have been so prominent in this last book. I think it is very dark for children who are younger to be reading about it. I also think that it gave readers some excitement and it showed readers how far the characters were willing to go to protect Harry’s life and show determination to stand up for something you believe in. Harry, Ron, and Hermione’s friendship strengthened throughout this series and while you saw moments that tested their friendship, you always knew that they would stick together. They were always willing to help one another, whether they were mad at each other, or didn’t believe in what they were doing.

My feelings towards Dumbledore never changed throughout the series. I always had this feeling that Dumbledore was on Harry’s side. I always believed that he never gave Harry a task that he couldn’t handle. I hated hearing Dumbledore’s past from different people, because I felt like it wasn’t true. Even though Dumbledore failed to inform Harry of major important things in the wizarding world, he had enough faith in Harry to complete the tasks. However, my feeling towards Snape was kind of a rollercoaster. I had times when I liked him and times I didn’t like him, which is what I think Rowling wanted. Snape was a mysterious character who had two sides to him. He had one side who hated Harry with a burning passion and it only got worse throughout the seven years at Hogwarts. However, we knew he had a good side too. I just had a feeling that Snape was out to get Harry and I thought that if Voldemort wouldn’t have kept trying to kill Harry, then Snape would have.

I think that this series could be viewed in any social context. It is so flexible and can relate to so many themes like coming of age, prejudice, friendship, death, oppression, love and the list can go on. It is easy to relate to and you can pretty much fit the context into any sub category you want.

Blog Post 3

For me there were parts of the ending that I guessed and other parts that were a complete surprise. I think Rowling did a good job making sense of everything and that you can go back to earlier books and find parts that foreshadow things that happen at the end of the seventh book. The biggest part I found problematic was when Voldemort kills Harry but not really because Harry is still alive. It opened up a whole new level of magic. The series starts with this type of magic when Harry survives the killing curse when he was a baby. We leaned he survived because of his mother's love that protected him. At the end of the series, though, nobody sacrificed themselves for Harry like his mother did before. The explanantion is that Harry sacrificed his life so the idea that he lived makes sense because since sacrifice is a big theme and Lily sacrificed herself so Harry could live. It still is a little problematic to me of how that type of magic works out, and if it could happen to anyone in the right circumstances.

My view of Dumbledore didn't chnage much. I thought Dumbledore had everything worked out before he died, but my view of Snape changed. I figured he had to be good because Dumbledore continued to trust him and also how Harry always thought Snape was up to something but he never was. Although, the part about the only reason he was on Dumbledore's side was because he loved Lily was a surprise to me. I think Snape found the one person he loved more than anything and he would do anything for her like betray one of the most powerful wizards at the time. I also think Snape had to have a lot of courage and that his love for Lily had to be strong enough that he would betray Voldemort and live a life of deceit and solitary for so long. As for my views of Harry, they didn't change much. Ithink he finally came of age regarding that theme. He was finally able to accept he had to die, but I think he knew he would have to die all along. He finally realized he had to die in order to protect his friends. Ron and Hermione, I think also had to have a strong love for their families and friends to risk their lives throughout the seventh book to try and defeat Voldemort.

I also think the series applies to our society. It has many important themes that apply to children and adults. The idea of racism and how it plays an important role in the series through the discrimination based on blood. Rowling also shows that these ways can be changed. Draco and his mother consistently discriminate based on blood throughout the series. Yet, Draco is unable to kill Dumbledore and Narcissa reports that Harry is dead when she knows he isn't just so she can see her son again. Rowling shows that even in today's culture, we can change and become more accepting and stop racism.