potter1



= **HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER'S STONE** =

Week One: December 3 Topic: Characters PERSON A/D: Rebecca PERSON B/C: Marisa A. What makes the story in Harry Potter most interesting is the wacky characters. Dursley family is the perfect example: Aunt Petunia, Uncle Vernon and Dudely are the only family that Harry has, and aside from their beloved son Dudely, Harry is treated like nobody. Dudely is fat, greedy and bullies Harry with his gangs everyday. On his birthday, he gets upset because he got one less present than last year. I cannot stand those kind of people who does not realize how fortunate they are and act selfish.

Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon know Harry is a wizard but they tend to not believe in "nonsense" in the world such as magic. When letters from Hogwarts were sent to Harry, Durselys tried everything to avoid from Harry reading the letter filled with the nonsense. Eventually, Hagrid comes to see Harry Potter, and Harry finds out that he is a wizard and that Dursleys were hiding it from him. If I were to live with them, I would just run away.

B.
 * 1) The color green seems to be a reoccurring color. Just to name a couple, it was the color of the pen used for Harry’s letter and the smoke. What significance do you think green has to this story?
 * 2) Harry’s parents aren’t allowed to be addressed or even thought about. Mrs. Dursley says that her sister was always odd. Do you think this has anything to do with jealousy and the fact that her sister was a witch but not her?
 * 3) For almost all of Harry’s life he has been living in shambles. Why didn’t he ever try to call child services and be placed in a different home?

C. 1. “He couldn’t know that at this very moment, people meeting in secret all over the country were holding up their glasses and saying in hushed voices: ‘“To Harry Potter---the boy who lived!”’ (17)This quote is the most important to the whole story because it is the basis on which why Harry Potter is famous.

2. “I AM NOT PAYING FOR SOME CRACKPOT OLD FOOL TO TEACH HIM MAGIC TRICKS!” (59) This quote shows the Dursley’s disapproval to Harry being anything like his parents.

3. “How could a car crash kill Lily an’ James Potter? It’s an outrage! A scandal! Harry Potter not knowin’ his own story when every kid in our world knows his name!” (53) First of all how would you react if throughout your life you were told a lie about how your parents died? Also, how would you feel if every person on earth knows your name?

D. We agreed upon a fact that Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is an enjoyable book to read. We both watched the movie, however we never got into the book; However once we started reading, we really liked it and Marisa even read up to page 80 because she could not stop reading. There were some parts that were different than the movie: Aunt Petunia's physical description and Dursleys going to hotel first before they go to the small island.

Personally, I get very exhausted from reading the beginning of a book, however, it was very interesting from the beginning possibly because of the wacky characters. We are thrilled to read the next part where Harry Potter finally goes to the Hogwarts School.

A:
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is an easy book to read. The story is set in London, so most of the language they use, is differen't from ours. For example instead of the word "you", Hagrid would use "yer". Due to this, it is important that the reader has to make sure they understand what the characters are trying to say. Though it is labeled as a Young Adult book, I think that despite the easy read the story should be read by teenagers. This is because they sometimes use words that kids wouldn't understand - such as muggle. Even some word - without knowledge of latin roots, will be hard for them to pronounce. Most of their charms come from latin words. Overall however, i believe it is a great book that catches your attention the moment you pick it up.

B:

1) "Yes, thirteen-and-a-half inches. Yew. Curious indeed how these things happen. The wand chooses the wizard, remember.... I think we must expect great things from you, Mr. Potter.... After all, He- Who-Must-Not-Be-Named did great things -- terrible, yes, but great."

2) "Everyone thinks I'm special," he said at last. "All those people in the Leaky Cauldron, Professor Quirrell, Mr. Ollivander... but I don't know anything about magic at all. How can they expect great things. I'm famous and I can't even remember what I'm famous for.

3)" He had a very strange dream. He was wearing Professor Quirrell's turban, which kept talking to him, telling him he must transfer to Slytherin at once, because it was his destiny."

C: 1) What happens when Harry goes to the wand shop? What kind of wand does he end up getting? Why is this unusual?

2) How does Harry find Platform Nine-and three-quarters? Who does he meet?

3) In chapter 7, what strange dream does Harry have?

D. JK Rowling writes such a way in which the person reading can visualize what they are reading. Not many authors can have a person be drawn into the book where the person can put himself or herself in the characters perspective. We especially think it is fun --- having already seen the movie, when a person says a quote, we read it exactly the way it is said in the movie. For example, some quotes are directly taken from the movie such as, “Oh this is Crabbe and this is Goyle. And my names Malfoy, Draco Malfoy”(108). Keep in mind, not all events from the book are the same as the movie. There are some slight changes in the book. For example, the password to get into the dormitory was Caput Draconis however, in the movie, it was Fortuna Major. Both of us found out that Harry started to follow in the footsteps of Voldemort such as getting the same wand as him. Harry however, unlike Voldemort was put into Gryffindor. This shows that there are clear distinctions between Voldemort and Harry.

Week Threee 10/20 Person A/D: Rebecca Person B/C: Marisa

A. In the beginning, the tone of the book was a bit depressing with Harry being the most unfortunate child growing up in Dursley's, but after Harry enters the Hogwarts all the sudden the tone shifts to happy and exciting mood with all the magical and adventurous events such as Quidditch. It also gives mischievous tone when Malfoy and his friends appear.

B.

1. “GOT YOUR CONK!” (132) This is England’s why of saying I got your nose. I found the quote to be really funny.

2. “Wandering around at midnight, Ickle Firsties? Tut, tut, tut. Naughty naughty, you’ll get caughty.”(159) This take place right before the Harry, Ron, and Hermione find the three-headed dog.

3. “Wingardium Leviosa”(171) A person can learn a lot just by reading spells. These spells are Latin. The last word leviosa comes from the word levitate. It suits this spell because it is the spell to make objects float.

C.

1. If Hogwarts is so protected, how do you think the mountain troll got into the building? Does Snape have anything to do with it?

2. Do you feel that Professor McGonagall takes it upon herself to watch over Harry?

3. When Hermione lied to get Harry and Ron out of trouble, she sparked a friendship between the two. If Harry and Ron hadn’t saved her do you think they would eventually put their differences aside and become friends?

D. Marisa and I have noticed that in the day time in Hogwarts, narration and descriptions usually depict bright and cheerful feeling, however, at night, all the happy mood goes away; it gives spooky and mysterious tone which is totally different from day time. Rowling purposely wrote it this way so that the readers realize that Hogwarts is not always fun and joyful place as Harry and his friends imagine it to be. For example, in chapter nine, when Harry and his friends secretly get out of their bedroom to confront Malfoy, they accidently goes into a room to hide, and they find a giant dog with three heads guarding a forbidden room. This foreshadows the later events and what Harry will have to face in Hogwarts.

Week Four 1/7 Person A/D: Marisa Person B/C: Rebecca

A. The dangers of Desire- The mirror of Erised reveals what you want either to happen or see. Harry desire to see his parents again. But overblown desire is dangerous in that it can make people lose perspective on life, which is why Dumbledore advises Harry not to seek out the mirror again.Harry’s encounter with the Mirror of Erised symbolizes his growing self-awareness, as the magic mirror forces him to look within himself and face the question of what he really wants. Harry has never had to inquire into his own desires before, because the Dursleys never cared about his desires and, upon arriving at Hogwarts, he seems to have everything he needs in his daily schedule of classes and meals. Harry’s desires, as reflected in the mirror, are noble ones; he wants to see his family alive and then wants to find the Sorcerer’s Stone for the common good. Voldemort, on the other hand, is driven by nothing but his ego, and his desires are wholly selfish. The Mirror of Erised shows us that who we are (literally, the reflection of ourselves that we see in the mirror) is defined by what we want—our desires shape our identities. B.

1. "The happiest man on earth would be able to use the Mirror of Erised like a normal mirror, that is, he would look into it and see himself exactly as he is."

2. "Like everything else he owned, it had once belonged to someone else in his family -- in this case, his grandfather's."

3. "From being one of the most popular and admired people at the school, Harry was suddenly the most hated."

C.

1. What does Harry get for the christmas present? Who do you think sent it? How does he use it?

2. What does Harry see in the Mirror of Erised?

3. What does Harry encounter in the forbidden forest? What doe he find out about Voldmort?

D Rebecca and I had a very productive meeting. We both agreed that the mirror of Erised played a major role in the story. It was interesting that the word Erised is really Desire spelled backwards. We also discussed the idea of the invisibility cloak. In the book it explains that Hermione, Harry, and Ron were all in questiojn about Nicholas Flammel because Hagrid tipped him off about guarding something. Harry uses the cloak go into the restricted section of the library to try and get more information. Harry sneaks into the woods using this quote and finds Snape and Querrell. It turns out Snape is trying to steal the sorcerers stone. It also explains the bite marks Snape got from the three headed dog guarding it. It is also revealed that Voldemort can not die because he is living off of unicorns blood.

Week Five 1/14 Person A/D: Rebecca Person B/C: Marisa

A. J.K. Rowling was rejected from publishers twelve times. People thought Harry Potter was too mature for kids, and too childish for adults. In my personal opinion, Harry Potter is probably one of the best fantasy books today. I would definitely recomend it to anyone in any age group. Even though the main characters are kids and the book deals with "magic", the tone of the book is rather mature therefore even adults can enjoy. I strongly think that Harry Potter series should be considered for the school's curriculum. it is not a novel you get easily bored, and most of students are familiar with the movie seires, therefore they will be able to enjoy the book.

B. 1. Why was Draco spying on Hagrid, Ron, Hermione, and Harry? Do you think he knows that they are up to? 2. Why do you think Professor Querrel would tell Snape the anti-dark force spell? 3. Why do you think harry is able to get the stone from the mirror?

C. "Snape wants the stone for Voldemort...and voldemort's waiting in the forest...and all this time we thought snape just wanted to get rich"(260) 2. "Don't you understand? If snape gets hold of the Stone, Voldemort's coming back! (270) 3. "They don't know we're allowed to use magic at home. I'm going to have a lot of gun with Dudley this summer..."(309)

D.

= Marisa and I really enjoyed reading the first Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, and it was interesting to see that some parts of the plot were missing from the movie. We both agreed that the novel is better than the movie, (but we still love the movie version too) and therefore people who enjoyed the movie should definitely read the novel also. = = We would like to read the second series, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. =