Thursday, July 14, 2011

Lumos

Oh me oh my oh golly, I'm so so so so antsy! Why? Harry Potter comes out tonight! Were we childless, were Sean not working early the next morning, we'd be front and center for that midnight showing. But as it is, I guess we'll settle for Friday night. A few hours wait isn't so bad, now is it?

I recently finished rereading the seventh book to gear up for the movie. There's a few chapters in there that I really really love. And want to talk about them. Oh look, I have a blog, I'll talk about it there! I mean, here! (The last two chapters are in the newest movie, so I'll try to be as spoiler-free as I can. But no promises)

Chapter 24: The Wandmaker
I defy anyone to hold back the waterworks as Harry buries Dobby. Those were my first tears of the book. But emotions aside, what I really love about the chapter is the control Harry finally achieves. When Harry began looking for horcruxes he became very frustrated and a bit lost for direction. Then he became obsessive over the hallows. Finally, that soul-rending grief Harry experiences over Dobby gives him the check he needed to set his mind in order. With that control came a simmering power that just diffused off of The Boy Who Lived as he methodically set his plans in order. It gave me such confidence that he was going to get the job done well.

Chapter 34: The Forest Again
The hollowness Harry felt, the dead weight of the truth he'd just learned- I could hardly breathe as I read it. The way he just let the cold wash over him, no rage, no defiance. Only sad, slow acceptance. I don't know how he could muster the will to move, to go face his destiny. I felt so heavy yet so disconnected as he walked through the forest, disbelieving what was to come. Such a gripping journey.

Chapter 35: King's Cross
What an existential chapter. It was so open and voluminous and empty- empty in a good way, in a way similar to "Waiting for Godot." The symbolism of the setting was perfect. The conversation so raw and captivating. I read each line at least three times, not because it was convoluted, no, not at all. I read it so many times so I could lap up every last meaning, every last nuance, every newly revealed piece of the puzzle. It's a mind-captivating chapter that I want to go read again right now.

Alright, I think I'm ready for this movie! Not that I'm excited for the movies to be done, though. After the books, at list we had the films to look forward to. Now what? Maybe Pottermore can fill that void a bit. And perhaps a Universal Studios visit one day :)

1 comment:

  1. I appreciate you shring your insight, you make the book and the movie a better experience for me. I wished I could help you out with babysitting this week, but when we come to visit in Sept we can all go again

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