J
JCPhoenix
Guest
[2QUOTE=Tom of Assisi]Well, speaking artistically, the books are pretty silly and, I would say, poorly written. The first book reads like some welfare mother wrote it on a napkin in a restaurant while waiting for her case worker to show up and give her some more money…oh wait…that’s exactly what it is.
It’s one thing for children aged 7–10 to read Harry Potter. I roll over laughing when adults read it. Instead of Tolstoy, Melville, Joyce, Proust, Nabokov, Shakespeare, etc, etc, etc… they read a children’s novel and think it’s literature…
I was reading Kafka’s Transformation the other day at the park, and some woman came up to me and said, “oh you’re a reader. I read too. I am reading th 5th Harry Potter book now. Hee hee.” I just smiled at her and nodded .
I’m sorry you have such an elitist view of literature, and such a narrow defintion. You are missing out on some of the greatest joy of reading. Honestly, had I grown up with the above works instead of “Book Trails- Through the Wildwood, The Highroad to Adventure, and Through Enchanted Lands”, none of which are published anymore, but all of which contain old fairy tails from all time periods, I would not be an aspiring writer. I would have died of boredom as a 5 year old, and my brother would never had learned to read at all. (He really struggled).
Now, due to those types of works at which you point and mock, both my brother and I have published written work. We are both avid readers. Although I don’t disagree that children of all ages should be exposed to the authors you promote, there are other positive influences in the development of the reader, whether juvenile or adult.
I have never read the HP books, but have nonetheless been entertained by the movies. I enjoyed the special effects and have marveled at the imagination of the author. Since I haven’t read the books, however, I’m not sure how many of the effects are the authoresses’ versus Hollywood’s.
Just the same, although the characters aren’t pristine, they are good examples of children (albiet under unusual circumstances) who react realistically, who show nobility instead of cowardice in facing up to an accepting responsibility…and who still manage to bumble things and make wrong decisions that eventually turn out right. Consider the first movie, in which Ron and Harry run to the bathroom to alert Hemoine to the presence of the Troll…it was Ron’s fault she was there to begin with. They end up having to save her from the Troll, and rather than run away for fear of getting into trouble, they step up to help their friend. They risk their lives.
When being chastized, yes, Hermoine lied about what happened, and although I feel the truth would have been a better story, she did it to keep the friends she knew were innocent out of trouble. I don’t support lying, but it sure makes a good discussion topic with children using this scene for “what could the kids have done better?”
The HP books and movies can be a very positive parenting tool, in my opinion. I grew up on fantasy…witches, sprites, spirits, ghosts, demons, kings, trolls, and Wondering Tom’s.
HP is just another version of the fantasy I encountered as a child.
I hope you begin to understand that the classics will always remain so and will always have their place…but new classics will appear, and the fads will add their 2 cents and then die away. Only time will tell, really. Entertainment is still entertainment and can be used to teach moral lessons without boring people to dust in the process.
I’m sure, Tom of Assisi, you’ll roll over laughing when I tell you that I tried to read Kafka and fell asleep. I’ve read Shakespear, and was enchanted and wished I’d had a chance to study his work prior to High School. But I never would have read the philosophers on my own without college, and had Mom attempted…I would have run away. Maybe I’m not a genious, as God did not create me that way…and maybe you do have the IQ that craves complicated works for yoru version of relaxation.
But when I (and others, I daresay) come home from work, we like to relax with an “easy” book, fun imagery, all of which take us away from the reality of the harsh and condemning lives we live every day.
It’s one thing for children aged 7–10 to read Harry Potter. I roll over laughing when adults read it. Instead of Tolstoy, Melville, Joyce, Proust, Nabokov, Shakespeare, etc, etc, etc… they read a children’s novel and think it’s literature…
I was reading Kafka’s Transformation the other day at the park, and some woman came up to me and said, “oh you’re a reader. I read too. I am reading th 5th Harry Potter book now. Hee hee.” I just smiled at her and nodded .
I’m sorry you have such an elitist view of literature, and such a narrow defintion. You are missing out on some of the greatest joy of reading. Honestly, had I grown up with the above works instead of “Book Trails- Through the Wildwood, The Highroad to Adventure, and Through Enchanted Lands”, none of which are published anymore, but all of which contain old fairy tails from all time periods, I would not be an aspiring writer. I would have died of boredom as a 5 year old, and my brother would never had learned to read at all. (He really struggled).
Now, due to those types of works at which you point and mock, both my brother and I have published written work. We are both avid readers. Although I don’t disagree that children of all ages should be exposed to the authors you promote, there are other positive influences in the development of the reader, whether juvenile or adult.
I have never read the HP books, but have nonetheless been entertained by the movies. I enjoyed the special effects and have marveled at the imagination of the author. Since I haven’t read the books, however, I’m not sure how many of the effects are the authoresses’ versus Hollywood’s.
Just the same, although the characters aren’t pristine, they are good examples of children (albiet under unusual circumstances) who react realistically, who show nobility instead of cowardice in facing up to an accepting responsibility…and who still manage to bumble things and make wrong decisions that eventually turn out right. Consider the first movie, in which Ron and Harry run to the bathroom to alert Hemoine to the presence of the Troll…it was Ron’s fault she was there to begin with. They end up having to save her from the Troll, and rather than run away for fear of getting into trouble, they step up to help their friend. They risk their lives.
When being chastized, yes, Hermoine lied about what happened, and although I feel the truth would have been a better story, she did it to keep the friends she knew were innocent out of trouble. I don’t support lying, but it sure makes a good discussion topic with children using this scene for “what could the kids have done better?”
The HP books and movies can be a very positive parenting tool, in my opinion. I grew up on fantasy…witches, sprites, spirits, ghosts, demons, kings, trolls, and Wondering Tom’s.
HP is just another version of the fantasy I encountered as a child.
I hope you begin to understand that the classics will always remain so and will always have their place…but new classics will appear, and the fads will add their 2 cents and then die away. Only time will tell, really. Entertainment is still entertainment and can be used to teach moral lessons without boring people to dust in the process.
I’m sure, Tom of Assisi, you’ll roll over laughing when I tell you that I tried to read Kafka and fell asleep. I’ve read Shakespear, and was enchanted and wished I’d had a chance to study his work prior to High School. But I never would have read the philosophers on my own without college, and had Mom attempted…I would have run away. Maybe I’m not a genious, as God did not create me that way…and maybe you do have the IQ that craves complicated works for yoru version of relaxation.
But when I (and others, I daresay) come home from work, we like to relax with an “easy” book, fun imagery, all of which take us away from the reality of the harsh and condemning lives we live every day.
I see no harm as long as children know the difference between what can happen and what can’t. My kids aren’t out performing acts they see on cartoons. I watch many forensic science shows but it doesn’t mean I’m going to go out and murder someone. I also read my husband’s running magazine - and I don’t go running 
I don’t know why we’re still debating whether Harry Potter’s ok or not, when we’ve already had countless threads on this issue and when the USCCB has given HP the 