What I don't like about the Harry Potter Series

[Ayatollah So]

You know what I hate about Harry Potter? Its popular. Popular things aren't cool.

"Nobody goes there anymore -- it's too crowded." -John McNulty and maybe (later) Yogi Berra

Awesome signature by the way.

 

[Narz]

You forgot to mention that it's a kids book for children and losers.

It's horribly wrong I know but this comment made me laugh.

 

[RoboPig]

Before we shun Lord Voldemort for being a deranged, evil sorcerer, we must consider his background and then make an informed decision on how the trial should proceed. It is without question that Voldemort occupied professor Quinsley’s body and tried to kill Harry Potter, but we cannot just sentence him to death without considering his rough childhood background.

Voldemort’s mother died just after giving birth, living only long enough to give him his name. Voldemort, having no mother, was fearful and therefore was not an easy child to take care of. He very well may also have had Attention Deficit Disorder as well. His father disowned him at the age of four and Voldemort grew up with strangers in an orphanage, never knowing his mother, and only knowing his father through memories of rejection.

you just gave a rough description of Adolf Hitler and pardoned him

 

[luiz]

In Brazil, men of my age don't read Harry Potter

 

[classical_hero]

In Brazil, men of my age don't read Harry Potter

Same thing in Australia, well I hope so. A workmate asked me if I was an 'arry Po'a (Harry Potter in Cockney, the most annoying english accent,) fan. My reply was no. He is younger than me, but he still should not be reading those books, since he is an adult.

 

[jameson]

Same thing in Australia, well I hope so. A workmate asked me if I was an 'arry Po'a (Harry Potter in Cockney, the most annoying english accent,) fan. My reply was no. He is younger than me, but he still should not be reading those books, since he is an adult.

That doesn't wash: either adults in Australia don't read the HP books or they do. Clearly, your adult workmate does. Consequently, you can no longer claim that adult Australians do not read Harry Potter ( and good for those who do ). Moreover, since your workmate is an adult, you can similarly not claim that he shouldn't read the books for any other reason than that you do not approve.

 

[newfangle]

omfg, what does one expect from a book written by a starving welfare mom. (well, obvious she's a billionaire now because kids are stupid...)

 

[newfangle]

My first double post ever.

 

[nonconformist]

My first double post ever.

Oh, screw your frigging editing while I'm typing.

 

[nonconformist]

omfg, what does one expect from a book written by a starving welfare mom. (well, obvious she's a billionaire now because kids are stupid...)

I love the Class insight there.

 

[newfangle]

Hey man, it's obvious that the writing would have been better had she not be destitute.

 

[Pontiuth Pilate]

Ah yes, because someone who finds Ayn Rand enjoyable is surely an expert on all things literary

 

[Cuivienen]

Oh, and why isn't Veritaserum used at trials?

Equivalent of the Fifth Amendment. Can't force someone to give testimony against themselves. That makes sense, doesn't it?

 

[Pontiuth Pilate]

Not really, since there is no functional justice in the wizarding world at all, much less a constitution. The "rule of law" amounts to "if you don't have a powerful patron, off to Azkaban you go." Think of Sirius Black and Rubeus Hagrid for example.

Veritaserum isn't used because it can only reveal actions, not detect state of mind, so there's no way to know if someone was under Imperius or not, unless they remember being Imperius'd.

 

[Cuivienen]

No one said that there can't be some semblance of justice. Sure, there's even more corruption than in some parts of the real legal system, but that isn't to say that there aren't some rights once considered sacred, if not during the previous or current war. I am reminded of the suspension of habeas corpus during the American Civil War - some rights were repealed, but not all.

 

[Syterion]

Equivalent of the Fifth Amendment. Can't force someone to give testimony against themselves. That makes sense, doesn't it?

I don't see it that way. The potion is foolproof(or it seems to me to be), so the innocent would be immediately be pardoned and the guilty punished.

I was under the impression that the person knows they were under the Imperius(Barty Crouch jr.), so that you still have no reason not to use Veritaserum.

 

[Pontiuth Pilate]

The person using the Imperius curse can easily force you not to remember; or to remember WANTING to do the things you were forced to do. Then again the advanced wizards like Dumbledore and Voldemort clearly know very complex Memory charms. Veritaserum simply isn't reliable except for the basic outlines of action; it can't judge intent. Then there're the questions of whether Veritaserum is a recent innovation, and who knows how to prepare it. Snape is not exactly your average potions maker.

No one said that there can't be some semblance of justice. Sure, there's even more corruption than in some parts of the real legal system, but that isn't to say that there aren't some rights once considered sacred, if not during the previous or current war. I am reminded of the suspension of habeas corpus during the American Civil War - some rights were repealed, but not all.

Except that this isn't a temporary repeal of rights. The Wizarding world has been under the secrecy ban since the 16th-17th century. That ban necessitated the "shoot first ask questions later" system of justice that is so prevalent. Not to mention that the Ministry is trying to uphold order among a heavily armed population. The wizarding "police" such as they are have absolutely no technological advantage over the criminals and the general population.

With that in mind it's easy to see why Crouch Sr. was willing to cut a deal with Malfoy despite his obvious guilt. The Ministry can't afford outright war. Heck, they haven't trained an Auror since Tonks graduated (in other words, since Voldemort fell).

 

[Rambuchan]

Quidditch? This is the least of the HP franchise's faults!

Firstly, let me say that I have read the first one since my last rant on the subject here in OT.

Secondly...

I refuse to be a robot who likes whatever the media orders him to like.

Bravo, bravo, bravo.

The plain truth about Harry Potter is (and yes, I'm repeating myself from earlier in the year):

- It's poor literature. Doesn't matter that it is for kids, they deserve intelligent, profound, well constructed writing also. (See Kipling's 'The Jungle Book', Roald Dahl's books and next point).

- It's a gross rip off of a classic children's novel called "The Wizard of Earthsea" by Ursula Leguin.

Spoiler Synopsis of The Wizard of Earthsea :

The hero, Ged, born with the name Duny, learns magic tricks from his aunt, the town witch, who sees in him the possibility of great power. When his home island of Gont is attacked by the vicious Kargs, Duny casts a simple fog spell which enshrouds the village, hiding the villagers from the enemies and saving the village from certain massacre. Word of this deed spreads to Ogion, the great mage of Re Albi. Ogion comes to Duny's village, gives Duny his "true" name -- Ged, and takes Ged to be his "prentice." Ged, called Sparrowhawk, learns much about magic, but he wants to learn more -- the fun stuff! Ogion allows his prentice to choose between staying at Re Albi or journeying to the isle of Roke. Ged opts for the opportunity of the Isle of Mages and goes to Roke with a message from Ogion dubbing Ged "one who will be greatest of the wizards of Gont" (p. 36).

Ged learns much and proves to have great power. As all of the students do, Ged travels to the Master Namer where he lives for a year learning the names of everything. Though bored, Ged knows the importance of learning the names, the true names of everything. For when one has knowledge of the true name, the name of making of a person or an object, he has power over it.

After Ged returns to the Great House, he challenges his arch-rival Jasper to a forbidden and ill-advised duel of magery. Ged knows he should not invoke this battle of power, but pride overwhelms reason. Ged uses his power, which he has not learned to control, to call a spirit from the dead. He succeeds in this evil spellweaving, but along with the spirit comes a black mass which attacks Ged, scarring him for life. Ged hovers between life and death while the nameless evil shadow roams Earthsea. Ged finally recovers and receives his yew staff, embodying his achievement of magehood.

The mage Sparrowhawk is sent to Low Torning to prepare for the imminent coming of the brood of dragons newly spawned. Ged becomes friends with a boat-maker named Pechvarry. Pechvarry's son grows ill, and the boy's parents beseech Ged to save the youngster's life. The boy is dying. Ged chases the boy's fleeing spirit into the Land of the Dead. He cannot save the boy. Turning to leave the dark place, Ged encounters the evil shadow that he loosed. It stands on the side of the living while Ged is on the side of the dead. Using his power, Ged is able to return to the land of the living; however, seeing his nemesis, Ged realizes that the shadow means to take over his body and his power.

He knows he cannot stay, but, before leaving, he feels he must fulfill his duty of ridding the island of the threat of dragons. Ged sails to the island of Pendor, kills some of the dragons, and bargains with the old dragon. Ged guesses the name of the old dragon and thus has power over him. Under duress the dragon agrees that he and his brood will not attack the islands to the east. This done, Ged, now a dragonlord because he has spoken with dragons, begins his journey to escape the un-named terror of the shadow. After many narrow escapes, Ged flees wearily to Ogion, his mentor on Gont. Ogion advises Ged to turn the tables on the shadow: he must be the hunter, not the hunted. Ged and Vetch, an old friend from Roke, sail to find the shadow. Ged, who has realized the responsibility he has acquired by loosing the evil, "It is my creature" (p. 160), finds it; and able to name it with his own name, Ged, comes to terms with it -- with himself. For the shadow was merely him, his own dark side. This journey was necessary because without it he was incomplete. Without his shadow, he lacked the Balance, the Equilibrium. He was not whole.

This first book of the series exemplifies the beliefs of the Taoist philosophy around which Earthsea revolves. At the end of the novel, Ged embodies the Taoist way. The first principle of the Tao Te Ching is the theory of inactivity which means that people should only act when necessary. Ged learns through his mistakes and the teachings of the Masters that magic should not be used for fun. It serves a purpose and should only be used when it is needed, not because someone wants to see a trick. Ged did not learn this lesson from his master Ogion, who rarely used his magic. Instead of realizing that Ogion was concerned about the Balance, the Equilibrium, Ged found himself irritated that Ogion would let it rain on them rather than turning the storm aside (p. 18). The second principle, the relativity of opposites, is the basis of the stability of Earthsea. In Taoist thought this principle, that opposites are dependent upon each other (light and dark, good and evil) is symbolized by yin and yang, the circle containing black and white swirls which originate from each other and then end in each other. This is the Equilibrium that Ogion as well as the Masters of Roke try to teach Ged. The Master Hand explains the concept of balance: "To light a candle is to cast a shadow..." (p. 44).

By the end of the book, Ged has come of age. Through the choices he makes, Ged proves that he is gaining maturity. Twice, individuals give Ged quick-fix solutions to his problem of the shadow. The first time he is tempted with the name of the shadow is when he finds the dragon. Yevaud, the dragon, informs Ged that he will give Ged the name of the shadow if Ged will release him to be free to attack the islands of the east at will. Ged, rather than endanger the inhabitants of those islands, refuses the enticing offer. Another time, the Lady Serret presents him with the opportunity to ask the Stone of Terrenon for the name of the shadow. Once again, Ged declines an opportunity to learn the name of his nemesis, showing that he is becoming more mature.

http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/ALAN/spring96/griffin.html

If you have ever read this book by Leguin you will be very hard pushed to find any respect for J.K.Rowling. In fact I challenge any big HP fan to read this book and maintain their love of the series.

- It's a very shoddy example of how to do pastiche in literature. It's postmodern literature at a particularly low point. She wantonly and gratuitously picks out mythic elements from around the world, particularly Greek mythology, and just slaps it all together to suit as she wishes. Quite out of context and depriving them of meaning (See Cerberus in the dungeons). She does it a way which neither leads the young reader to the original meaning of such creatures, nor does she make them any greater for it. She is not even paying homage to these sources, a common element of pastiche.

- It's introducing kids to the whole 'falling for the hype' experience. This means an encouraged appetite for merchandise, following of the movies according to marketeers wishes and generally consuming physical (not intellectual) objects more. Hoorah for capitalism and youth consumerism!!

I can almost hear the HP rabble crying out now "But they are encouraging kids to read". Great. But what kind of literature??????

Rant over.

 

[Rambuchan]

Hey man, it's obvious that the writing would have been better had she not be destitute.

Can you please explain how someone's financial position influences their literary abilities?

Let's just try it out hypothetically. Say Umberto Eco or V.S.Naipaul are or were suddenly stripped of all their wealth over night. Will they suddenly churn out crap books?

You did yourself no favours with these remarks newfangle.

 

[PrinceOfLeigh]

I've been away for the weekend so I've not had the chance to articulate my point more eloquently but since Ram has just done that for me anyway I shall merely state that I concur with his comments