As Welcome Week wound down at McMaster University, the students of Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry were getting fired up to leave for another year of school. They grabbed their trunks and went down to King’s Cross for a train ride from platform nine and three quarters. The September sentiments at the wizarding school are in many ways parallel to the experiences of the Muggles of McMaster.
The first-years talked anxiously about what house they would be sorted into while upper years excitedly reconnected with friends and peers while practicing a few spells. In its own way, the first week of school has a magical charm and I found it hard to go back to school without thinking about what it must be like at Hogwarts.
This year marks the twentieth anniversary of the publication of the second Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Since the series debuted, the thought of a boy wizard has expanded into a series of seven volumes that has been interpreted through film, exhibition, theme park, studio tour, merchandise, play and so much more.
Though the original ink has dried, the story is kept alive by the legions of devoted Potterheads in the fandom.
I first read Harry Potter in the fourth grade when I received a boxed set of the first three books for free. At that point in my life, I was mostly reading mysteries and trashy teen dramas. It was the first time that I can recall reading about magic and it entranced me.
I could barely put the books down. I have a fond memory of getting towards the big reveal at the end of the first book as my family was driving home one night. As soon as I got home, I ran upstairs and threw myself on my bedroom floor. I didn’t get up until I finished it.
After reading the entire series, I still find myself returning to it. I have thumbed through Harry Potter and the Order of Phoenix on days where nothing seemed to be going my way. I have opened to a funny passage in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone when I needed to laugh. I have rediscovered my favourite chapters in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban when I needed a distraction. My love for the series has forged connections between myself and others I have met in every stage of my life, including university.
However, the Harry Potter experience doesn’t end with the books and films. I have seen Harry Potter: The Exhibition and the Potted Potter play. I have been to opening nights, a studio tour and to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Orlando, twice. I have Hermione’s wand, a copy of The Tales of Beetle the Bard, a quill, a sweater and jewellery all branded with Harry Potter insignia.
When I read the books the first time, I was blown away by the web that was being spun under my nose, ready to catch me off guard at every twist and turn. It made me think a lot about storytelling and it has contributed to making me a better writer.
Countless others have been moved by Harry Potter in such a way that they will continuously return to celebrate the book and movies in any capacity. This ongoing loyalty made it possible for The Zoetic Theatre & Creative Arts Company to host a monthly event entitled “Epic Harry Potter” throughout this year, which culminates on Sept. 7.
This historic Hamilton theatre has been playing each of the eight movies since February, each screening being accompanied by prop bags, cocktails and other surprises. The creation and success of this event demonstrates the staying power of the boy wizard in the hearts of those who have embraced his story.
It is worth noting that the Harry Potter universe is not perfect and has in some cases let down its fans. There was the poor characterization and plot in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, J.K. Rowling’s appropriation of Indigenous culture on Pottermore, as well as issues that exist within the original story itself.
The fans that have held the fandom accountable for its actions show that Potter loyalty is not static and frozen like the original story. Our love for Harry Potter grows up with us and it evolves as we mature with more critical eyes on the series we loved as children.
At the same time, it is sometimes nice to know that, even through transitions, some things, like the presence of the sweets trolley on the Hogwarts Express, will never change. Whether you’re a first-year experiencing university life for the first time or stepping into your final September on campus, there is magic in hanging onto the stories that were formative for us and still bring us comfort. Perhaps if we all do that, all will be well.
I find myself constantly worrying about the future. Where am I going? What will happen after I graduate? Will I ever be able to figure it all out?
What are my passions? How am I going to make money? Will I be a sellout? Will I be okay with that? Who am I going to be in five years? How many regrets will I have?
Will I make the right decisions? What are the right decisions? What are even my options? Will I ever shake this feeling that I need something more? Will I ever truly be content with my life? Will I ever live up to my potential? What even is my potential? Will I ever forgive myself for my past mistakes? How much will those mistakes affect my future?
What’s my GPA? Why does my life revolve around my GPA? What if I had spent more time on that one stupid essay? Would I have more opportunities now? Have I already fucked everything up?
Will I be mediocre? Is there anything wrong with being mediocre? Does mediocre even mean anything? Should I be going out more? Should I be going out less? Am I a disappointment? To myself? To my family?
Should I worry about wrinkles and wear more sunscreen? Why does everyone seem to have all their shit figured out? What’s wrong with me? Am I just slower than everyone else? Do I just take longer to realize what’s important?
Does it even matter? Does any of it even matter? Aren’t we all just tiny, insignificant specks in a gigantic and relentlessly futile universe where none of our lives will ever truly amount to anything and in only a matter of decades I will be erased from the earth, totally forgotten? So why do I take myself so seriously?
I feel like there’s something chasing me all the time. I feel like it’s always been chasing me, but it’s been too far behind for me to worry except for some random, unperiodic panic attacks. But recently, I’ve slowed my pace, or maybe this thing that’s chasing me has started moving faster. Either way, I know that it’s gaining on me and that very soon it’s going to consume me whole. When I’m reading or writing or drinking or in the middle of a yoga pose, my heart beats unusually fast and I succumb to a kind of anxiety that erupts from the very pits of my gut and spreads to my shoulders and knees and fingertips and even slow, deep breaths don’t do any good. I ask myself, is this an emotional breakdown? And then I only want to scream, “ENOUGH WITH THE QUESTIONS!!!”
Everyone tells us that we’re overreacting, that we have time to figure it out, that we should enjoy these years. And everyone mocks the twenty-somethings and finds us vain, arrogant, self-indulgent, dramatic, immature, ignorant, ungrateful and exploitative of technology.
But school, is hard. Figuring out your life, is hard. In my brain, I understand that I have time to make mistakes and learn from them. But in my stomach, in my heart, in that place where fears, insecurities, mental health issues, paranoia, and anxiety (damn that anxiety) are all produced – I feel like time is running out, and that my life is a ticking bomb, and that if I don’t find the perfect solution to all these so-called imaginary problems immediately, I will be a failure.
And then I sometimes wonder if ambition is overrated. I spent long stretches of time this past summer being gloriously lazy and carefree. I went for long runs and long picnics. I learned how to paint and then I spent many nights awake painting and slept in like it was Saturday and the day after my last exam. I only read when I felt like it. I wasted a lot of money on brunch. I spent hours in the kitchen cooking Indian dinners. But everyone around me was moving, doing, studying, accomplishing. I felt guilty.
Did all their movements and accomplishments mean that their summers were inherently more meaningful? And mine was silly and frivolous?
What if there was a freak accident and the world was wiped and tomorrow we were all lying in our deathbeds? Would I regret my indolence?
When I am in my most meditative state, when I feel old and wise and can see clearly – I decide no.
I decide that in the minutes leading up to my death, I would probably wish for just one more morning where I could wake up after 10 and make a giant cup of coffee and sip it until lunch while rereading Harry Potter.
@baharoh
For those who don't know, a big thing for Potterheads occurred on Friday night. No it wasn't the announcement of a new Harry Potter book, nor was it an exclusive interview with J.K. Rowling. It was the premiere of A Very Potter Senior Year on youtube.
For those who may not be "in" the Harry Potter fandom or for Potterheads who have never seen the musical, A Very Potter Senior Year is the third of three Harry Potter parody based musicals produced by Team Starkid on youtube. The three Harry Potter musicals were uploaded onto YouTube in June 2009, July 2010 and now March 2013. Darren Criss (you may know him as Blaine from Glee) stars as Harry Potter and also writes much of the songs in the show. The show parodies several of the Harry Potter books throughout the three musicals: the first mainly focuses on The Goblet of Fire and Deathly Hallows, the second focuses on The The Order of the Phoenix, The Half-Blood Prince and The Prisoner of Azkaban while the third focuses on The Chamber of Secrets and The Deathly Hallows.
A Very Potter Senior Year takes place during Harry, Ron and Hermione's last year at Hogwarts. The musical starts in The Ministry of Magic with Harry, Ron, Hermione, Neville and Luna (guest-starring Evanna Lynch!) being chased by Death Eaters for stealing a mysterious diary that the Death Eaters want for a reason that the audience doesn’t know yet. After capturing the Death Eaters, it's time to go back to Hogwarts. Staying at the Burrow before heading to school, Ron worries about his relationship Hermione. She hasn't kissed him in five years (since the first musical) and now all she does is read Young Adult romance novels like the Hunger Games written by the wizard himself, Gilderoy Lockhart. Harry and Ginny's romance, however, is going wonderfully and before going to school, Harry gives her a gift – the diary that the Death Eaters wanted. When the trio (and Ginny) return to school they meet their new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Gilderoy Lockhart, who sings a jazzy tune (“Wizard of the Year”) about Harry’s lack of popularity. Harry then tries to be like the heroes in Gilderoy's novels and starts a forbidden romance after breaking up with Ginny. Heart-broken, Ginny starts writing in her diary when a young man named Tom Riddle starts helping her with her problems. I'm sure you can see where the musical goes from here.
Like every Harry Potter themed musical, A Very Potter Senior Year features catchy songs and great harmonies. The plot-line is also more focused and easy to follow and not as jumpy as the other two musicals.
The musical also does an excellent job of easing the pain for Potterheads. While many Potterheads eagerly waited for A Very Potter Senior Year, many also dreaded it. This would be the end of Harry Potter for good. Potterheads have already dealt with the ending of the series in both novel and film form, and now the musicals were about to end. But the musical constantly reiterates the idea that while Harry Potter is important to this generation, it may not be important to the next and that's okay. The song "Everything Ends" reinforces this fact, sung by Harry, Sirius Black, Lily, Cedric, Snape, James and Lupin (via resurrection stone if anyone is curious as to how these dead characters came back to sing). Team Starkid did their best to try and avoid sending Potterheads into another wave of Post-Potter-Depression.
A Very Potter Senior Year is the best of all of Starkid's Harry Potter themed musicals. The acting is fantastic, the songs are unforgettable and super catchy and the final message is both bittersweet and immensely meaningful.
By: Sarah O'Conner
From Harry Potter to Twilight, it’s a very common thing to see your favourite book become a movie. It can be exciting and terrifying, waiting and dreading that movie - wondering if Hollywood will do the book justice or ruin it like so many other movie adaptions you’ve seen.
It’s difficult to know for sure which was the first book to become a movie, but is generally thought to be either The Passion of Christ, Dracula, Frankenstein or A Christmas Carol. This trend of turning popular books into movies has always been a huge economic opportunity for movie-makers, and while remakes of popular books continues to this day (e.g. the recent Anna Karenina starring Keira Knightley), it’s also surprising to see the number of unknown books being adapted into movies.
In 2012, adaptations of particularly popular books included The Hobbit, The Perks of Being A Wallflower, Life of Pi and The Hunger Games. But a surprising number of movies were released that were based on far lesser known books. Such movies include Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell, The Woman in Black by Susan Hill, Cosmopolis by Don Delillo, and Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick. I ignorantly felt certain that they were original, unique stories written by a screenwriter in Hollywood, especially Silver Linings Playbook, since it was nominated for an Oscar.
There is a long list of books to become movies for 2013. Some well-known ones will be The Host by Stephenie Meyer, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald and a remake of Carrie by Stephen King. Some of the lesser known books-to-movies of 2013 include Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion, How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff, Serena by Ron Rash and World War Z by Max Brooks. It would seem that Hollywood has lost its spark, and relies on novels to adapt into movies instead of releasing something entirely new and creative.
Don’t get me wrong - it isn’t uninteresting or totally uncreative to adapt books to movies. I love a well-adapted book to movie as much as the next person. But a dangerous thing can happen when books become movies. Sometimes, the movies are remembered and the books forgotten. If you think this is a silly statement here is a list of movies that I was surprised to find were books: Jaws by Peter Benchley, Mary Poppins by P.L. Travers, The Hundred and One Dalmatians by Dodie Smith, and Friday Night Lights: a Town, a Team, and a Dream by H.G. Bissinger.
Worse than a book being forgotten is an author who is disgusted or even goes so far as to wish they hadn’t written their novel. While watching Disney’s Mary Poppins, P.L. Travers cried (from unhappiness) during the screening, Roald Dahl hated the original Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and refused to let Charlie in the Glass Elevator be turned into a movie, and Anthony Burgess wished he never wrote A Clockwork Orange. My favourite is J.D. Salinger, who was so mortified when his short story Uncle Wiggly in Conneticut (renamed My Foolish Heart in its film adaption) was adapted into film that he swore his books would never again be turned into film, and to this day they haven’t.
It seems that Hollywood doesn’t want to make movies that accurately depict the inspiring book. Hollywood takes for granted the money it will make from readers who want to see the movie because they already love the book, but Hollywood can make even more money by making the movie for the movie-going public. The result is popular actors and actresses in starring roles, poorly written scripts and completely random plot twists that catch the excitement of the movie-going public but disgust the readers.
This trend of books being adapted into movies will continue, and it should. It is a chance for the author to gain more readership and help publishing sales. But it would be nice if Hollywood had some unique ideas of their own - something original. But I guess that’s too much to ask.
Sarah O’Connor
There is no way to describe your first love. Words have no taste, images lack colour (and need written consent), and actions pale in comparison to the strong emotions churning in your knotted gut. How do you confess these feelings? How do you express them in a healthy, socially acceptable way that doesn’t end up in a night at the local jail? Navigating through a fandom can be extremely confusing and terrifying at times, but don’t worry, you are not alone!
DO join social media sites, such as Twitter and Tumblr (aka the Mother Ship). The best part of being a fan, other than enjoying the magical craft of insert name here, is getting to interact with fellow fans. Fans are usually the most interesting people you’ll ever meet. However, while some collect merchandise, others may collect hair clippings. Choose wisely.
DON’T abuse this power. Harry Styles does not care that you’re eating a hummus wrap. More so, don’t tweet him 27 times in a row that you’re eating a hummus wrap.
DO attend and take part in events/fan expos/street teams. To find out more, go on the official website/Facebook page of [insert name here].
DO find groups within the McMaster community that share your passion. Case in point: The McMaster Quidditch club (praise be). The moment that you discover that a kid in your psychology class holds World of Warcraft tournaments in his basement is the best moment ever.
DON’T YOU DARE let this consume you. There are too many horror stories about fans that just went too far. Remember, there is life outside your fandom. Don’t spend every waking hour of the day watching One Direction interviews (guilty as charged), or distance yourself from your friends because Robsten is going through a messy breakup. With everything, you need balance. Find it.
DO ALWAYS be proud of your status as a fangirl/fanboy. Who cares if your friends think JBeibs sucks, or that Star Trek is “nerdy.” Fight the Daleks, get into your Bat Mobile (...or Honda Civic - your choice) and pledge to be the best fangirl/fanboy that you can be.
- Yara Farran
Forget Butterbeer. Harry Potter’s favourite drink is actually Coke.
In 2001, Coca-Cola paid 150 million dollars for the marketing rights to the first Harry Potter movie, which allowed the company to put Potter-related images on their products.
To make it seem like the partnership was really about promoting literacy rather than luring kids to sugary drinks, the BBC reported that Coca-Cola also donated $18 million to organizations that help kids learn to read.
As much as Coca-Cola claimed their actions were motivated by noble intentions, promoting literacy might have been a deeper level of marketing. Coca-Cola increased the number of kids who recognized the Harry Potter characters on their products and who begged their parents to then buy them.
“There are questions about what corporate interests do and how they can drive a particular book towards popularity,” said Sarah Brophy, a McMaster professor in English and Cultural Studies. Beyond the captivating world and relatable characters, there are all kinds of things (like Coca-Cola promotions) that went on behind the scenes to make Harry Potter as popular as it is.
We all know J.K. Rowling’s single-mother, rags-to-riches story. But why do we know it?
“One of the ideas of the theorist Pierre Bourdieu is that in the production of literary celebrity, value and success, there’s a need to disavow the economy,” said Brophy. “So you pretend that you’re not interested in the practical, commercial concerns, and that allows you to retain your authenticity and legitimacy as a writer. The people who are really successful are those who are really savvy about those practical and strategic concerns.”
The fact that J.K. Rowling’s own story is so well known is evidence of her (or her publicist’s) marketing know-how. But even better evidence is her billionaire status.
“That rags-to-riches story also maybe masks the issues that we face in our society with the struggle that it takes to be an artist or a writer,” said Brophy.
“In an age when we are talking about austerity measures, one of the things that comes under scrutiny is arts funding. There’s a risk that if we focus on these stories of wild success, and wild economic success, we forget about the real struggles that many writers go through.”
Brophy suggested that J.K. Rowling’s level of success can affect the entire publishing world, influencing which books get promotion. Maybe we have Harry Potter to thank for the popularity of Twilight and The Hunger Games.
All of this focus on the commercial aspects of Harry Potter can seem a bit cynical and dismissive; ultimately, people love books because of the writing and not the marketing. But the marketing still affects how we see the writing, even if we try to resist it.
“How do you disentangle commercial success in the value of a piece of literature as art?” said Brophy. “I would say it is impossible to disentangle those things, particularly in our era of media adoptability, cross-promotion, etc. I think it’s important to think about how value is always being negotiated and to think about not only the global cultural reach of these texts as giving them significance, but the fact that they become focal points for cultural debates.”
The true magic of Harry Potter, after all, is that we can’t stop talking about it.
It’s strange to imagine myself before Harry Potter. It’s as integral to my identity as is the day I penned my first short story and felt suddenly spiritual, or the moment I learned I was accepted to Arts & Science, or the days I spent with my brother building forts out of sheets and play-wrestling until he was strong enough to win within seconds. I received Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone for my eighth birthday. It was slick and shiny and crisp and perfect. The book has got significantly fatter since then – as though I left a small part of myself behind with each read. Flipping through it now, I sometimes find a slightly different, slightly younger version of myself, like a forgotten bookmark hidden between the pages.
When I felt homesick in my first year of university, Harry was there to reassure me that home will always be there for those who seek it. When my family received some difficult news, Dumbledore was there to remind me that death is but the next big adventure. When I had my heart broken for the first time, Hermione made me see that knowledge and cleverness have little bearing when it comes to relationships. When I felt somehow misunderstood, Luna showed me how truly wonderful weirdness can be. When I felt weak, Neville helped me understand how to draw strength from within myself. When I feared change, Fred’s death made me accept that there are those things in life that can never be whole again.
Perhaps the intangible, incomparable connection I feel with the Harry Potter series is the memories and experiences I’ve shared with the characters. Perhaps it serves as a kind of universal diary, a coming of age story that somehow mirrors my own so well. Perhaps it gives me a means of making sense of everything that’s around me – in a way that’s subtle and cliché and unpredictable and powerful and humorous all at the same time.
When I finished the last page of the last novel during the wee hours of the morning several years ago, and I slowly closed the book and clutched it to my chest, I was mourning the end of the story as well as the end of my childhood. I had closed a chapter of my life that would shape everything that was to come. I find it difficult sometimes to reread certain parts because I am reminded of how swiftly time is slipping through my fingers, as swiftly as each page passed between them. I am left with all the lessons I learned from Harry – left to face a world as dark and as confusing and as potentially lovely as his own. I find kindred spirits in those who have read the series – and for those who have not, I hope that you too will pick up a Harry Potter book and discover something even half as moving as I did.
September 30 to October 6 – what’s important about these seven days? In the literary world this week is known as Banned Book Week. Contrary to its title, the purpose of this week isn’t to stop reading certain books. Instead, it is a week devoted to reading books that have been banned throughout history. The following is a list of a few of the books that have been banned throughout history and the reasons for why they were banned.
The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
Yes, the beloved Harry Potter has been banned and continues to create conflict after fifteen years of publication. The reasons behind banning Harry Potter are obvious: witchcraft and promoting homosexuality. I got a good laugh after reading a discussion board on a Baptist website entitled, “12 Reasons Why Harry Potter Should Be Banned” which stated that: “True Christians only touch a Harry Potter book when they are throwing it onto a fire.” Sounds sacrilegious to me.
Favourite Quote: “It takes a great deal of courage to stand up to your enemies, but a great deal more to stand up to your friends.”
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carrol
Another childhood classic, Alice was banned for sexuality and drug use. Not to mention that there have been rumours about whether or not Carrol wrote the stories because he was in love with the real Alice (a ten-year-old girl). Despite these rumours, the story itself does not contain anything remotely sexual and no drug use is mentioned (unless you count one hookah-smoking caterpillar). In China, Alice was banned for fear that children would think that humans and animals were equal. How dare they?
Favourite Quote: “I can't explain myself, I'm afraid, because I'm not myself, you see.”
Where The Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
Surprisingly enough, this popular first read for many kids was challenged for showing children in a negative light. The main character, Max, is a mischievous child who throws a tantrum and his mother sends him to bed without dinner. Parents were outraged. A child…having a tantrum? And being punished for bad behaviour? Blasphemy! It was also banned for apparently promoting witchcraft.
Favourite Quote: “And Max, the king of all wild things, was lonely and wanted to be where someone loved him best of all.”
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Believe it or not, The Great Gatsby was banned by a Baptist College in South Carolina for references to sexuality and strong language. And to think, I had to read this in high school! Can I just emphasize that it was a college banning The Great Gatsby – not a high school, not a grade school, but a college.
Favourite Quote: “So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.”
So if you’re feeling risky this week, indulge in a banned childhood classic or two. Let the brainwashing begin!
- Sarah O'Connor
I may not have swallowed veritaserum, but I have a confession to make: I never finished reading the Harry Potter series. In fact, that reference was supplied by a friend who, like apparently most of my generation, adores J. K. Rowling’s boy wizard. Yet, somehow I was never so spellbound.
When I steel myself and admit this to fans of the series, the response is typically shock, followed by genuine sympathy. To an extent, I share in this puzzlement. As a closeted Trekkie, I grasp the appeal of well-developed characters set loose in an expansive fantasy universe. Indeed, I have fond memories of reading the first four Potter installments in elementary school.
I can’t explain precisely why I abandoned the books after this point, just as they were beginning to test the tensile strength of bookshelves worldwide. I swear it was not an act of cultural snobbery. Although I recognize that there is certainly a phony elitism associated with avoiding something popular, just as there is with coveting something obscure.
Yet, even watching some of the later Potter films in high school did not send me searching for the source material. I suppose it didn’t help that my favourite element of the movies, the sumptuous art direction, does not directly translate to the books. Admittedly this is a somewhat grim comment on my own powers of imagination.
My disinterest may follow from the fact that my last drink of the Potter series came from The Goblet of Fire. I am told that this fourth volume marks a turning point. Supposedly it is here that the series became weightier in its themes, as well as its page count. This transition apparently underlies what my friends mean when they claim that they “grew up with the series.”
Their connection to the books surpasses simple nostalgia. They remember not just the simple thrills of Harry’s adventures, but also the larger experience of maturing alongside the characters. For many, the seven volumes became a shared journey through adolescence. As the students of Hogwarts grappled with the escalating non-magical trials of romantic frustration, stormy friendships, and intimidating new responsibilities, so did a generation of readers.
I think that most people have had this experience of discovering a work of art that perfectly captures their inner life. Whether this connection is made through the flick of a wand or the strum of a guitar, art can powerfully echo our deepest hopes and anxieties. Moreover, this bond is often profoundly linked to a particular stage in our lives; if the work had come along slightly earlier or later it would not have spoken with the same power.
Perhaps I have never returned to the Potter books because I am concerned that this key element of their appeal, the opportunity to come of age alongside the characters, is now closed to me. This is not to suggest that I am entirely mature or that the books do not have other wonderful merits. Indeed, I fully expect that if I read the books I would enjoy them, but for now they remain low on my “to-read” list.
This reluctance should not offend those fans that grew up with the series. Rather they should feel even more fortunate that they came across the books at an ideal moment. Indeed, my generation’s devotion to Harry Potter affirms the extraordinary power of literature to speak to us profoundly at a particular and fleeting stage of our lives. Forget veritaserum, this connection between art and audience, is true magic.
