I actually got a bit of a shiver when I opened up Sorcerer's Stone to begin re-reading it the other day. It was a happy shiver -- I'm always happy to revisit Harry -- but it was also a shiver of wonder. I have always loved the title of this very first chapter: "The Boy Who Lived." And I continue to be hopeful that Rowling may yet use that exact same title for the very last chapter of book 7. I can't help but feel it would be magical for Harry Potter's story to come full circle!
Like Erin, I was immediately caught up in Rowling's descriptions of the poor old plodding Dursleys. They're humorous, but also pitiable in their afraid-to-imagine state. One detail that especially jumped out at me was how Vernon "always sat with his back to the window in his office on the ninth floor" (3). Of course, on the particular morning when we follow him to the office, there's a lot going on outside that office window -- and Rowling lays stress that he doesn't see the owls swooping around outside. One wonders how many other things Vernon Dursley misses simply because he's made a habit of not looking, of closing himself off to a wider view of the world.
As I re-read the books, I hope to note certain recurring themes or symbols, and I have a feeling that windows/glass/walls/partitions/barriers will be fairly major in that catalogue. When you think about it, Rowling is really writing about two very different worlds that exist side-by-side. Some people are willing and able to move in and out of both, while some are completely closed to the other world, to the point where they even deny its existence. But I'm getting ahead of myself!
Ah, Dumbledore! How we love you! From the very beginning, there is such fun and magic to the man. I'm glad Erin pointed out all the wonderful things Rowling does with characterization in this first chapter, with Dursleys, Dumbledore, Hagrid and McGonagall (yet another favorite). Many of the people who don't like the Harry Potter books don't like them on religious or moral grounds (though I find that painfully hard to believe sometimes) while others dismiss them as literary-poor. I think it was literary snob Harold Bloom (correct me if I'm wrong) who pretty much dismissed Harry on the grounds of this first book, and even cited a handful of cliches on page 4 alone (one wonders if he bothered to read past page 4). I think one phrase that bothered him was "stretched his legs." Frankly I find this very nit-picky criticism. While certain phrases like "stretched his legs" may not be the freshest language, I think we can all agree that in many ways they're simply familiar and comforting story-telling conventions. And I have a hard time not crediting freshness and imagination to a woman who, in that same chapter, gave us a map-reading cat and a magical Put-Outer.
The mention of Sirius' motorbike always gives me a bit of a thrill. To see such a detail here, so very early, shows how very carefully designed this entire seven-installment series has been from the start. I wonder...will we see that motorbike again? After all, Sirius did will everything to his godson. And then there's that casual mention of Dumbledore's that "scars can come in handy" (15). Does even Dumbledore really understand fully at this point just how true that will be in Harry's case?
Shivers! Delightful shivers!
*******HP1:1*******
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3 comments:
Oooh, it would be cool if the whole thing came full circle with the chapter heading... *anticipatory shivers*
Don't get me started on Harold Bloom... Seriously, with all the inventiveness in the first chapter, he *would* settle on the one or two stray cliches. Which I don't object to reading now and then anyway; they wouldn't have become so popular if they weren't decent to begin with. Anyway, he had similarly glowing things to say about Lord of the Rings, if I recall. And I had to slog through his insufferable commentary on what seemed like practically everything I read in four years of college-level English classes. Oh, the agony... :-P
Yeah, Bloom can be a bear. :-) I actually don't mind some of his thoughts on the importance of still teaching a western literary canon, but it seems to me he takes things too far. He's become such a literary elitist that it's hard for me to not want to shake him!
Most of me just wants to say: "Harold! Does it mean nothing to you that Rowling's stories are clearly feeding a story-hunger in our culture? And feeding it well!"
I keep thinking of Mark Twain too -- I can't remember the exact quote, but he once said something about great literature being like fine wine and his stories being like water. And then added, with that wonderful Twain twinkle, "Everybody likes water!"
Touche! And if I'm stranded on a desert island, which would I rather have?
Harry Potter is nourishing fare. So there, Harold Bloom! :-)
Hehe, leave it to Mr. Twain to hit the nail on the head! If that be the case, I shall drink my water proudly!
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