Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

Blog 7
Week of 10/14/19

For this week’s topic on Spiritual Education I read Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, by J.K. Rowling. The main character, Harry Potter, had dealt with many issues and challenges during his first eleven years. His family, the Dursleys, were the direct cause to this. For example, they made him live in a closet under the staircase and be their personal housemaid. These situations have not stopped him from staying hopeful that one day things will get better. That day comes on his eleventh birthday when he discovers he’s no ordinary wizard.

Once Harry discovers that he is the famous young wizard that survived Voldemore’s evil Wizard powers, this did not inflate his ego. Instead, he stays humble throughout this intense but amazing life change. During his train ride to Hogswarts, he is given many chances to brag about his identity; fortunately, he continues to stay modest. This is a common theme in the book – the given opportunities to boast about himself. This is because it’s not in Harry’s character; he likes the simplicity of things and cares more about doing the right thing. He’s also concerned about being able to live up to the reputation of ‘the boy who lived’ and fitting into the wizarding world.

Harry is not as perfect as he seems, after all he is an eleven-year-old boy.  He still has a lot to learn, such as knowing what he wants in life. Throughout the book, we witness moments of greed with many characters, for example, his cousin, Dudley. A pivotal moment in the book we learn about differences between needs and wants. This is when Harry comes across the mirror that reveals one’s deepest desires. For him it is wanting his parents to still be alive and with him. It is such a magnetic experience that he does not want to leave its sight. Professor Dumbledoor allows Harry to come to his senses and advises Harry to not seek out the mirror again. Dumbledoor assures Harry that his desires are not harmful but there can be consequences, where many who fixate on their deepest desires can lose sight on life.

Troll Bridge

Blog 6
Week of 10/7/19

For this week’s topic of Heroic Journey, I read the short, Troll Bridge, by Terry Prachett. It’s a short story that is not your average tale of a hero’s journey. Prachett’s story reflects some elements of a classic journey of a hero but in other ways it does not. Cohen the Barbarian is called to do a final journey - defeat a troll in battle. He’s been wanting to do this his whole life and had always promised himself this journey before he dies. Since he is getting up in age this pushes him to finally make the journey. This is quite different from your average hero story. The main character is usually young or inexperienced in what entails in a journey. In this case, Cohen the Barbarian is in his older years and a very experienced journey man.

In heroic stories, the hero is in denial at first and wants nothing to do with the proposed journey ahead. In this case the Barbarian, is the one who instigates the journey. For him, it is a rite of passage that has been passed down from father to son for generations. Another aspect of a hero story is there are usually obstacles throughout journey. Cohen and his horse get to the troll bridge without anything going amiss. Once the main character reaches his destination, he will experience a great battle. During this battle, the hero works out all his external and internal conflicts. Afterwards, after almost dying, the world is at peace and the hero finally knows his place in the world. In Cohen the Barbarian’s case, he is dealt with a great let down. The troll and the Barbarian alike have been waiting their whole lives to battle each other’s kind but they soon come to conclusions as to why they backed out. He doesn’t fight the troll because he and the troll realize the world they live in is not the same as it once was. The world has changed in ways they don’t even recognize anymore. This causes them to realize there is no need to always repeat others’ past actions. Just because things have always been done in a certain way, sometimes a sign appears to show that it’s time for a change.

A Discovery of Witches

Blog 5
Week of 9/30/19

For this week’s topic I choose an alternative book to read called A Discovery
of Witches by Deborah Harkness which is the first installment in the All Souls
Trilogy. There’s no witches flying on their broomsticks or making potions for the
main character, a college professor, Diana Bishop. She wants nothing to do with
witch craft ever since her parents were murder for being witches. Ignoring her
true nature comes to an end when she calls up the book Ashmole 782. She soon
realizes that she has unlocked a spell that has kept its secrets hidden within the
book. A book that no one has ever been able to find. The secrets inside Ashmole
782 that everyone in the supernatural community has been wanting to know for
centuries. This causes Diana to be danger for she is the only one who has the
power to open it.

There were a few archetypes of witches that I came across while reading.
The one most noticeable and that happens frequently is moving things without
touching them. An example of this occurs when Diana is reaching for a book in the
library that is just out of reach. Without meaning to the book glides down right
into her hand. We also get a glance of the power of foretelling the future from
one of Diana’s aunts. Another archetype is witches having abilities based on the
four elements. As Diana tries to get a hold on her powers to protect herself, she
soon realizes she has been suppressing a variety of powers. These elemental
powers include water and fire. She learns most of her powers on accident but
usually when her emotions are high. Diana discovers her witchwater ability when
her romance interest, Matthew, leaves her to deal with a dangerous situation.
Worrying about his well being causes her distress and her tears turn out of
proportion to match how she is feeling inside.

A character that represents the way culture models women with power in
the book is the forbidden love interest and vampire, Matthew Clairmont.
Matthew is a 1,500 years old so you could say he’s a bit old fashion. As a vampire
he becomes attached and very protective of Diana, who didn’t ask for it. This
relationship between Matthew and Diana is a great example of how society marks
women with power not being able to handle it. Time after time throughout the
book Matthew tries to shelter and prevent her from touching a finger on the
many dangers that occur. As he believes she won’t be able to handle it but she
always exceeds his expectations.

Annihilation

Blog #4

Week of 9/23/19

What does weird mean? When thinking about this, the words “odd” and “not normal” come to mind. When you Google the definition of weird, it states, “suggesting something supernatural; uncanny”. To dive deep, in all things weird and unusual, I choose the novel, Annihilation, by Jeff VanderMeer.

This story is surrounded by all kinds of weird but the main one is the mysterious environment, we are introduced to. Unlike other books, where the main focus is on how the characters develop throughout the story, this one is all about Area X. This location has caused great mystery for years. After eleven failed attempts to discover the origin of the odd mutations that have engulf the land, there is more mystery than there are answers. The government agency, the Southern Reach, will not give up and are sending out their twelfth, a group of all female specialists. The importance of Area X to Vandermeer is evident from the start because the reader is given a detail background history of a mutant land but the main character remains anonymous and is referred to as, the biologist.

 You think that’s weird? Well, it gets weirder because the group is also in the dark of their teammates names. This tactic is to keep them on the task at hand because the world they have entered is a cause for distraction in its self. For example, they come across a type of plant that has imitated its self into the shape of the human figure. After reading this scene in the book it got me thinking that whatever is causing the mutations in Area X is curious about the human world. This curiosity has cause it to create and imitate things that are recognizable but at the same time unrecognizable. The plant life is not the only thing that is changed. The farther one enters into Area X the more a person is not who they once were. There is also this sudden attraction that happens between the biologist and the environment. At first I thought it was her interest in finding out what happened to her husband but it develops into some unexplained relationship with Area X. Or perhaps a spell. Which leads me to think that whatever is causing these weird unexplained events must have powers that are other worldly.