Friday, July 15, 2011

Snape. Snape. Severus Snape.

Wow. Last night the clocks very anti-climactically (is that a word?) landed on 12:00am. It was the fifteenth: the day many nerds had prepared for, ironing their graduation gowns/"magical robes," whittling twigs down to resemble a perfect ash with phoenix core, using their black brown eyeliner to draw lightning bolts on their foreheads, only to regret it later when the acne sets in.

I was not among them. Sadly, but kind of gladly. Sometimes people scare me. But I do intend to go and go soon. Isn't is sad though? Harry Potter is over. No more movies, no more books. Never again will I get to experience a first time read through those books.

I remember when they first came out and I was eleven. We were at Sam's Club, and "The Sorcerer's Stone" was (obviously) dramatically reduced in price. I figured I'd give it a try and I started reading it in the car. I read it all the way home, and somehow managed to make it in the house without taking my eyes off the pages. I remember every time a new one came out and I thought: MAN how am I ever going to finish it? It's thicker than my leg! And yet two days later I was wishing the next one was out.

Now they're over (except that I have yet to see 7.2) and I'm sad. Despite what many christians feel, that the series is blasphemy and deviant filth... Harry Potter is a great story about good vs. evil and sacrificing your life for those you love (sound familiar?) I could go on for miles with an argument FOR Harry Potter, about how its core is congruent with a Christian worldview...but I'm not going to. The horse is dead and doesn't appreciate being beaten. If you really need to talk about it, let me know.

I'm a little afraid to see it though. I get a little emotional about stories and movies...and when I finished the seventh book I fist-pumped and shouted "YAY NEVILLE!" amidst lots of tears. I think it's going to be rough. But it must be done!

4 comments:

Heather said...

I'm going to see it tomorrow morning and I'm definitely bring my tissues with me; it's totally sad!!!! I cried while reading the end of the book so I'm sure that the tears will be flowing at full force tomorrow...

Liz said...

Yeah, i'm totally with you on the tissues thing!

James Allen Willis said...

A good perspective on the whole Harry Potter issue Liz. When the first movie came out, I was at that time one of the few Christian dads that I knew who rented it and watched it so I could pronounce "it's OK". My kids wouldn't even watch or read the books for a while due to the strong backlash from the denomination we belonged to (Christian peer pressure). I never pressured them TO watch/read it, just said it was alright if they did. Eventually they did and now love it--two of three of my kids went to the premiere at midnight Thursday, the other would have but is away visiting his cousin. I never have understood why there's such a strong (but small) opposition to it.

Liz said...

I very much agree! When I was growing in my faith I put off reading the books for a while because so many people had such strong feelings against them. But web I started reading them again I was astounded by how good they were and I mean in a biblical sense. They're not a manual for witchcraft, they're not even about witchcraft. The "magic" in Harry potter is congruent to the "magic" in lord of the rings, narnia, or the sword in the stone. Ditch one and you have to ditch them all. The real "magic" in HP is the deep heartfelt message that is the root of the story is that love conquers evil, because evil doesn't understand love. And that's a message that should be heralded. Sorry to go on for so long there haha. I just feel really strongly about this story.