Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Adieu dear Harry Potter

Well the first time I had an inkling about a boy wizard called 'Harry Potter' was sometime in the year 1998. We had gone to one of our friends' place for dinner and our friend's son who was all of nine was reading a book. He was so very engrossed that nothing disturbed him. I was very curious to know what book it was and when asked his father said 'Harry Potter'.

At that time I did not really think much about it. Growing on books like Grimms fairy tales, Aesop's Fables, Enid Blyton I was busy collecting those for my child who was just about three then. However Harry Potter burst into our lives when the series was made into movies and I bought the set of first four books.

The first time I read the books I got totally immersed into Harry's magical world. My household chores  got done in a jiffy that even Molly Weasley with all her magic spells used, to cook and clean was outdone by me. After this I was  invisible to all, just as Harry was with his invisible cloak. Oh!!! what a world of enthrallment as I stepped into Hogwarts - the school of magic. It was the kind of school that I had always dreamt about. Applauding Harry during his Qudditch games, traversing along with him on his journey into the world of unknown dangers and coming out victorious against the Dark Lord by sheer courage, trust and love as his only weapons. Now with the series finally lowering its curtains for the last time, it is difficult to bid adieu to a friend with whom I have travelled together for such a long time.

My children especially my younger son, is so much into Harry Potter that he is reading each of the books umpteen number of times and has almost all the book by heart (I wish if this was their English text books all the children might have scored a perfect century each time). Now every moment I have to defend myself from his spells which are cast on me. The moment I ask him to study he 'Stupefies' me, when I ask him to pass on something he cries out  'Accio', when he wants to be left alone he 'Obliviates' me. So I have my own Potter at home. All the pages in his books have pictures of the Elder Wand, the symbol of Deathly Hallows, the Sword of Gryffindor and finally Harry himself. At school they have quiz competitions amongst their friends. To beat it all he has now ordered his grandfather to read Harry Potter!!!

This is what I say is the powerful magic of Harry Potter who has spun magic and enchanted young as well as old alike in his dare devil adventure. It is with great sadness that I bid adieu to Harry who will always remain a part of our lives.

5 comments:

chitra srikrishna said...

I did feel a sense of loss after watching the HP movie. Its a tribute to the author that she's created a world wide cult following and that the movies also re-created the magic of the books. As Harry grew up so did my kids and I did feel the empty nest syndrome after the last scene (well maybe for a few seconds-:)

Dr. Suhasini said...

Its so nice to listen to other moms join the HP club. I am an ardent fan of HP books and movies. I have read and still read all the 7 books one by one over and over again. (My son makes fun of me - he's a grown up you see)! It makes me forget all daily worries and transports me into a different world and become child-like. Truly there's magic in the writing style of Rowling.

The last movie was very impressive but I didn't like the picturization in the end in that no one acknowledges Harry's triumph over Voldemort. It's beautifully written in the book how Harry kills Voldy in full view of everybody, how everybody flocks him, how Loony helps the trio to escape to Dumbledore's room and how the nobility of Harry is portrayed in his returning the Elder wand to Dumbledore after repairing his own broken wand and not just throw it out into water as shown.

I had felt the sense of 'loss' and'wanting more' with the end of the 7th book itself.

Dr. Suhasini said...

An addendum:

Shobana,

Your son is free to include me in his quiz programmes :)

shobhana shenoy said...

Hi Chitra,
Yes, for a few days I really felt the de-addiction syndrome, wondering how to fill up that void and sense of loss. But then life moved on and I have now stepped into another world of book on pre-independance era.

shobhana shenoy said...

Hi Dr. Suhasini,
I guess we have not lost our touch with childhood where we still have the ability to get lost in the world of magic.
Well books are always better than movies, but in this case I guess the characters where exactly as every reader would visualise and that made a lot of difference to the movie.
By the way my son says you are welcome to join his HP quiz club..)