Journals with final versions that were due on d2l on 2/19.
The struggle of man versus animal is one that we have noted down in history as age long. We are constantly battling against our animalistic instincts in order to be classified as civilized human beings. Those who give in to their urges and instincts are often deemed as lesser humans. This is all clearly seen in the use of werewolves within Harry Potter’s world.. Continue reading
We have all heard the stories surrounding big foot, the loch Ness monster or the Jersey Devil and the people who chase after them. While they are all mostly myths thee are still a select few who believe in these magical creatures. Those people are called Cryptozoologists. Cryptozoology is the pseudoscience in proving that entities such as Loch Ness and big foot actually do exist. In Peter Dendle’s “Cryptozoology and the Paranormal in Harry Potter – Truth and Belief at the Borders of Census,” these myths, the creatures and paranormal in the Wizarding World, are discussed. Continue reading
My reading journal for this week centers on the idea of “magic” that could theoretically be performed by non-magic users as well, and uses the chapter, “Magic for Daily Use and Profit: Mandrakes, Charms, Bezoars, and Love Potions in the Muggle and Wizarding Worlds.”
Can You Be Racist to a Goblin? Yes, Yes You Can.
In The Harry Potter series, there are a multitude of other races that live alongside humans. While there are, of course, humans of different racial and ethnic backgrounds, in this case I’m referring to species that have the sentience of humans (or something that’s quite close) while quite literally not being human. Continue reading
Still Using Magic.
Birgit Wiedl article “Magic for Daily Use and Profit” is the first chapter in Harry Potter and History. Wiedl discusses how magic formed among the cultures of the world before Rowling wrote the beloved story of the boy who lived. The majority of her article illustrates the magic element such as potions, charms, and astrology were used for people to make profit before Snape teaches at Hogwarts. Wield’s research reveals the influence that magic had on our culture, but what if the concept of magic is still influencing us. It is common to shop organically or green today or how politicians exaggerated facts. We may not be under a spell or have to harvest mandrakes, but the magical charm may be hidden under these strategies. Continue reading
My second reading journal focuses heavily on witch hunts and how that factored into Harry Potter being a taboo book for some people. I used Birgit Wiedl’s “Why the Statue of Secrecy? Real Historical Oppression of Witches and Wizards.”