Harry Potter

Couldn't sleep last night, so I resorted to what usually does the trick when that happens, which is listening to the HP audiobooks read by Jim Dale. Then I noticed something I haven't before, and I was amazed Rowling didn't either before she published the first book. In the first chapter Prof. Mcgonagall describes the Dursley's child like this:

"And they've got this son; I saw him, kicking his mother all the way up the street"

Since when do 1 year olds kick their mothers in the street?

They start before they are born. Ouch.

Well, i am guessing he's a bit older, but one can walk when one is one year old so he could be kickng.

Never really thought about the line much, but my interpretation would be Aunt Petunia was carrying Dudley and he was flailing and kicking her while being held (while she was walking up the street).

"They start before they are born. Ouch." - Amarië

Of course they do, please forgive my male bias

I thought Harry and Dudley were the same age? And wouldn't she be having a child that young in a stroller rather than carrying it up and down streets? And the last part of McGonagall's line is "screaming for sweets". Sounds to me like a child a few years older than one, even if some kids start talking very quickly. Anyway, I'm not all that bothered by it, but it's not the first time I've wondered about how much attention Rowling paid to the minor details in her writing (I'd come up with some examples, but it's been too long since I read the books to remember any). It's a book originally meant for children, though, so I'm not going to criticise Rowling for not being as thorough as Tolkien was, but this one at least I thought could have been avoided easily enough. It all depends on the way you interpret it, but to me at least Dudley sounds older than one in this description of him.

baby sling

Ringdrotten wrote:it's not the first time I've wondered about how much attention Rowling paid to the minor details in her writing (I'd come up with some examples, but it's been too long since I read the books to remember any). It's a book originally meant for children, though, so I'm not going to criticise Rowling for not being as thorough as Tolkien was, but this one at least I thought could have been avoided easily enough.

I have a new thread about literary criticism in the Hobbit section: a professor has been picking holes in the logic of the Hobbit. He wasn't as careful as you may think. I don't think Petty has seen it yet.

True, halfwise, I had a look at it and you're quite right, but I daresay there's a pretty big difference between The Hobbit and the LotR trilogy when it comes to thoroughness (is that even a word in English? ). And comparing the works of Rowling and Tolkien, one could say that the early books in the HP series are comparable in tone and mood to The Hobbit, while books 3/4 to 7 are more comparable to LotR, and reading the later HP books I come across way more inconsistencies than I do reading LotR.

Edit #2: It would be interesting to see that professor breaking down the LotR trilogy as well, however, and perhaps he would prove me a more unattentive reader than I like to think I am

I dont think its much of a stretch to imagine Dudley as being a toddler when Harry is still a baby.

Have I posted this pic before?

no. but its awesome. I really want to go.

To the real one natch.

Lancebloke wrote:Have I posted this pic before?

i dunno have u?

Is that from Harry Potter World in Orlando, FL, Lance?  I have a similar picture of Hogwarts that I took there in July.

Edit: I never got around to posting all my pictures from that trip with commentary; I only posted the FB link. I wanted to but I was off on another trip shortly after I got back.

Yeah, from my trip there last year. Have you seen the new bit of Harry Potter they are building?

I didn't get a good look at it cause they had the big privacy walls up, but from a distance I could see the steel frame of what I think is going to be Gringotts one day, surrounded by Diagon Alley.  The new area is in the Universal Studios park (which is adjacent to Islands of Adventure where the existing Hogwarts and Hogsmeade section is) and apparently there will be an actual moving Hogwarts Express taking visitors between the two parks.

omg.. i so wanna go there  even though the snow is gonna confuse me

Yeah, the fake snow on the roofs was pretty silly when it was (in the morning) really hot and everyone was sweating and (in the afternoon) when it started pouring rain.

It was a blast though, I'd recommend Harry Potter World to any HP fan who can make the trip.

yeah, it's a bit far off..

Oh god

 

thats what I call a Trouser Snake  

Thought it was a giant eel.

It's dumb, but this made me chuckle.

it's so true though

Improv Everywhere strikes again!

http://improveverywhere.com/2013/11/19/harry-potter-in-real-life-movies-in-real-life-episode-8/