Thursday, July 2, 2015

The Summer of Harry Potter: HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE

I've just finished book 4 in my Summer of Harry Potter.  You can read about my experience so far:
HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER'S STONE

HARRY POTTER AND THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS

HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN


Funny thing about THE GOBLET OF FIRE: I couldn't remember ANYTHING from the movie! (When I've read the other books, I've been bombarded with movie images. Not so, this time around! Was I SLEEPING? Not sure. I'm excited to watch the movie again here in a day or two.)

So much happens in this book! The Tri-Wizard Tournament broadens the scope of the story to include the whole wide world --- yet, many of Harry's challenges continue to be very personal. This is the book he's aware of girls for the first time. There's a dance. Hermione & Ron become a possibility (which, I noticed, comes earlier in the movie franchise, during PRISONER OF AZKABAN). And of course there are exciting tasks and gloomy Snape and Malfoy and all the regular stuff we've come to expect in Harry Potter's world. We see Harry do more than one decent thing (helping Cedric in the competition), and we see how he struggles to be independent (not asking for help with the tasks).

Some favorite words:

Dumbledore shook his head. "Curiosity is not a sin," he said. "But we should exercise caution with our curiosity... yes, indeed..."

"That is no ordinary scar."  (again from Dumbledore)

"Understanding is the first step to acceptance, and only with acceptance can there be recovery. He needs to now who has put him through the ordeal he has suffered tonight, and why." (more from Dumbledore!)

"No good sittin' worryin' abou' it," he said. "What's comin' will come, an' we'll meet it when it does."  - Hagrid

My two favorite moments both involve Mrs. Weasley stepping into the mother role for Harry -- first at the last (maze) task, and later in the hospital when Mrs. Weasley gives Harry a hug like he's never had:

"It wasn't your fault, Harry," Mrs. Weasley whispered. [about Cedric's death]

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