review essay harry potter

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Harry Potter film review

Have you seen any of the Harry Potter films? Practise your reading in English with this film review.

Do the preparation exercise first. Then read the text and do the other exercises.

Preparation

Film review: the harry potter film series.

The Harry Potter film series is famous all over the world and is loved by children, teenagers and adults. It's based on the books by JK Rowling. The first film, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone , was released in 2001. The whole series consists of eight fantasy films. In each film the main character, Harry, is played by Daniel Radcliffe.

The story begins when 11-year-old orphan Harry discovers that his parents were wizards and he starts his education in magic at Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. There he makes two close friends, Ron and Hermione, who share his adventures.

Each film ends dramatically, often with a battle between Harry and his worst enemy, the evil wizard Lord Voldemort.

The characters

As well as Harry, Ron and Hermione, there's a huge variety of characters, including students, professors, dark wizards, ghosts and fantasy creatures. Non-magic people are called Muggles. The cast is excellent. The acting's outstanding, and even the strangest of characters are totally believable.

The setting

The films are mainly set in Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, which is in an ancient castle. There are moving staircases, portraits which can talk and move, and a dark forest where strange and dangerous creatures live.

The special effects

The special effects are amazing and make magic seem completely possible! The wizards' favourite sport, Quidditch, is played on broomsticks. Different techniques were used to create the effects that make the actors look as if they're flying.

Critic's opinion

The films are imaginative, funny, frightening and, of course, magical! What makes them so successful is that they combine action, fantasy and friendship.

If you like adventure and magic, you'll love the Harry Potter films!

Do you like the Harry Potter films? What other films do you like? Tell us about them!

I am a fan of Harry Potter. My favorite part is 6.

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Harry Potter is a great movie

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Movie Reviews

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''Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" is a red-blooded adventure movie, dripping with atmosphere, filled with the gruesome and the sublime, and surprisingly faithful to the novel. A lot of things could have gone wrong, and none of them have: Chris Columbus' movie is an enchanting classic that does full justice to a story that was a daunting challenge. The novel by J.K. Rowling was muscular and vivid, and the danger was that the movie would make things too cute and cuddly. It doesn't. Like an "Indiana Jones" for younger viewers, it tells a rip-roaring tale of supernatural adventure, where colorful and eccentric characters alternate with scary stuff like a three-headed dog, a pit of tendrils known as the Devil's Snare and a two-faced immortal who drinks unicorn blood. Scary, yes, but not too scary--just scary enough.

Three high-spirited, clear-eyed kids populate the center of the movie. Daniel Radcliffe plays Harry Potter, he with the round glasses, and like all of the young characters he looks much as I imagined him, but a little older. He once played David Copperfield on the BBC, and whether Harry will be the hero of his own life in this story is much in doubt at the beginning.

Deposited as a foundling on a suburban doorstep, Harry is raised by his aunt and uncle as a poor relation, then summoned by a blizzard of letters to become a student at Hogwarts School, an Oxbridge for magicians. Our first glimpse of Hogwarts sets the tone for the movie's special effects. Although computers can make anything look realistic, too much realism would be the wrong choice for "Harry Potter," which is a story in which everything, including the sets and locations, should look a little made up. The school, rising on ominous Gothic battlements from a moonlit lake, looks about as real as Xanadu in " Citizen Kane ," and its corridors, cellars and great hall, although in some cases making use of real buildings, continue the feeling of an atmospheric book illustration. At Hogwarts, Harry makes two friends and an enemy. The friends are Hermione Granger ( Emma Watson ), whose merry face and tangled curls give Harry nudges in the direction of lightening up a little, and Ron Weasley ( Rupert Grint ), all pluck, luck and untamed talents. The enemy is Draco Malfoy ( Tom Felton ), who will do anything, and plenty besides, to be sure his house places first at the end of the year.

The story you either already know, or do not want to know. What is good to know is that the adult cast, a who's who of British actors, play their roles more or less as if they believed them. There is a broad style of British acting, developed in Christmas pantomimes, which would have been fatal to this material; these actors know that, and dial down to just this side of too much. Watch Alan Rickman drawing out his words until they seem ready to snap, yet somehow staying in character. Maggie Smith , still in the prime of Miss Jean Brodie, is Prof. Minerva McGonagall, who assigns newcomers like Harry to one of the school's four houses. Richard Harris is headmaster Dumbledore, his beard so long that in an Edward Lear poem, birds would nest in it. Robbie Coltrane is the gamekeeper, Hagrid, who has a record of misbehavior and a way of saying very important things and then not believing that he said them.

Computers are used, exuberantly, to create a plausible look in the gravity-defying action scenes. Readers of the book will wonder how the movie visualizes the crucial game of Quidditch. The game, like so much else in the movie, is more or less as I visualized it, and I was reminded of Stephen King's theory that writers practice a form of telepathy, placing ideas and images in the heads of their readers. (The reason some movies don't look like their books may be that some producers don't read them.) If Quidditch is a virtuoso sequence, there are other set pieces of almost equal wizardry. A chess game with life-size, deadly pieces. A room filled with flying keys. The pit of tendrils, already mentioned, and a dark forest where a loathsome creature threatens Harry but is scared away by a centaur. And the dark shadows of Hogwarts library, cellars, hidden passages and dungeons, where an invisibility cloak can keep you out of sight but not out of trouble.

During "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone," I was pretty sure I was watching a classic, one that will be around for a long time, and make many generations of fans. It takes the time to be good. It doesn't hammer the audience with easy thrills, but cares to tell a story, and to create its characters carefully. Like " The Wizard of Oz ," " Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory ," "Star Wars" and "E.T.," it isn't just a movie but a world with its own magical rules. And some excellent Quidditch players.

Roger Ebert

Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism.

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Harry Potter And The Sorcerer's Stone (2001)

152 minutes

Matthew Lewis as Neville Longbottom

Tom Felton as Draco Malfoy

Rupert Grint as Ron Weasley

Richard Harris as Albus Dumbledore

Robbie Coltrane as Hagrid

Alan Rickman as Prof. Snape

Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter

Emma Watson as Hermione Granger

John Cleese as Nick

Maggie Smith as Prof. McGonagall

Ian Hart as Prof. Quirrell

• Steven Kloves

Based On The Novel by

• J.K. Rowling

Directed by

• Chris Columbus

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Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone

By j.k. rowling.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone is one of the most popular children's books ever written. It is a story about the triumph of love and bravery over evil.

Article written by Mohandas Alva

M.A. Degree in English Literature from Manipal University, India.

‘ Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone ‘ is a very engaging read for children and adults alike. Since it is the first book in this series, we are introduced to an entirely new world in this book. The world of magic slowly builds itself as we read through the book. The genius of this book is using the protagonist Harry’s discovery of this world to parallel the readers’.

Furthermore, despite several hardships and literally being an orphan who never knew love, Harry still recognizes love and affection when he sees it. While this book is memorable for a plethora of reasons, some elements of Rowling’s writing triumph as winners.

Discovering the Story World and Magic as a Metaphor

J. K. Rowling does a great job writing this story with an omniscient third-person narrative but still keeping the narrator wherever Harry is for a major part of this book. This makes the reader’s fascination and interest in the world of magic as new and real as Harry’s. We are introduced to several facts and significant peculiarities of the world of magic, all of which seem very consistently developed, adding authenticity to it. 

While there are a lot of similarities between the real world and the world of magic, the differences are usually peculiar and downright funny at times. Platform nine and three-quarters, running through a brick wall, ghosts roaming freely and talking to living people, and many other peculiarities add to the charm of creating an interesting story world. One could go on to theorize that calling non-magic people muggles and portraying the Dursleys as ordinary people who hate things like magic has a metaphorical purpose. 

It furthers the cause and appeals to the readers to be more imaginative and creative. Magic is a metaphor for imagination in this case. The Dursleys are scared of anything out of the ordinary. They spend their entire day doing mundane tasks they assign meaning to and criticize almost anything and anyone that doesn’t fit their design.

On the contrary, Harry, despite being ill-treated and not loved by the Dursleys, has a flair for imagination and creativity. It didn’t take very long for him to get used to the wizarding ways, and he very clearly had the potential to do great things after all. This book is, in its essence, an inspiration for readers to make dreams come true and bravely follow their dreams despite obstacles. It is an apt narrative for children who, at their age, tend to discover new things and ideas to develop. 

Good vs Evil and Heroism

The trope of a savior standing up to the tyrant is not new. However, ‘ Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone ‘ being a children’s book, delves into this slowly. When Harry is unaware of magic and thinks that his parents died in an accident, he is a normal child with very little to think about good, evil, and the need for heroism.

However, once he is informed of the actual circumstances of his parents’ death and after discovering magic, he gains new insights, and his worldview significantly changes. His sense of responsibility and the need to stop Voldemort at any cost from getting to the Philosopher’s Stone set the path for his heroism. This transition happens slowly, yet it feels very natural. He doesn’t know what he will do if he faces Voldemort. Despite this naive understanding of the consequences, he still chooses to face Voldemort. 

This portrayal of heroism is quite commendable as it appeals to the very cause of wanting to stop the wrongdoing. The fact that an eleven-year-old boy and his two friends thwart a feared dark wizard from stealing the Philosopher’s Stone in a school that has so many adults who are way more experienced and well-equipped to do it portrays heroism in its purest form. Heroism is more the choice to take action against evil than the ability to stop evil. This book does a good job illustrating this subtlety.

Sacrifice in Harry Potter

Sacrifice is an essential part of this novel. The story of ‘ Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone ‘ uses sacrifice to define both friendship and love. Harry’s parents die because they sacrifice themselves to protect Harry. Ron sacrifices himself while playing Wizard chess. Several people who fought in the war against Voldemort sacrificed themselves for the well-being of the collective community. 

The trope of sacrifice plays a major role in setting up differences in morality between the good and the evil. As Dumbledore points out to Harry, Voldemort does not understand love. The fact that Harry understands love and values it, sets a specific difference in the choices that Harry and Lord Voldemort make.

Harry is willing to sacrifice himself when he takes over the task of protecting the Philosopher’s Stone. On the contrary, Voldemort uses others for his selfish motives. This stark difference between willing to sacrifice oneself and using others as a shield to protect oneself makes all the difference and definitively separates good and evil in this book.

Why was Harry Potter banned?

Harry Potter was banned in a catholic school in Nashville, Tennessee, because of fear of evil spirits. Some other places have also banned Harry Potter books for similar religious fears. Some religious leaders were concerned that the spells and enchantments mentioned in the book were real and that they could summon evil spirits and dark magic.

Is  Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone  worth reading for an adult?

‘ Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone ‘ is definitely worth reading for an adult. While it was written as a children’s book, it has outlived this label, and there are people of all ages who not only read these books but also engage in community discussions and have fun playing games inspired by these books. Many people have found reading this book a very rewarding experience, as is evident from the sales and fame this book has garnered across all demographics.

Should I read  Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone  or watch the movie? 

While the movie is undoubtedly well-made and a thrill to watch, the books are far more detailed and a very thrilling read. Most people who have both read the books and watched the movies always choose the former as a better experience. Furthermore, there are several interesting and amusing characters and scenes in the book that the movie couldn’t incorporate. So, one would be missing out on a lot if one doesn’t read ‘ Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. ‘

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone Review - A Thrilling Read

Book Title: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

Book Description: 'Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone' by J.K. Rowling is an enchanting, generation-defining tale of a young wizard's magical journey.

Book Author: J.K. Rowling

Book Edition: First UK Edition

Book Format: Hardcover

Publisher - Organization: Bloomsbury

Date published: June 26, 1997

Illustrator: Thomas Taylor

ISBN: 1-4088-5565-2

Number Of Pages: 309

• Writing Style
• Lasting effect on the reader

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone Book Review

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J K Rowling is a thrilling read that hooks the reader from page one. Published in the year 1997, it is one of the highest grossing novels ever written. Some elements of the novel like its elaborate yet accessible world-building makes it a very entertaining read for children and adults alike. It follows the story of an orphan boy named Harry Potter who realizes he is a wizard and the rest of the book records his journey as a young wizard in Hogwarts, a school of magic. This book, and the series as a whole have been a definitive part of an entire generation’s childhood and have garnered very high praise as an entertaining read.

• The plot is entertaining and is a very immersive read.
• Has a lot of early lessons for children on morality.
• The characters are well developed and the story world is well structured and interesting.
• The writing style may be a bit rudimentary for adult avid readers.
• Several instances of Deux Ex Machina make the protagonist’s position very safe and lacking any real danger.
• Some mild instances of body shaming exist within the novel.

Summon your wit and wisdom—our Harry Potter Trivia Quiz awaits you! Do you have the knowledge to claim the title of Master Witch or Wizard? Take the challenge now!

1) Which object is NOT one of the Deathly Hallows?

2) What is the name of Harry Potter's pet owl?

3) What are the dying words of Severus Snape in both the book and the film "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows"?

4) Which spell is used to open the Marauder's Map?

5) What form does Hermione Granger's Patronus take?

6) What is the effect of the Cheering Charm?

7) What is the name of the goblin who helps Harry, Ron, and Hermione break into Gringotts?

8) Who originally owned the Elder Wand before Dumbledore won it?

9) What is Dumbledore's full name?

10) What potion is known as "Liquid Luck"?

11) In the "Order of the Phoenix," who is NOT a member of the original Order of the Phoenix shown in the old photograph that Moody shows Harry?

12) What does the incantation "Obliviate" do?

13) In which Harry Potter book does Harry first speak Parseltongue?

14) What is the name of the book Hermione gives to Harry before his first ever Quidditch match?

15) Which creature can transform into a person's worst fear?

16) What specific type of dragon does Harry face during the Triwizard Tournament?

17) Who is the Half-Blood Prince?

18) What is the name of the goblin-made object that is supposed to bring its owner prosperity, but also brings them into conflict with goblins?

19) Who teaches Herbology at Hogwarts?

20) What is the core ingredient of the wand owned by Harry Potter?

21) Which potion did Hermione brew in her second year that allowed her, Ron, and Harry to assume the identities of Slytherins?

22) What animal represents Hufflepuff house?

23) What is the name of the train that takes students to Hogwarts?

24) What creature is Aragog?

25) What does the Mirror of Erised show?

26) What was the last Horcrux to be destroyed?

27) Which character is killed by Bellatrix Lestrange in the Battle of Hogwarts?

28) Who was the Peverell brother that owned the invisibility cloak?

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About Mohandas Alva

Mohandas is very passionate about deciphering the nature of language and its role as a sole medium of storytelling in literature. His interests sometimes digress from literature to philosophy and the sciences but eventually, the art and craft of narrating a significant story never fail to thrill him.

About the Book

The Harry Potter section of Book Analysis analyzes and explorers the Harry Potter series. The characters, names, terminology, and all related indicia are trademarks of Warner Bros ©. The content on Book Analysis was created by Harry Potter fans, with the aim of providing a thorough in-depth analysis and commentary to complement and provide an additional perspective to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

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Review of Harry Potter

How it works

Harry Potter and friends are entering their last year of wizarding school. This time, however, the rules have changed. After the death of Albus Dumbledore, the late headmaster of Hogwarts, Harry has made it his goal to finish what Dumbledore started. He and his friends partake on a long adventure across the whole world to find what is known as Horcruxes. These contain Parts of Voldemort’s soul, and may be the key to defeating him. After tailing clues and leads about the first horcrux, they finally find it in the office of ministry official Dolores Umbridge.

They steal it and head back to their safe haven at Harry’s uncle’s house. However, they also bring a death eater back with them, and the safeguard enchantments break down. Throughout the week they are in hiding in the woods, surrounded by only what they can wield as enchantments. They do not know how to destroy the Horcrux and they seemed lost. Finally, Harry finds out that the Sword of Gryffindor can help them. After a little searching, they are able to destroy it and move on. They need to find the other horcruxes, and that they do. They find two more objects and destroy them. Harry, Ron, and Hermione are now at hogwarts. This is where the final battle will take place and is also where Harry has come to die. We find out from Snape that harry and Voldemort’s Snake are the final horcruxes. Neville Longbottom kills the snake, and Harry is presumably killed by Voldemort. However, we find out this is not the case, and it was only the Horcrux inside of Harry that was killed. In a great duel to end the book, Harry Potter finally kills Voldemort once and for all, now that all of the Horcruxes are finished. I really enjoyed this book, even more than I enjoyed watching the movie. It felt so good to know that Voldemort couldn’t come back, because after 7 years of fighting, even the final chapter of hogwarts for the kids is extremely rough. You can feel their pain and their triumph equally, and that is what I loved about this book.

Characterization:

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is full of characters. The characters that changed the most, or the round characters, were Voldemort and Harry Potter. These happen to be the Protagonist and antagonist through the whole series, including the final chapter: the Deathly Hallows. At the beginning of the book Harry believes that to kill Voldemort, he has to hunt down the horcruxes and destroy them. Even after this long in the wizarding world, he is naive to the fact that he might have to sacrifice something to finish off the dark lord. “Yeah” said Harry, “then we’ll have nothing to do but hung horcruxes… It’ll be like a holiday won’t it?” (At the end of the second act he learns that he too, is one of the horcruxes, and must die in order for Voldemort to be destroyed. HE shifts his whole mindset from ‘I have to be the hero”, to “I have to die in order for others to live”. While he doesn’t end up dying, he is willing to make that sacrifice, and therefore becomes a round character. The flat characters include people like Hermione Granger, the Dursleys, and other side characters whose motivations and alliances never change.

Some of the basic themes in this book include: “Mortality”, “Love”, and “Good vs. Evil”.

J.K. Rowling is a world renoune author from Great Britain.

This book is full of symbols. I think the most obvious ones are the deathly hallows. More specifically: the Elder wand. The elder wand is the most powerful wand in all of the Harry Potter book history. Its wielder has the power to beat everyone they face, if used right. However when you dive in to what the elder wand might actually stand for, it gets far more interesting. In the deathly hallows story, we are told that the first brother wanted absolute power. In hearing so, master death gave him the elder wand, so he could defeat all of his opponents. So in conclusion, the elder wand must symbolize power above all other, which in turn might equal death.

The point of view used in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is first Person. We are told the whole story through Harry Potter’s point of view and we only know and learn as he does. This helps us a lot, because through the story, Harry Potter finds out things that make for great plot twists. We wouldn’t have much of a story if we knew that voldemort had to kill Harry. It only turns interesting when Harry finds out this information as it’s almost too late.

The story mainly takes place in scotland at the Hogwarts. It also shifts to the woods as thats where Harry Ron and Hermione are hiding. It takes place in what would have been present day when the book was released. The setting really has little to do with the story, except for at one point or another, almost all of the wizards had passed through Hogwarts.

The center conflicts are mainly man vs man. The good vs the evil takes a dominant role in the story. However, there are some points where Harry will break out into a fight with himself, or with Ron. The fights would be considered man vs self.

An example of situational irony in Deathly Hallows is when we find out Snape was a double agent working for Dumbledore the whole time. We get to see, along with Harry after Snape dies, how much he loved Lily Potter, and how much work he did to make sure Dumbledore and Harry were set up for success.

The closest relation from the book to the real world is the theme of Power. We see all the time the mad scramble for Power, money, or a piece of both. This is also evident in the book, where it’s not just the bad guys going after full power and authority, it is some of the good people as well. It seems to be not only a shifting theme throughout the series of books, but it tends to affect the general population as well, as it does when there is a presidency change in the United States.

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Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J.K. Rowling - review

One of my favourite books is Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J.K. Rowling. It is a story about Harry Potter, an orphan brought up by his aunt and uncle because his parents were killed when he was a baby. Harry is unloved by his uncle and aunt but everything changes when he is invited to join Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and he finds out he's a wizard. At Hogwarts Harry realises he's special and his adventures begin when he and his new friends Ron and Hermione attempt to unravel the mystery of the Philosopher's Stone. I can read this book over and over again. From the very beginning until the end J.K. Rowling has me gripped! There is never a dull moment, whether it's battling with trolls, a three-headed dog, or Harry facing Lord Voldermort. I would definitely recommend this book because it keeps you reading without ever wanting to put the book down. By the end of the book you come to love the characters and you want to read more. You won't be disappointed because the second book in the series, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is just as great! If you haven't read any of the Harry Potter books you are missing out on the best series ever!

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93 Harry Potter Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

🏆 best harry potter topic ideas & essay examples, 📌 simple & easy harry potter essay titles, 👍 good essay topics on harry potter, ❓ harry potter essay questions.

• Harry Potter Books and Movies The lead character is the hero Harry Potter, a famous wizard whose adventures are the central focus of the book and the movie.
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• The Themes of Hope and Trauma in “Harry Potter” The inciting incident of the series is a giant man breaking down the door and telling Harry about his horrible legacy.
• The “Harry Potter” Novels by Joanne Rowling A virtuoso command of the English language and an understanding of how to portray teenagers plausibly from their psychology allowed the author to reach the hearts of millions of children worldwide.
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 15″depicting the last series of the movie to be produced and also the first day of its first release to the theaters.
• The Harry Potter Phenomenon Analysis Since these groups sowed the seeds of the Potter phenomenon, the connectors and, later, the mavens were crucial to the publication of the first novel, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.
• Concept of Home in “The Odyssey” and “Harry Potter” In the end, it could be said that both of these books show that home is a haven and safe place to return to.
• The Book “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” by J. K. Rowling He incessantly faces one problem after another in the course of his life Petunia and Vernon consider Harry’s magic a threat and decide not to tell him about his magical powers.
• Influence of Harry Potter and The Hunger Games The study is useful because it illustrates the importance of Harry Potter books within popular culture through the lens of improving young readers’ literacy.
• Literary Values of Harry Potter Novels by Rowling However, the world of wizards or wizardry that Harry lives in is secretive and is unknown to the non-magical people or the Muggles.
• “The Hound of the Baskervilles” by Conan Doyle, and “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” by J.K. Rowling Also, the argument regarding the effectiveness of the two images is well-supported by the fact that through the use of varied approaches, the trivial one by Watson, and the sophisticated one by Holmes, the readers […]
• Rowling’s “Harry Potter” Books in Connection to Mythology The essential element of the book is the creation of the mythical element of a magical world and the classical theme of a tension between two abstract concepts good and evil.
• Enslavement in “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire” by J. K. Rowling Dobby embodies the new era of house-elves, those who have a sense of self-respect and demands that his rights be recognized by those who wish to have him in their service.
• J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and Its Popularity It is because of the uniform content and constantly relevant themes of the children’s stories that have allowed it to endure the test of time.
• “Harry Potter” Movie and Novel: Plot Changes The changes of the plot throughout the movie in comparison with the original novel are disturbing watchers since the times of cinema appearing and performance of the derivative movies.
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Home — Essay Samples — Literature — Harry Potter — Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets: Book Review

Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets: Book Review

• Categories: Harry Potter J. K. Rowling

About this sample

Words: 1103 |

Published: Oct 2, 2018

Words: 1103 | Pages: 2 | 6 min read

Works Cited

• Granger, J. (2004). Unlocking Harry Potter: Five Keys for the Serious Reader. Zossima Press.
• Kirk, C. (2011). The Magic of Harry Potter: Essays Concerning Magic, Literary Devices, and Moral Imagination. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform.
• Lewis, C. S. (2000). Harry Potter: Good or Evil? In The Seeing Eye and Other Selected Essays from Christian Reflections (pp. 94-95). Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.
• McCoy, J. (2018). J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter Novels: A Reader's Guide. Continuum.
• Rowling, J.K. (1998). Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Bloomsbury Publishing.
• Scott, R. A., & Lockhart, M. (2002). Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets: The Illustrated Edition. Scholastic Inc.
• Smith, H. (2003). Conversations with J.K. Rowling. Scholastic.
• Whited, L. R. (2002). The Harry Potter Series and its Transmedia Strategies. Children's Literature Association Quarterly, 27(2), 79-86.
• Whited, L. R. (2003). Reading Harry Potter: Critical Essays. Praeger.
• Whited, L. R. (2004). The Ivory Tower and Harry Potter: Perspectives on a Literary Phenomenon. University of Missouri Press.

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Short Essay And Paragraph On Harry Potter For Students

Here you can read a five-paragraph essay about the Harry Potter books in serious terms. The following selected paragraphs are valuable for learning purposes, especially for young students.

Table of Contents

A Paragraph About Harry Potter

1. Harry Potter is a series of seven fantasy novels by J.K. Rowling. The series tells the adventures of the young wizard Harry Potter and his friends Ron Wesley and Hermione Granger, who are all students of the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and want to conquer the world.

3. They have also been criticized for their negative portrayal of certain groups, such as the Slithery, and for promoting witchcraft and wizardry. Even so, the series has become one of the most popular in history, and its influence on popular culture is undeniable.

4. So here’s a quick rundown of the Harry Potter franchise: Whether you’re a fan or not, there is no denying that these books have had a huge impact on the world. Did you know? The final book in the Harry Potter franchise, Deathly Hallows, was published in 2007 and became the fastest-selling book in history. In the first 24 hours of its publication, 11 million copies were sold.

5. The Harry Potter series has been translated into over 60 languages and made into eight blockbuster films. Rowling said she got the idea for the series while on a train ride from Manchester to London. Soon after, she began writing the first book. Harry Potter is often credited with reviving the children’s book genre , which made reading popular among young people again. Research has shown that it encourages children to buy books by other British authors, such as Roald Dahl and Diana Wynne Jones.

500 Words Essay On Harry Potter

Harry Potter is a series of fantasy novels written by British author J.K. Rowling. The series chronicles the life of a young orphan boy named Harry Potter, who discovers on his eleventh birthday that he is a wizard. He is taken to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, a magical boarding school in Scotland, where he makes friends and enemies, and learns about magic and the magical world.

The series is made up of seven books, with the first book, “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone,” being published in 1997 and the final book, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows,” being published in 2007. The books were later adapted into eight successful films, with the final film being released in 2011.

The Harry Potter series has become one of the most popular and successful book and movie franchises of all time. It has been translated into over 80 languages and has sold over 500 million copies worldwide. The series has also been credited with revitalizing interest in reading among young people and has been used as a tool for teaching reading and critical thinking skills in schools.

One of the reasons for the series’ success is its relatable and well-developed characters. Harry Potter, the protagonist of the series, is an orphan who is forced to grow up too quickly, and the series follows his journey from a neglected and mistreated child to a brave and confident young man. His friends Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley are also well-developed characters, each with their own unique strengths and weaknesses. The series also features a wide variety of memorable and dynamic villains, such as Lord Voldemort, the main antagonist of the series, and his followers, the Death Eaters.

Another aspect of the series that has contributed to its success is its rich and detailed magical world. Rowling’s imagination and creativity are on full display in the series, as she creates a world filled with a wide variety of magical creatures, spells, and magical objects. The series also features a complex and intricate plot, with many subplots and twists that keep readers engaged and guessing until the end.

In conclusion, the Harry Potter series is a masterpiece of modern literature that has captured the hearts and minds of millions of readers and viewers around the world. It has become one of the most popular and successful book and movie franchises of all time, and its relatable characters, rich magical world, and complex plot are just a few of the reasons why it has stood the test of time. It is a story of friendship, love, and the power of good to triumph over evil that will continue to be enjoyed by people of all ages for years to come.

Hello! Welcome to my Blog StudyParagraphs.co. My name is Angelina. I am a college professor. I love reading writing for kids students. This blog is full with valuable knowledge for all class students. Thank you for reading my articles.

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[Book Review] ‘Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone’ by J.K. Rowling

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

J.K. Rowling needs no introduction. She is, of course, the author of the famous Harry Potter series . She was born on July 31, 1965 at Yate General Hospital near Bristol, and grew up in Gloucestershire in England and in Chepstow, Gwent, in south-east Wales. Rowling conceived the idea of Harry Potter in 1990 while sitting on a delayed train from Manchester to London King’s Cross. Over the next five years, she began to map out all seven books of the series. She wrote mostly in longhand and gradually built up a mass of notes, many of which were scribbled on odd scraps of paper. The result is known to us all – a series of unparalleled fame and popularity that we all enjoy. Under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith , J.K. Rowling also writes crime novels, featuring private detective Cormoran Strike.

“The truth.” Dumbledore sighed. “It is a beautiful and terrible thing, and should therefore be treated with great caution.”

Harry Potter books tell the story of orphan Harry James Potter, the discovery of his secret magical powers and the role he plays in the safety of the hidden world of witchcraft and wizards.

After being raised in the miserably unfair home of his Uncle Vernon Dursley, Harry practically begins life anew when he discovers that he is a wizard and is invited to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry . Among Harry’s first-year adventures are making new friends (Hagrid, Ron and Hermione), standing up to the torments of school bully Draco Malfoy, and becoming the star player of his Quidditch team (the favored sport in the magical world). Harry’s life as a Hogwarts “first-year” is more interesting than that of most attendees, because he is already famous for surviving the attack of the evil Lord Voldemort, who tried to kill him as an infant. Everyone in the wizard world knows more about Harry’s family and his story than he himself does.

This first book – Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone – introduces you to this magical world for the first time, and it does so in a smooth and comfortable fashion, introducing both you and Harry to strange wonders never yet experienced. This makes the transition into the world of magic an easy and pleasant experience. Rowling has built a strong and multi-layered world with immense amounts of detail , yet it is written in such a way that it doesn’t feel tedious or as though you are being fed all the information at once, as is the case with many fantasy novels . Through Harry’s eyes, you encounter wands, monsters and spells with their magical properties, purposes and history laid out in small, easily consumable chunks. This means that the book never ceases to envelope you in its world or characters, whereas many epic fantasies have a habit of pulling you aside in a rather obvious fashion and indulging in the rather fruitless exercise of explaining every newly encountered item.

All the characters, teachers, students and bad guys alike have truly believable personalities, eccentricities and flaws, which, more often than not, helps to make them the truly lovable and long-standing characters that they have gone on to become. These friendships and relationships drive the book forward, providing comical respite and emotional engagement along the way.

It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends.

There are characters in this book that will remind us of all the people we have met. All of us have known a spoilt, overweight boy like Dudley, or a bossy and interfering (yet kind-hearted) girl like Hermione. A large number of the younger readers will also be able to easily identify with Harry, especially with his initial feelings of isolation and a sense of not belonging, and then through to his excitement at finally leaving that life behind in favor of one where he does belong and will be happy.

Hogwarts is a truly magical place, not only in the most obvious way but also in all the sheer detail that the author has gone to describe it. It is the place that everybody wishes they could have been to when they were eleven , for that’s where many adventures befall the trio (Harry, Ron and Hermione), and the stone in the book’s title is center to all the events that unfold as the plot progresses. The story builds toward the exciting conclusion that has the ultimate feel-good factor.

In conclusion, this epic journey out of the Muggle world and into the school and world of witchcraft and wizardry bags 4 out of 5 stars. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone is a must-read for anyone within the age-group of 8 to 600 years (for those who have used the stone :p) who want to be mesmerized by an enigmatic world.

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The Secret Alan Rickman Kept While Filming ‘Harry Potter’

One word says it all.

The Big Picture

• Alan Rickman received exclusive insight into Snape's background from J.K. Rowling, allowing him to capture the Harry Potter character's soul perfectly.
• Rowling confirmed that she shared a crucial piece of information about Snape with Rickman, involving the word "always," which holds deep emotional significance.
• Rickman's portrayal of Snape showcased the character's duality and constant mourning, convincing the audience of his true intentions and selling the big reveal in the series finale.

Have you ever had a really big secret? A secret that you knew you had to keep for the sake of the greater good? It's a heavy burden to carry, and one that could spectacularly blow up in your face if it ever got out. This is a situation that the late great Alan Rickman had to embrace being in when he first took on one of his most iconic roles, that of Severus Snape in the Harry Potter series. Almost every actor in the cast only had knowledge of the first four books and the first film script at their disposal, but Rickman got a very exclusive peek into the future. Thanks to a particular person with rare insider knowledge, Rickman was given the perfect insight to properly capture the soul of a man who remained endlessly fascinating due to how steadfastly he refused to show us anything.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

An orphaned boy enrolls in a school of wizardry, where he learns the truth about himself, his family and the terrible evil that haunts the magical world.

J.K. Rowling Told Alan Rickman About Snape's Backstory

After Alan Rickman died, the diaries that he had consistently written since 1993 were published in book form as Madly, Deeply: The Diaries of Alan Rickman , and it provides an inside look at his thought process and perception of the course of his vast career. In it, he states that on October 7th of 2000, Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling talked to Rickman about advice on understanding Snape better, per his earlier request, and that she let him in on "a few glimpses into Snape's background. Talking to her is talking to someone who lives these stories, not invents them." While Rickman doesn't delve into the specifics of what she said, she at least said something along the lines of "well, when he was young, you see, this, that and the other happened." This, by itself, isn't really enough to make a concrete claim off of, as we can't discern from his writing what "background" is even referring to.

In 2016, in the wake of Rickman's death, author and podcaster Joanna Robinson wrote a piece for Vanity Fair about how J.K. Rowling essentially confirmed what it was she shared with Alan Rickman all those years ago. On Twitter, a fan asked Rowling “Will you tell us the piece of information that you told Alan Rickman about Severus Snape? Or will that forever be a secret?” Rowling tweeted that her response was "I told Alan what lies behind the word 'always'." Out of context, to somebody with no knowledge or experience with Harry Potter , this tells you almost nothing. But for those who have gone on the impossible-to-replicate journey , that one word alone will be enough to send you into an emotional tailspin and get you thinking about all the memories that you've held onto thanks to Rickman's performance.

Alan Rickman Knew Snape's Emotional Motivation All Along

Snape remains largely an enigma for most of the Harry Potter film series , growing in mystique due to how willfully he pushes away from others. As he scuttled away into the shadows, we leaned forward, wanting to know even more than the little we knew. As far as he wanted most students and teachers to know, he was nothing more than a stone-faced, surly, hard-to-please instructor. That is, until Harry ( Daniel Radcliffe ) is around, in which case he ramps up his pettiness, letting his mask slip a little and becoming more spiteful, overtly angry, and downright mean-spirited to Harry , for no discernible reason. Since we never see Snape do anything overtly evil for most of the series, and he always has a knack for getting Harry out of serious trouble (while never once warming up to him), it created a mystery as to what was really going on with him. This wouldn't be revealed until the final film, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, where we learn that when Snape was a young student at Hogwarts, he was in unrequited love with Harry's mom, Lily , and was bullied by Harry's dad, James . When Lily was killed by Voldemort ( Ralph Fiennes ), Snape found her body, and it devastated him, and he stepped up to protect Harry from Voldemort throughout his life. This tormented him, as Harry looked just like James, the person he hated most, but also had the eyes of Lily, the person he loved most.

All the Patronuses in the Harry Potter Movies, From Harry's Stag to Snape's Doe

This was the secret that Alan Rickman was told in confidence by J.K. Rowling all those years ago, at the start of production on the first film . This was what he needed to know to unlock the character and play him truthfully , and you can feel it permeating every movie. From his first meeting with Harry in potions class, locking eyes with Harry and instantly being overcome with the memory of his parents, sizing Harry up to see how competent a student he'll be. Rickman's style of line delivery was notorious for how slowly he spoke and how far he would space his words out, and it fits perfectly with Snape's emotional constipation and air of constant mourning. Snape was already a person with few friends and fewer social skills, the adult equivalent of the kid who never wanted to leave his room or turn the lights on. Signing up to be an unofficial bodyguard for a kid whom you've decided to hate for reasons you'll never share doesn't make him inherently sympathetic, but Rickman's subtle evocation of the duality of motivation bubbling underneath Snape's responses does a massive service to selling the payoff that the series attempts in its grand finale.

Alan Rickman Sold Us on His Big Reveal in 'Harry Potter'

When going back and rewatching the Harry Potter series now, it may seem "obvious" that Snape was on the right side of the Wizard war all along , but the series does a remarkable job of never overplaying its hand as to Snape's true allegiance. If someone immediately establishes that they're impossible to read and acts like a bully to everyone he encounters, it makes it harder to figure out which behaviors he engages in are actual signs of evil and which are just garden-variety red flags. For all the times Snape berated and cut down and sometimes laid hands on Harry, there were still moments where he unambiguously protected Harry from imminent danger, like when he shielded him from a werewolf in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban . That's a bold storytelling risk, to have an important character spend so much time onscreen not only be actively closed off but to be openly antagonistic towards the person we're supposed to be most emotionally tied to.

The filmmakers ran the risk of alienating the audience from a person who is a huge key to the final punch that sends it all home, making us not care at all about the true intentions of someone so seemingly odious. The only way they could mitigate that risk was to cast Alan Rickman, who could make up for the character's outward impenetrability with the quivering subtext of his true intentions. The camera serves as an X-ray of an actor's true essence, and Snape could only become the true secret savior of the series with Alan Rickman consciously projecting the lonely boy who never let go of the one person he always loved.

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Review: Jerry Seinfeld and Melissa McCarthy spoof the ‘making of’ Pop-Tarts in Netflix film ‘Unfrosted’

Jason Fraley | [email protected]

May 3, 2024, 12:46 PM

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In the past year alone, we’ve seen films about the “making of” countless products, including the BlackBerry, Tetris, Air Jordans, Beanie Babies and Flamin’ Hot Cheetos.

Now, Jerry Seinfeld spoofs that entire concept in “Unfrosted: The Pop Tart Story,” streaming on Netflix starting this Friday.

Set in the aptly-named Battle Creek, Michigan in 1963, the film follows the ridiculously untrue story of cereal company Kellogg’s competing with rival company Post to create a hit breakfast pastry for American toasters.

After reuniting with his “Seinfeld” co-creator Larry David last month on the series finale of HBO’s “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” Jerry Seinfeld stars as Bob Cabana, the fictional inventor of Pop-Tarts. In reality, Doc Thompson of Kellogg’s brought them to shelves to preempt William Post’s not-ready-for-market product Country Squares.

Jerry also co-writes the screenplay with his “Bee Movie” colleague Barry Marder and fellow “Seinfeld” alumni Spike Feresten, who penned the episodes “The Soup Nazi” and “The Little Kicks,” and Andy Robin, who wrote the episodes “The Fatigues” and “The Junior Mint.” That means we have this group to thank for Elaine Benes’ dance, Frank Costanza’s outbursts and quotable lines like “No soup for you!” and “They’re very refreshing!”

While “Seinfeld” remains my all-time favorite sitcom, “Unfrosted” is obviously not their best work. Granted, it’s hard to quantify quality when this movie humors itself as a Mel Brooks-style spoof in the vein of “Spaceballs.” Like “History of the World: Part 1,” there’s even a reference to Pop-Tarts being the greatest rectangles since Moses’ Ten Commandments, recalling the episode where Jerry accused Bryan Cranston of converting to Judaism purely for the jokes. “And that offends you as a Jewish person?” “No, it offends me as a comedian!”

In “Unfrosted,” Jerry banters with a deep bench of supporting stars, but I won’t spoil them here. Nearly every scene features another famous face in a cameo. I’ll settle for listing the big time celebrities shown in the trailer: Amy Schumer as Marjorie Post, Jim Gaffigan as Edsel Kellogg III and  Melissa McCarthy as Donna Stankowski, a NASA scientist who joins Kellogg’s with a crew recalling the Mercury 7 astronauts in a space-race spoof.

Also in the trailer is Hugh Grant as Thurl Ravenscroft (“You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch”), the booming voice of Frosted Flakes for over five decades. Grant comically wears a Tony the Tiger suit alongside other mascots from Toucan Sam to the Corn Flakes rooster. Kyle Mooney, Mikey Day and Drew Tarver show up as Snap, Crackle and Pop, and while many of their scenes fall flat, their ceremonial flag-folding at a funeral made me laugh out loud.

It all builds to a climatic Jan. 6 spoof that looks like a riot at a cosplay convention with Tony the Tiger dressed like the QAnon Shaman (I refuse the say the guy’s real name because he’s going to jail for storming the U.S. Capitol). Here, Fred Armisen plays Mike Puntz trying to “certify” the pastry deal just like former Vice President Mike Pence certifying the results of 2020 election. It would be funny if it weren’t still so dangerous of a threat to happen again.

Such a finale might confuse extreme-right and extreme-left viewers who heard Seinfeld’s recent statement about political correctness ruining comedy. They’ll ask, “How can an anti-woke comedian also criticize Jan. 6? Aren’t all of our public figures supposed to follow a specific set of ideals in lockstep with one liberal or conservative agenda?” Sigh, in real life, people are nuanced with varying beliefs — and we should treat each other as such.

I have a feeling Jerry’s recent statements will tank this film’s Rotten Tomatoes score by critics looking to punish him. The film isn’t as bad as the low rating it’s about to receive, but it’s also not a comedy classic. Check it out if you want to stay home and watch a silly sendup of product-based movies. The only problem is that “Barbie” did it best last summer, so you might want to instead go see Ryan Gosling in “The Fall Guy.” I can’t wait to see it tonight.

In the end, “Unfrosted” might leave you hungry for more substance, just like Kenny Bania arguing that soup isn’t a meal (depends if there’s crackers). This comedy feast isn’t a big salad. Some jokes as yummy like Kenny Rogers’ Roasters; others taste like they were prepared in Kramer’s shower, swirling down a garbage-disposal drain. Might as well make the origin story of Rusty’s Beefarino. All I can say is these Pop-Tarts are making me thirsty!

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Hailed by The Washington Post for “his savantlike ability to name every Best Picture winner in history," Jason Fraley began at WTOP as Morning Drive Writer in 2008, film critic in 2011 and Entertainment Editor in 2014, providing daily arts coverage on-air and online.

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