Anticipating Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

     I thought I had already done this post because I knew exactly what I was going to say.  My background experience with Harry Potter is very different.  I feel like most people that read more than one Harry Potter go on to read all of them excitedly.  Although, I did really enjoy the books I only read until the fifth one.  I probably started the series around third grade but I don't remember when I finished all I know is that my life became to busy and there were awful required readings that took up my time.  However, what I do remember from this book was that the fourth one was my absolute favorite...until I read the fifth one.  But they are definately my top two.  I agreed with what we said in class that the movie for this book was awful unfortunately.  I am excited to talk about this but worried that I might be bombarded with a little over excitement from die hard Harry Potter fans (like the members of our Quiditch team, although a very cool idea a little much for me personally).

Notable Moment in The Magician's Nephew

The theme of good vs. evil plays out throughout the entire fantasy. I thought the most profound moment that played this out in Magician’s Nephew was the symbolism of the making of the Lamp Post.  I thought it was very representative of the strength that Aslan stands for in good vs. evil.  While his actions (by his indifference to the violent hit) represent the strength of good, the Queen at the same time represents the sinister intentions and rash behavior of the evil side.  This opposition is played out through this instance and the victory of the good side is also shown as the iron bar grows under Aslan’s magic to become a Lamp Post.  I think it is also interesting to analyze the relation between the descendants of Adam and the Lamp Post.  Adam’s descendants let the Queen into Narnia and the Queen is the one who throws the material that is used to guide Adam’s descendants back into Narnia to conquer the Queen’s evilness.  I think this could be best related to the Christian allegory.  Not only are there many connections between Aslan and God as creators who mold a world at will, but there are also the shared good versus evil struggles that Christianity focuses on throughout history.  

Anticipating the Magician's Nephew

     To be honest. I started to read this book a long time ago when I was much younger, and stopped because I was not interested.  It is the only book of the series that I have had experience with but I did see the movie Narnia.  I didn't really like the movie but I will not use it to judge the books because I know that books are often much better than movies.  Hopefully I will be more interested in the book this time or maybe it just has a slow start.  It seems in a way more relatable to The Poenix and the Carpet than the other fantasies because of the more magical elements that I think it will contain. 

Analysis of The Phoenix and The Carpet

     I thought one of the most effective strategies that Nesbit used to convey her themes of fantasy was her unique form of characterization.  While Nesbit aimed an an audience of the average child, she successfully portrayed the children in a realistic fashion with good and bad qualities.  In this way Nesbit is not only adding interest to her fantasy, but she is also enhancing the didactic message in the story.  The fantasy is more appealing to the readers with these children because the story would become predictable with perfect children who always chose the right decision with pure motives.  The children with flaws are made more relatable to the reader.  The didactic message is enhanced through this because the children are simultaneously seen as a reflection of the intended audience, while at the same time creating a feeling of superiority for the reader.  This judgment of the children is allowed through the narrative voice. 
     The children's character is built as a central meaning to the fantasy.  Through specific eamples, gender roles as well as their selfless nature opposed to their selfish nature are played out.  For example, the boys help their sisters with chores and cleaning so that they can play; the children sing to and entertain their baby brother.  However, when troubled times put the children under pressure, their more slefish tendecies are seen.  Even Anthea, the moral pillar of reason, creates a lie to keep her mother from worrying when she is in fear of the consequences of losing the Lamb.  The children's motives for doing good are also questioned as the reasoning seems to very often be for self gratification or because they feel obligated.  However, there are good deeds done out of love as well because the children are complex characters. 
     Through this use of characterization, I feel that the messages are more accurately conveyed to the reader.  Because it is not the typical fantasy in a surreal perefect world, I feel the realism displays a more relatable theme for the audience.

Notable Moment in The Phoenix and the Carpet

                I think the most profound moment in the fantasy was the point in which we see the children’s character break down- when the Lamb is lost.  In this instance, the most obvious flaws in the children are forced to surface in the midst of such chaos and the “calmness of despair” was eminent.  The most shocking point of this moment was the moral lightning rod of the story took on an opposing role as the leader of deceit.  In her panic, she acts quickly to create a way to hide and hopefully buy time.  Although the children’s flaws showed greatly in this state of alarm, they thought straight enough to answer to the bird that they did want their baby brother back.  I thought this showed a very loving side in the children, their attitude that of course they would want their baby brother back and he was worth every trouble.  I felt that this moment was profound for these reasons- that the children’s character was represented in the most realistic way including positive and negative aspects.