Harry Potter Book Review Essay

Harry Potter Book Review Essay The Harry Potter books are very successful upon their being published. The Harry Potter books describe us as muggles, non magical people who live our lives not knowing the existence of wizards. The books allow us to envision a magical world that we are unable to see. Wizards are usually tolerant and good toward muggles. The book thins the line between real life and fantasy. People love an unlikely hero who isnt supposed to succeed and one who is an underdog in life. Harry Potter with a scar on his forehead, usually broken glasses, his small skinny frame and lateness about learning the wizard world, is that underdog hero that everyone covets to see. He succeeds in his endeavors because he is enthusiastic, he has a significant amount of courage, and the best friends anyone person could hope to have. He is one of the most courageous characters you will ever read about in a fantasy novel. Its stunning how much more he cares about other people than he does himself. He and his friends would die for each other which is the trademark of a friendship that can go no higher. The book contains all the elements of adventure stories, coming of age, monsters, magic, sports, and miracles. Its like a snickers bar. Everyone loves chocolate, caramel, peanuts and nougat. Put them all together and you have one tasty concoction. There is also, for the first time, a magical town introduced called Hogsmade. According to the book, its the only all-magical town in Britain. Starting in the third year, the students are allowed to travel there, which is only a few miles away, on scheduled visits. CHARACTERS: Ron Weasley is the best friend of Harry Potter. His self esteem is as erratic as the stock market. Unlike Harry, he has no financial means. His father is a member of the Ministry of Magic and his family is backed by generations of pure blooded wizards, but Ron is often picked on by Malfoy for wearing tattered robes, for living in an old house, and for not having a rich father. Ron is deeply loyal to the people he loves as is evident in this book when he simply refuses to speak to Hermione for turning Harrys new broomstick into Professor McGonagall. He and Harry are inseparable. Ron tends to be perceived as a sidekick to Harry, which is not true at all. Ron feels valued by Harry and doesnt seem to mind this that much, but sometimes he seems to feel pushed to the side. He is adventurous and sometimes mischievous but usually with good intentions. In at nutshell, Hermione Granger is a know-it-all who is never shy to voice her opinion. In the same way that Harry represents courage and Ron represents loyalty, Hermione represents the only brain the trio seems to have. I honestly wonder what they would do without her. They always rely on her expert spell knowledge and quick thinking. Hermione was born to a muggle family, but she is the top student in her class. Her muggle blood makes hear a favorite target for the antagonist of the trio, Draco Malfoy. Although she disapproves of Ron and Harrys behavior (sometimes), she stands by them. When in doubt, she turns to books. She is a type of person that believes a book has the answer to almost any problem. In the book, shes stressed by work constant conflicting with Ron, so several times she snaps and lets loose of the rule breaking demon inside of her, once hitting Malfoy, and another time walking out on Divination class when the professor insulted her. It is her magic hourglass, called the time turner that allows her to go back in time to take extra classes, and helps her and Harry save Sirius and Buckbeak. Harry Potter is the thirteen-year-old protagonist of the story and the entire series. He is famous in the wizard community for being the boy who lived. When he was one year old, the most powerful dark wizard Lord Voldermort tried to kill him but the curse rebounded upon him and he nearly died. As a result of the curse rebounding back at Voldermort, Harry was left with a small lightening shaped scar on his forehead. Harry doesnt remember these events, and because was orphaned by Voldemorts attack, he lives with his aunt, uncle, and cousin. His relatives do not tolerate any mention of magic in the house. They call it the M word. He was raised just short of constant abuse. He is humble and doesnt like to take credit for accomplishments so he stays away from special treatment and praise. He wants to live a normal life in the wizarding world. He always succeeds in his quests through a mix of skill and help from his friends and then some more help from his friends. Harry runs into Sirius Black because he entered the Whomping Willow in attempt to rescue his best friend Ron. Harry would do anything for his friends Ron and Hermione. Even though he is not the most powerful wizard, or the most skilled wizard, Harry bests more experienced and more talented wizards because he is brave, quick, and resourceful. THEMES: There are many themes in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. The author J.K. Rowling is very good with putting meaning behind her words. Some of it is subtle and some of it is easily noticeable. One of the themes that I noticed is that nothing may seem what it is, that everything has another side or is two-faced. This is evident in multiple instances. We first see it when the Defense against the Dark Arts Teacher, Professor Lupin, who spends much of his time being good professor that all the Gryffindors like, and then another part as a being werewolf. We now can concur that everything is capable of having another side. We see it once again when Sirius Black turns out to be innocent. Everyone thought he was a mass murder who killed 13 people, but he wasnt. Hermione, who normally abides by rules and follows them like the bible begins to break the rules. This one may be a stretch but Buckbeak the Hippogriffs execution was reversed through an intrusion in time with Hermiones time turner. Nothing in this story is ever what it seems like. Its such a page turner that keeps you guessing and guessing again. Everything stands in a pole position to surprise you. In  Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban,  every story has two sides. Its like the Schrà ¶dingers cat thought experiment for Quantam Physics. We have to believe that the cat is both alive and dead at the same time. Its the same way with this book. We have to believe that both possibilities can happen. POINT OF VIEW: The point of view for the entire book is third person limited. Third person limited point of view is essentially living through only one character, usually the main character. In Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, the character you live through is, you guessed it, Harry Potter. We get a sense of Harrys thoughts and senses constantly. We always not what he is thinking and feeling. In this book, we never stray from Harrys mind. Every single part of the book we read through Harrys, eyes, ears, smell, touch, tastes, and thoughts.

Burundi’s Millenium Development Goals Essay

This paper aims to examine the millennium development goals for Burundi, a landlocked country in the Great Lakes region of Eastern Africa. Burundi has 8 different millennium development goals that it is attempting to achieve and this paper will examine five of those goals. The millennium development goals of Burundi that will be addressed are to: (1) eradicate extreme poverty and hunger, (2) achieve universal primary education, (3) promote gender equality and empower women, (4) reduce child mortality, and (5) improve maternal health. Burundi, as well as all other less developed countries, is aiming to meet its development goals by the year 2015. And in order for Burundi to achieve each of its millennium development goals on time, the country has created targets that directly affect each of the goals and give insight into whether or not Burundi is on track to accomplish its goals. The first millennium development goal of Burundi is to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger. In order to accomplish this, the first target that Burundi wants to meet is to cut in half, between 1990 and 2015, the number of people whose income is less than one dollar a day. The second target is to halve the proportion of people who suffer from hunger between 1990 and 2015. There are many factors that must be examined to determine if progress is being made to accomplish both of these targets and essentially the overall development goal. When looking at the first target, it is important to examine the percentage of population below $1 (PPP) of consumption per day, percentage of total population below national poverty line, and the percent of the poorest quintile’s share in national income or consumption. In doing so, we see that in 1990, 84.2% of Burundi’s population that was under $1 (PPP) of consumption per day and there has been little progress since then, as it reached 86.4% in 2000 and then decreased to 81.3% in 2010. We also see that there was a very significant decrease in the percentage of total population below national poverty, going from 91.3% in 1990 to 52.4% in 2010 – which represents significant progress toward eradicating extreme poverty. It is evident that the percent of the poorest quintile’s share in national income or consumption has made little progress over the years, as it went from 8.3% in 1990, down to 5.0% in 2000 and then back up to 9.0% in 2010. For the second target, we must look at the percentage of children under 5 that are moderately or severely underweight and the percentage of population that is undernourished. When doing so, it is evident that the percentages of children under 5 that are moderately or severely underweight have greatly decreased from 1990 to 2010, as it went from 51.6% to 30.4%. Although this represents some progress, the percentage of Burundi’s population that is undernourished has not improved. In fact, Burundi’s undernourished population rose dramatically over time as it went from 49.0% in 1990 to 73.1% in 2010. The second development goal of Burundi is to achieve universal primary education. In order to achieve this goal, the country is aiming for all children, boys and girls alike, to complete a full course of primary schooling by 2015. In order to determine if Burundi is on track to meet this goal, it is essential to look at the percentage of literacy rates of 15-24 year olds, net enrollment in primary education (both sexes), and the percentage of pupils starting grade 1 and reaching grade 5 (both sexes). When examining these three measures, the numbers show that there was only slight advancement over the years in the percentage of literacy rates of 15-24 year olds and the percentage of pupils who started 1st grade and reached 5th grade. Although that was the case, there was major advancement for net enrolment in primary education. The percent of literacy rates of 15-24 year olds was 65.3% in 1990, had a slight increase to 73.3% in 2000, and then slightly increased again to 77.6% in 2010. This was similar to trends for the children who started 1st grade and made it to 5th grade, which was 44.3% in 1990, rose to 53.8% in 2000 and then hit 56.10% in 2010. On the other hand, net enrollment in primary education has seen major progress as it jumped from 19.8% in 1990 to 44.9% in 2000 to 94.5% in 2010. The third development goal of Burundi is to promote gender equality and empower women. The target to reach this goal was to eliminate gender disparity in primary and secondary education, preferably by 2005, and to all levels of education no later than 2015. The percentage of seats held by women in national parliament and the Gender Parity Index for primary and secondary education enrollment levels can both be used to see if Burundi is on track to meet this goal by 2015. When observing the percentage of seats held by women in national parliament over the years, it is evident that major progress has been made. This is evidenced by the fact that it went from 2.2% in 1990 and reached 94.5% in 2010. In addition, the Gender Parity Index in primary level enrollment has made pretty consistent progress over the years, but the major advancement has occurred in secondary level enrollment, as it went from .56 in 1990 to .72 in 2010. The fourth millennium development goal of Burundi is to reduce child mortality where the country set a target to reduce the under-five mortality rate by two thirds from 1990 to 2015. We can study the percentage of 1-year-old children that are immunized against measles and the mortality rate per 1,000 births for children under five years old to determine the progress that has been made to accomplish this goal. When viewing the percentage of 1-year-old children that are immunized against measles, it is apparent that this has been a key focus in Burundi over the years, as it has gone from 74% in 1990 to an astounding 94% in 2010. The mortality rate per 1,000 births for children under five years old has also shown advancement in Burundi. This can be seen by the fact that it fell from 182.6 in 1990, to 164.6 in 2000, and to 141.7 in 2010. A fifth development goal that Burundi hopes to accomplish by 2015 is to improve maternal health. They aim to reach this goal by reducing the maternal mortality rate by three quarters between 1990 and 2015. The percentage of births attended by skilled health personnel and the maternal mortality ratio per 100,000 live births are key indicators to show if Burundi is on the right path to achieve this goal. After examining the percentage of births that were attended by skilled health personnel in Burundi in 2000 compared to that of 2010, it is clear that a great amount of progress had been made. Skilled health personnel participated in only 25.2% of births in 2000 but significantly increased to 60.3% of births in 2010. And lastly, the maternal mortality ratio per 100,000 live births has slowly decreased over the last 20 years, as it went from 1100 to 1000 from 1990 to 2000 and from 1000 down to 800 from 2000 to 2010. After examining the millennium development goals for Burundi, it is evident that there has been a significant amount of progress made in many different areas. This can be seen when examining the percent of total population below national poverty line, percent of children under 5 moderately or severely underweight, percent of population that is undernourished, net enrollment in primary education (both sexes), percent of seats held by women in national parliament, Gender Parity Index in both primary and secondary level enrollment, percent of 1-year-old children that are immunized against measles, and the percent of births attended by skilled health personnel. This progress is essential because it is the only way a less developed country like Burundi has a chance to become a developed country in the future. Despite this progress, it is clear that there are also some targets that have shown minimal or no advancement and this will hinder Burundi from reaching its millennium development goals. These targets include the percent of population below $1 (PPP) consumption per day, percentage of the poorest quintile’s share in national income or consumption, percent of literacy rates of 15-24 year olds, and the percent of pupils (both sexes) starting grade 1 and reaching grade 5. If these specific targets are not achieved, it will be difficult for Burundi to reach all of its millennium development goals by 2015 despite its progress in the other targeted areas.

Impact Of Photography On The Art World - 996 Words

Changes in the art world is often looked at in a cautious light, from newer methods of digital media competing with traditional methods of painting and sculpting to the impact of photography entering the art world in a time when painting was a supremacy. To compare and contrast the challenges this introduces, the ideas presented in Aaron Scharf’s Art and Photography, Kirk Varneode’s The Artifice of Canor: Impression and Photography Reconsidered and Ian Dunlop’s Degas best references the aspects, the ideas and the approaches that artists and the art movements have made. Many artists, particularly painters in the time of the introduction of photography were reluctant and despised the idea of using the then modern form while some, such as Degas embraced and found the strangeness of fixed motion to compliment his sensitivity as a painter in the late 1800’s. Scharf’s Art and Photography commented on how Degas described his use of photographic material, writing that Degas ‘loved and appreciated photography at a time when artist despised it or did not dare admit that they made use of it’. This leads to the idea that Degas was seen as an odd figure for his era by being one of the few artist to embrace what photography brought to his practice. Degas used his interest in photography to bring back realism while many painters were dismissing the style and moving forward with the impressionist movement, they liberated themselves from the constraints that realism held to express newShow MoreRelatedPhotography Is The Human Experience1212 Words   |  5 PagesIt is truly amazing to see how far photography has come. With practical cameras only being 1800s when they were extremely large to now where everyone has one in their pocket as part of their phone. 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Modern Society As A Reflection Of The Picture Of Dorian...

Traditional gothic fiction was at the height of its popularity during the Victorian era, it exploded in the 1790’s and continued its reign well into the 1800’s. This confrontational style of fiction often blurs the lines of realistic and artificial, forcing readers to challenge their beliefs and surpass the norm. However, the aspect of gothic fiction that was most attractive to the Victorian audience was the way human fears and societal tensions were reflected in the deliberately fictionalised literary works. Themes such as the human greed for immortality and eternal beauty that underlie key gothic texts such as Oscar Wilde’s only novel The Picture of Dorian Gray have incited modern adaptations and the appropriation of these texts into†¦show more content†¦These fears have now been appropriated into popular culture via novels such as A Picture of Dorian Gray where â€Å"it is implied in Dorian’s wish and in his perpetual alliance with [a] deperso nalised devil† (5) that he desires not only prolonged, but eternal youth. This key gothic text was fundamental in influencing the strong value and yearning for immortality in contemporary culture. One of the most renown and distinguished novels of the twentieth century has its basis as a later manifestation of Wilde’s 1890 text. Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone, the first in J.K. Rowling’s seven part series has taken many of its core themes from previously articulated texts. The human desire for immortality and the evil that associates with this unnatural aspiration is embedded in today’s popular culture, where science and cosmetics are pushing us closer to the verge of eternal life; as we continue to extend our lives unnaturally. Both Wilde and Rowling depict mans craving for immortality as â€Å"a mad wish,† using similar themes to express this predisposition. Dorian Gray in all his immortal glory is displayed as a sinister being that is no t wholly human and therefore â€Å"walks apart in the haunts of men,†(4) Unable to truly relate to anyone he dedicates himself to the life of the Aesthete putting his own pleasure before everything else moral or otherwise. Similarly, Lord Voldemort is isolated from birth and engages in the Dark Arts as a form of companionship.Show MoreRelatedModern Society as a Reflection of the Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde1460 Words   |  6 Pagessuch as Oscar Wilde’s only novel The Picture of Dorian Gray have incited modern adaptations and the appropriation of these texts into modern culture. This text display cultural and literary disciplines entrenched in superficial concepts that have since become common in today’s shallow society. Contemporary texts such as the 2004 film The League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen (based on the comic book of the same name) directed by Stephen Norrington, not only visualise the character of Dorian Gray but alsoRead MoreOscar Wilde s Th e Picture Of Dorian Gray1544 Words   |  7 Pagescelebrity I find that it is inevitable to avoid being a part of some sort of controversy. At the height of Oscar Wilde’s career is where he found himself in just that. Although Wilde’s novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray is praised today, in the late 1800s it was seen by others as a negative shift in society and literature. In the film â€Å"Wilde†, after the release of The Picture of Dorian Gray, Wilde’s wife Constance and his mother Jane have a conversation in regards to the novel that gives insight toRead MoreOscar Wilde s The Picture Of Dorian Gray1656 Words   |  7 PagesVictorian Era, although being known as the beginning of modern times, still embraced some radical views that today we would associate as prudishness and repression. In 1890, author Oscar Wilde wrote The Picture of Dorian Gray and submitted it to Lippincott’s Monthly Magazine. The magazine’s editor, J.M. Stoddert, immedi ately declined the novel and determined that it would offend the sensibilities of his readership (Wilde x). It was believed that Oscar Wilde’s book contained explicit sexual, especiallyRead More Comparing the Myth in Ovid’s Echo and Narcissus and Wilde’s Dorian Gray3137 Words   |  13 PagesEcho and Narcissus and Wilde’s Dorian Gray  Ã‚  Ã‚        Ã‚  Ã‚   Each time a story is told, elements of the original are often changed to suit new situations and current societies, or to offer a new perspective. Over the centuries, Ovid’s tale of Echo and Narcissus has been told many times to new audiences, and in the late nineteenth-century, it took the form of The Picture of Dorian Gray. Echo and Narcissus is the tale of a beautiful boy who fell in love with his reflection in a pond, and spurned othersRead MoreThe Picture of Dorian Gray 1823 Words   |  8 Pagespleasure is the most important aspect of life. In the picture of Dorian Gray, Aestheticism and Hedonism are very active philosophies used by the novel’s characters. Lord Henry influences Dorian to follow these teachings, and as a result Dorian becomes intensely vain and selfish. The portrait is in direct correlation with the immoral influence and the intense vanity. In The Picture of Dorian Gray, Oscar Wilde effectively uses the portrait of Dorian Gray as a sy mbol to satirize the adverse effects thatRead More Homosexuality in the Works of Oscar Wilde Essay3123 Words   |  13 PagesHomosexuality in Oscar Wildes Work      Ã‚  Ã‚   I turned half way around and saw Dorian Gray for the first time. I knew that I had come face to face with someone whose mere personality was so fascinating that, if I allowed it to do so, it would absorb my whole nature, my whole soul, my very art itself (7). During the Victorian era, this was a dangerous quote. The Victorian era was about progress. It was an attempt aimed at cleaning up the society and setting a moral standard. The Victorian eraRead MoreThe Monster Dorian Gray Essay2259 Words   |  10 PagesIn the Victorian era where vanity was the main attraction, Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray gave insight into the true horrors that came of this sinful nature. Wilde was a very controversial figure and he meant to stir the pot when he wrote this disputed story. He believed that literature was not only meant for the imagination, but for the moral mind as well. In The Picture of Dorian Gray he depicts the importance of becoming a well rounded individual and also explains himself. In oneRead MoreSocial Struggle : Mrs. Dalloway And The Picture Of Dorian Gray1439 Words   |  6 PagesSocial Struggle in Turn of the Century and Modern Narratives Throughout history there have been struggles in social relationships relating to class, race and sex. These struggles have been recorded in narratives such as Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray, Virginia Woolf’s Mrs. Dalloway, Gene Luen Lang’s The Shadow Hero and Tate Taylor’s The Help throug ¬h the characters lifestyles, wealth/ lack thereof and behavior. Each of these authors, playwrights and artists give insightful portrayals ofRead MoreGothic Literature and Romantic Literature2607 Words   |  11 Pagesparallels that exist between Great Expectations and Wuthering Heights compared to Frankenstein and The Picture of Dorian Gray. In Picture of Dorian Gray, Gray deteriorates mentally. Dorian Gray is a man who is content with his appearance and stability in life. He is fascinated by his collection of foreign items. This collection of foreign items paints a picture of Gray’s fall into ruin. Gray starts his collection with exotic items that are ornate and interesting to look at. They are beautifulRead MoreGap Between Literary Gothic and Pornography1719 Words   |  7 Pages As a society, we are confronted daily with pornographic images, they feature in our newspapers, on our film screens, and even in our novels. This voyeuristic obsession the media holds has for a long time been desensitizing us to depictions of violence and sex, but has it also disabled us in being able to see the difference between what is carefully constructed satire and what is merely pornography? There is probably no text this discussion embraces more in modern gothic literature than that