Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone Reader Response

A. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
B. J. K. Rowling
C. n/a
D. Scholastic Inc., 1998
E. novel, fantasy
F. 5-9

G. After Harry Potter's parents are killed when Harry is a baby, he is sent to live with the only relatives he has, the Dursleys. He is treated awfully; he spends most of his time under a cubbard and is denied the most basic of childhood joys. One day an own arrives telling Harry that he is a warlock and has been invited to enroll in Hogwarts, a school for witches and warlocks. There, he is sorted into the Gryffindor house. He is a natural at quidditch and is chosen to be the seeker as a first year (practically unheard of!). While he is there, he learns that there is something amiss. He knows that the Sorcerer's Stone is being hidden in a highly guarded corridor and there is someone very evil seeking to find it. He finds out as many details as possible and the book ends with him defeating Professor Quirrell and keeping the Sorcerer's Stone out of the wrong hands.

H. I'm so very glad I gave Harry Potter a second chance. The first time I went to read Harry Potter (about 6-7 years ago) I didn't care for it a whole lot. I really can't remember why. Rowling does an excellent job of using imagery to really bring the reader into Hogwarts and take the reader on the adventures with Harry. Especially at the end, I felt as though there were vines grabbing my legs, real-life chess players shouting at me telling me what to do, and a sharp pain in my own forehead. Even the decorations in the Great Hall were described in so much detail that you can't help but feel as though you're there. It's just amazing to think that the whole Harry Potter series was started as a scratched out note on a napkin.
There are so many themes in Harry Potter, it's hard to know where to start when talking about them. The main theme is clearly good versus evil. It was surprising to me how good and evil were portrayed in this book. A lot of times in children's literature (and often in adult literature, too) it's very easy to pick the "good guy" and the "bad guy." However, I never would have guessed that Professor Quirrell would be the one trying to steal the Sorcerer's Stone and trying to kill Harry. I thought it was Professor Snape right up until the end. I also liked how the love that Harry embodies was what was hurting Professor Quirrell. I would have never thought to make love a weapon like that. That shows that love is a very powerful force and can overcome a lot of the evils in the world. Harry Potter also shows that you should not be quick to judge people. In the beginning, Ron and Harry formed a sort of alliance again Hermoine, yet she proved to be one of the most valuable allies they could have had in facing the dilemmas they faced, like choosing the correct bottle of potion to drink when three of the choices could kill you. Professor Snape may have disliked Harry but he was the one trying to save Harry as Professor Quirrell tried to kill him with a jinxing spell during the Quidditch match.

I. I could see a lot science experiments coming from this books. Like the links provided, owl pellets are a fascinating way to learn about owls. I remember dissecting owl pellets in fifth grade and getting a nearly complete mouse skeleton. Also, like Harry did in his potions class, I'm sure a class would love to mix chemicals (or ingredients) together in a big cauldron (bowl) to make something to eat or use (like brownies or playdoh). That would teach ratios and measurement. This book is also good to teach about loyalty and the epic struggle of good versus evil. Students could discuss other books they've read that show good versus evil and how the characters in book overcame evil.