With all the excitement over The Hunger Games it has been nice to find myself in another universe. I’ve started reading The Chamber of Secrets and, whether you’ve read it before or not, it would be great to have you along for the ride and hear your thoughts. For the reading schedule I’ll be keeping check out this post. Below are some reflections I had on chapters 1-5 of The Chamber of Secrets.
Home
I feel really bad for Harry having to live with the Dursleys. At the end of The Sorcerer’s Stone I had hoped Harry wouldn’t have to return to his aunt, uncle and cousin. Then chapter one of The Chamber of Secrets is titled “The Worst Birthday”. Whomp whomp. Seeing Harry’s home life makes me wish he had a youth group to attend during his summers away from Hogwarts. If he can’t find love and safety at home, I want him to find it someplace. One of the main goals for our ministry is to provide a safe place for students, especially those who don’t have it at home. Harry definitely fits that description.
Dobby
Dobby annoys me. He seems like J.K. Rowling’s version of Jar Jar Binks. I don’t know if Dobby shows up again but, if he does, I hope he’s less grating. Dobby’s warnings to Harry about going back to Hogwarts reminded me of warnings about the end of the world. Harry doesn’t know who Dobby is so why should he believe anything he says? There are a number of people who say they know when the world will end but, every time, they’re proven wrong. Unlike Harry, though, who had some doubts about believing Dobby, we don’t have to have any doubts about anyone predicting the end of the world. Jesus himself said that no one knows that day or hour. And we should view anyone who says they know like an annoying little house elf.
Misuse of Muggle Artifacts
A large portion of the first five chapters is devoted to Arthur Weasley’s work with the Ministry of Magic. Mr. Weasley is tasked with finding illegally enchanted human objects and their enchanters. The wizarding world wants to hide its existence from the human world. Unfortunately, citizens of God’s kingdom often do the same thing. Instead of shining our lights brightly, we cover them. This little light of ours? We’re scared to let it shine. There are reasons why the wizarding world hides itself from the human world. There is no reason we should hide the reality of God’s kingdom from the world around us.
I’m happy to get back into the world of Harry Potter and am looking forward to continuing in the book. If The Sorcerer’s Stone is any indication, I wont be able to put the book down and I’ll get ahead of my own reading schedule.
What reflections do you have from the first five chapters of The Chamber of Secrets?
You’re reading Harry Potter? Scott, I’m so proud of you!
Also, I respectfully disagree on Dobby being anything like Jar-Jar. I <3 Dobby