The Sorting Hat

[Beowulf]

ok, so this is pretty cool if you read the HP books (or like the movie).

Go here and let yourself be sorted by the Sorting Hat, it only takes a little over two seconds:

http://www.hpsearch.com/other/sortinghat.shtml

I got Gryffindor (obviously).

[LaughingTurtle]

I got Ravenclaw, hmmmmm...

[Beowulf]

that's cool, if I had rejected gryffindor, I would have gotten ravenclaw. they have a cooler sigil than gryffindor and are much better than hufflepuff or slytherin.

[jade]

gryffindor of course!!!

[GWINNA]

I refuse to read the books for 3 reasons:
1)too busy
2) silly rabbit, its for kids
3)I refuse to add to the hype that surronds it.(i.e. I don't have the money)

[LaughingTurtle]

Hey GWINNIA, just a thought (whow, i know it scares me too, that i had one...:D )

1. If you have time to read/post at wotism, you have time to read a page or two if not a chapter (depending on your reading speed) a day

2. I'll chalk that up to Jackalope humor...;)

3. There is a mystical place that lets you barrow books for free...

Who knows, you might end up enjoying them.

[Beowulf]

Originally posted by jade
gryffindor of course!!!

congrats jade. :) all my real life friends with one exception (another gryffindor) turned out to be slytherin unfortunately!! ;)

and gwinna, I'll save you some time. you're a muggle. hehe...

[GWINNA]

Originally posted by LaughingTurtle
Hey GWINNIA, just a thought (whow, i know it scares me too, that i had one...:D )

1. If you have time to read/post at wotism, you have time to read a page or two if not a chapter (depending on your reading speed) a day

2. I'll chalk that up to Jackalope humor...;)

3. There is a mystical place that lets you barrow books for free...

Who knows, you might end up enjoying them.
Yeah, but:
1) I like Wotism too much to leave it alone to read another book
2)Jackalope humor kicks ass
3)Their was an incident involving tidy bowl and a rotten apple...I can never go back. Actualy, the closest library contains mostly books about Math and Science as I go to a Tech School and if it isn't written by some old guy it ain't here.

[Beowulf]

Originally posted by G.W.I.N.N.A

Yeah, but:
1) I like Wotism too much to leave it alone to read another book
2)Jackalope humor kicks ass
3)Their was an incident involving tidy bowl and a rotten apple...I can never go back. Actualy, the closest library contains mostly books about Math and Science as I go to a Tech School and if it isn't written by some old guy it ain't here.


JESUS FUCK ME WITH A CHAINSAW

go away muggle.

[Jacob]

I'll read Harry Potter in a few years. Hopefully the hype is gone by then, I can't abide hypes. You can't fucking get away from HP stuff now, it's everywhere! I bet she (the author) is a billionair now though. It's just too comercial, it has that feel that certain childrens programs on tv has. Like it's made to sell toy's or something.

[Beowulf]

I don't care about the hype, but the books are good and I enjoy reading them. If something is good and worth supporting you should support it. At least that is my philosophy.

If J.K. Rowlings is a billionairess now then good for her. She deserves it. I don't see anyone faulting RJ for living an easy life because of his creative efforts.

Its Time Warner who is to blame for the over-licensing and hype of HP merchandise. J.K. Rowlings gave up her claim to the trademarks.

[LaughingTurtle]

I have to agree with you Beowulf, if someone is smart enough to get paid for what they are good at, then the more power to em, but I also agree with Jacob that it is way over commericalized. Though, you shouldn't let that stop you from enjoying a good series.

Most likely though the hype will die down very quickly after the movie has been released no matter whether it was good or bad. The worst mistake that they made was the decision to postpone the next book in the series for like 2 years. (at least that's what i've heard) All the people who are in love with the series now (elem. age kids / note, i said in love, not just those who kinda like it) will have gotten over it in 2 years. i mean come on, what is the attention span of an eight year old, definitely not 2 years...

[Ulk]

Originally posted by Mister Beowulf
I don't care about the hype, but the books are good and I enjoy reading them. If something is good and worth supporting you should support it. At least that is my philosophy.

If J.K. Rowlings is a billionairess now then good for her. She deserves it. I don't see anyone faulting RJ for living an easy life because of his creative efforts.

Its Time Warner who is to blame for the over-licensing and hype of HP merchandise. J.K. Rowlings gave up her claim to the trademarks.

just to be controversial,
I blame RJ for living an easy life, he should get off his lazy ass and do some exercise.

[jade]

what's wrong with the hype that can get an 8 year old to read an 800 page book?

[ShadowReaver]

don't you all want children to be happy??? and you know what the key to bliss is. . .ignorance. . .so isn't it better to leave them uneducated and unread? haha! plus capitalism = evil and i blame her for it all because she shouldn't have sold off the trademarks so they could be abused so. . . .

[Beowulf]

Hype isn't exactly a bad thing. Its cool to see Harry Potter merchandise everwhere. Maybe I am weird, in fact, I know I am weird, but it doesn't bother me to see Harry Potter stuff. Thanks to hype I can buy Harry Potter lego set. Now that is pretty cool. Legos are an awesome toy.

And Jade is right, if hype motivates kids to pick up a blasted book containing interesting themes, a solid plot and accurate mythological references and read it then what could be better. There are so many other PC kid's books filled with absolute drivel that its good to see a children oriented book with themes that can and do appeal to older people. Thus is the source of religious imbeciles touting Harry Potter books as witchcraft primers because they aren't preaching simplified messages as many other books do.

Who cares who is making money off what. I think it's completely irrelevant. J.K. Rowlings sold/relinquished her trademark ownership because she wanted to promote her creation. What is wrong with that? Nothing in my opinion.

[GWINNA]

But the question is: Is it exposing kids to complicatied themes and ideas that they aren't ready for yet and are parents reading it first so they know what the kids are reading.
I actualy have no opinion either way but I am interested what others say, however, I don't trust a majority of you to make the right decission in such matters anyway so oh well.;)

[Beowulf]

Originally posted by G.W.I.N.N.A
however, I don't trust a majority of you to make the right decission in such matters anyway so oh well.;)

Considering most of your opinions are based on ignorance I would expect that sort of comment from you.

Anyway...

I guess you would rather your children read the Disney-ized version of every story ever told where everyone lives happily ever after in the end and there are no problems.

Children aren't ready for the false sense of reality they get from reading and seeing the kind of crap that is tossed at them everyday. To say Harry Potter books are something that should be singled out and villified because they contain some mature overtones is ridiculous.

[Litefoot]

That's a good point, Beowulf! There's absolutely no reason why a popular book series should be singled out, when kids are watching violence and death on TV. It's more likely that a kid can easily say anything in a fiction novel IS fiction, than say that what they saw on TV (with real-life actors and special effects) wasn't real.

What's the point of a sanitised story? If a child is old enough to read 600 - 800 page novels, then they are old enough to start understanding good/bad, fiction/non-fiction. This overemphasis on censorship of children's books is ridiculous. I'd suggest that TV and video games should be targeted first, before you even consider novels. Also, the kid's got to be smart enough to read a book, but any dumb/crazy kid can sit in front of a TV and fry their brains with simulated violence.

I say - all support should be out there for kids who WANT to read. Who cares if the book is making a lot of money? Kids can actually be discerning creatures - they don't fall for every advertising gimmick when it comes to books, because they have to actually enjoy reading them to want their parents to buy them the series.

[Beowulf]

there is a funny article at theonion.com about the books.

http://www.theonion.com/onion3625/harry_potter.html

[GWINNA]

Damn it smiles mean things
I also stated that I had no opinion on the matter because I hadn't read the book and parents should be responsible for the TV as well, actualy especialy the TV.
As for that article, try explaining it to your uncle that the Onions is a satirical website and not a real news site. I had to defend the books on the basis that niether of us has read the books and that that article was a parody.

[Jacob]

I'm sure I'm lost now, not really remembering my points that I thought out (since I started reading this before the phone called) but I'll give it a shot anyway. From the hip.

I don't think that a hype automatically means a bad thing. Take the upcomming LotR movie e.g. That movie is very very hyped indeed. But...there are hypes and there are hypes. Every kind (figurativly speaking) wants Harry Potter things now, because of a hype. I don't think that as many kids want to read Harry Potter though, I don't think that all of those kids by far have read the books. And I don't know about the literacy skills of US 8 y.o.'s but I doubt that that many Swedish kids could make it through an 800 page book on their own. But okay, if the hype makes parents spend time with their children reading these books to them, that is certainly fantastic. I don't really think that the kids care that much about it being Harry Potter books though, not really. I know that when I was a kid, having my dad (or mom, or Older sister) read to me was as good as it got and those memories remain among the very fondest of my childhood. I even thought that when my dad read a book on tax planning outload (came upon him reading it and asked him to read out loud) was a great thing! The point that I'm trying to make (I think) is that I don't really believe that the ongoing hype has to do with all these children that want to read Harry Potter books (specifically), but that the hype is happening with these kids parents. 8 y.o.'s don't buy books, their parents do. And sure, I don't begrudge a good author a good, or even very good income. But when writing childrens books becomes all about branding and selling to the highest bidder, then it feels like the soul of it is lost.

I hold authors of childrens books in the highest regard and I have always felt that these people have an added integrity. An integrity standing above that of other authors as they, unlike other authors (I think) write for the sake of their readers instead of for themselves. I can't feel that about someone who sells to the highest bidder without caring what happens after. Books to me have been like that last stand, the last bastion to balance comercial TV (etc.) with programs designed to sell adverticement spots, with childrens programs designed for the sole purpose of selling toy's. I see cracks in that bastion now. Is the latest Harry Potter book designed to sell Harry Potter gear? I am concervative, I know, but I do not want to support this development. Maybe when the hype around this series dies, I'll pick up a copy and reconsider.

[jade]

LOL....those pictures in the article were hilarious!

[Harun]

I agree with Jade et. al. Anything that gets kids to read in this television-obsessed age is a Good Thing.

[ShadowReaver]

some of my fondest memories are of being read to as well. . .particularly the lord of the rings and the hobbit though. . . those have always been among my favorite books. . . probably largely as a combination of their being among my earliest experiences with books, my mother being the one reading them to me and the fact that they are damn good.

[Mann]

Definately Ravenclaw. And I scored 0 for both Hufflepuff and Gryffindor.