Mourning Harry Potter
I closed the last page of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows earlier today. And like countless others who have finished the book, I am in that strange kind of mourning for the characters. I started it a day or so ago, and read it in three gulps. It had sat in our house for a week, as I was reluctant to begin it, knowing that after this one, there would be no more.
I also finished off the latest and chronologically last of Lian Hearn's Tales of the Otori books earlier this week. And experienced a similar sense of sadness.
Reflecting on this, I am struck with many questions.
How do authors manage to conjour these worlds and characters and make them so believable? How do we the reader read the words on a page and project and 'see' the story as if it were real? How do we get so tied up emotionally with the lives of the characters? How come we end up thinking of Harry, Ron and Hermione and all their pals as part of our own experience? As closer than close friends?
I can remember reading books as a kid and having a crush on a certain female character. How bizarre is that! Having feelings for someone who doesn't exist outside of words on a page and my own interpretation of them.
I can remember feeling heartbroken when a book series came to an end and there would be no ongoing relationship with the central character.
And all this from words on a page.
How powerful our imaginations are!
I also finished off the latest and chronologically last of Lian Hearn's Tales of the Otori books earlier this week. And experienced a similar sense of sadness.
Reflecting on this, I am struck with many questions.
How do authors manage to conjour these worlds and characters and make them so believable? How do we the reader read the words on a page and project and 'see' the story as if it were real? How do we get so tied up emotionally with the lives of the characters? How come we end up thinking of Harry, Ron and Hermione and all their pals as part of our own experience? As closer than close friends?
I can remember reading books as a kid and having a crush on a certain female character. How bizarre is that! Having feelings for someone who doesn't exist outside of words on a page and my own interpretation of them.
I can remember feeling heartbroken when a book series came to an end and there would be no ongoing relationship with the central character.
And all this from words on a page.
How powerful our imaginations are!
Labels: Harry Potter
