Author:
J.K. Rowling
Title:
Harry Potter and the philosopher’s stone
Number of pages:
223
Publisher:
Bloomsbury
Genre:
Fantasy / Novel
Why’d I chose this book:
My mother told me that I would probably like the Harry Potter books, so I decided to read them for my English reading file. I could also search in the dutch version if I didn’t understand a passage of the book, and that’s also skilful
First reaction:
From the very start is was an interesting story. I hardly like fiction books or films, but I completely loved this book.
Summary:
Harry Potter, an eleven year old boy, lives with his dreadful Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon and their son Dudley. His life isn’t very bright: he has to sleep in the cupboard under the stairs, never gets anything for his birthday (except a pair of Uncle Vernon’s old socks maybe) and his nephew Dudley constantly bullies him. Until on one day Harry starts receiving strange letters and is rescued by a giant man. Harry discovers his parents didn’t die in a car-crash (as his uncle and aunt always told him), but that they were wizards, and that he’s one as well. But that’s not all: he even seems to be not just a wizard, but also a famous one. The reason for this is because a Dark Wizard named Voldemort, who killed a lot of people including Harry’s parents, lost his power when he tried to kill Harry. Now Harry also knows wherefrom he got the scar on his forehead.
He enrolls at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where he meets new friends, but also enemies. In the beginning of the year, all the students at Hogwarts are told by Professor Dumbledore (the headmaster) not to enter the third floor corridor, unless they wish to “die a very painful death”. As the year proceeds Harry finds that the Philosopher’s stone, a magical stone which’s capable of turning anything into gold and prolonging life, is stored behind this corridor. He also discovers someone is trying to steal it. Harry enters the forbidden corridor and passes the barriers set by the teachers of Hogwards to protect the stone. But his Defense Against The Dark Arts teacher Professor Quirrel, does as well.
It turns out that Voldemort shares the body of Professor Quirrel as that’s the only way he can live. Professor Quirrel, however, doesn’t get past all barriers. He can’t get over the last one, the Mirror of the Erased, placed by Dumbledore himself. In this mirror you will see what you most desire. Quirrel, of course, mostly desires the stone, but the mirror has been bewitched in a way that only someone who wants the Stone for itself, not for the powers it possesses, can see in the mirror where the stone is. Quirrel has the intention of giving the stone to Voldemort when he finds it, and can’t see where it is.
But Harry does meet this need of the mirror and finds the stone in his pocket when he looks into the mirror. In the next moments, Harry and Quirrel are fighting about the stone. Just when Harry can’t bear it any longer. Professor Dumbledore comes to help and in the end Harry once again is able to overcome the Dark Wizard and keep the world save from his powers.
Characters
Harry Potter: ‘The boy who lived’. A wizard that become famous for beating Voldemort. He’s eleven years old and a small, a bit skinny boy. He has a thin face, knobbly knees, black, rambling hair, green eyes and a scar in the shape of a lightning on his forehead. The scar he got due to the curse Voldemort spoke on him.
Ron Weasley: he becomes Harry’s best friend when they meet in the train on their way to Hogwarts. He and Harry support each other in difficult times and have a lot of fun together. Ron’s tall, thin and gangling, with freckles, red hair, big hands and feet and a long nose. He also plays an important part in helping Harry to get past the barriers set to defend the stone.
Hermione Granger: she’s born in an ordinary Muggle family. At the beginning of the year she, Harry and Ron aren’t really friends. But after the three of them knock out a twelve-foot troll together, they become friends. Hermione is a real eager student which comes in handy on some moments in the book. She can remember all the spells from their schoolbooks and classes, and also helps Harry to come across the barriers for the stone by solving a complicated puzzle (one of the barriers). She has a large tuft of brown hair and big front teeth.
Professor Dumbledore: he’s the headmaster of Hogwarts and the only wizard Voldemort ever feared. Dumbledore’s a very wise and noble man, who can get across very integrating, but at the same time is very humane and can enjoy the little things in life (such a sours and tenpin bowling). He’s an old man, wears half-moon glasses, has a long crooked nose, a long silver beard and a moustache. He impresses Harry the most from all the characters.
Hagrid: he’s the gamekeeper of Hogwarts. He lives in a hut on the edge of the forbidden forest, and has a soft spot in his heart for dangerous animals such as dragons. He’s also one of Harry, Ron and Hermione’s best friends. He’s a little incautious with keeping secrets and doing illegal things, but he means well. Hagrid is a giant man of about twice the length and width of a normal man, has a long, saggy mane of hair, a wide tangled beard and black eyes glinting like beetles.
Draco Malfoy: Harry and Draco can’t stand each other. Draco is a mean, arrogant boy with a long, pale face and sleek white hair who does everything to get Harry and his friends in trouble. He’s very proud on the fact he comes from a family with ‘pure’ wizards blood, and hates wizards and witches born in Muggle families. Malfoy is always accompanied by his ‘bodyguards’, Crabbe and Goyle, who just like Malfoy, are from Slytherin.
Other important characters: Professor Quirrel (teacher Defense Against The Dark Arts), Professor Snape (teacher Potions), the Dursleys, Professor McGonagall (head of Gryffindor), Neville Longbottom (clumsy classmate).
Themes
Friendship, adventures, wizardry, courage
Explanation of the title:
The explanation of the title is easy: it is named after the philosopher’s stone, the main subject of the book. Harry Potter is the main character. So it shouldn’t be difficult to understand the title “Harry Potter and the philosopher’s stone”.
Point of view:
The story is told in the third person.
Judgment:
I found the book really good. Though it’s all fiction (what I normally don’t like) the writer has succeeded to write it down like it has happened in real life. I just couldn’t stop reading. It was a bit hard to get all of the story-line in the English version, but with the Dutch version next to it at the time, it was not that hard anymore.
J.K. Rowling
Title:
Harry Potter and the philosopher’s stone
Number of pages:
223
Publisher:
Bloomsbury
Genre:
Fantasy / Novel
Why’d I chose this book:
My mother told me that I would probably like the Harry Potter books, so I decided to read them for my English reading file. I could also search in the dutch version if I didn’t understand a passage of the book, and that’s also skilful
First reaction:
From the very start is was an interesting story. I hardly like fiction books or films, but I completely loved this book.
Summary:
Harry Potter, an eleven year old boy, lives with his dreadful Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon and their son Dudley. His life isn’t very bright: he has to sleep in the cupboard under the stairs, never gets anything for his birthday (except a pair of Uncle Vernon’s old socks maybe) and his nephew Dudley constantly bullies him. Until on one day Harry starts receiving strange letters and is rescued by a giant man. Harry discovers his parents didn’t die in a car-crash (as his uncle and aunt always told him), but that they were wizards, and that he’s one as well. But that’s not all: he even seems to be not just a wizard, but also a famous one. The reason for this is because a Dark Wizard named Voldemort, who killed a lot of people including Harry’s parents, lost his power when he tried to kill Harry. Now Harry also knows wherefrom he got the scar on his forehead.
He enrolls at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where he meets new friends, but also enemies. In the beginning of the year, all the students at Hogwarts are told by Professor Dumbledore (the headmaster) not to enter the third floor corridor, unless they wish to “die a very painful death”. As the year proceeds Harry finds that the Philosopher’s stone, a magical stone which’s capable of turning anything into gold and prolonging life, is stored behind this corridor. He also discovers someone is trying to steal it. Harry enters the forbidden corridor and passes the barriers set by the teachers of Hogwards to protect the stone. But his Defense Against The Dark Arts teacher Professor Quirrel, does as well.
It turns out that Voldemort shares the body of Professor Quirrel as that’s the only way he can live. Professor Quirrel, however, doesn’t get past all barriers. He can’t get over the last one, the Mirror of the Erased, placed by Dumbledore himself. In this mirror you will see what you most desire. Quirrel, of course, mostly desires the stone, but the mirror has been bewitched in a way that only someone who wants the Stone for itself, not for the powers it possesses, can see in the mirror where the stone is. Quirrel has the intention of giving the stone to Voldemort when he finds it, and can’t see where it is.
But Harry does meet this need of the mirror and finds the stone in his pocket when he looks into the mirror. In the next moments, Harry and Quirrel are fighting about the stone. Just when Harry can’t bear it any longer. Professor Dumbledore comes to help and in the end Harry once again is able to overcome the Dark Wizard and keep the world save from his powers.
Characters
Harry Potter: ‘The boy who lived’. A wizard that become famous for beating Voldemort. He’s eleven years old and a small, a bit skinny boy. He has a thin face, knobbly knees, black, rambling hair, green eyes and a scar in the shape of a lightning on his forehead. The scar he got due to the curse Voldemort spoke on him.
Ron Weasley: he becomes Harry’s best friend when they meet in the train on their way to Hogwarts. He and Harry support each other in difficult times and have a lot of fun together. Ron’s tall, thin and gangling, with freckles, red hair, big hands and feet and a long nose. He also plays an important part in helping Harry to get past the barriers set to defend the stone.
Hermione Granger: she’s born in an ordinary Muggle family. At the beginning of the year she, Harry and Ron aren’t really friends. But after the three of them knock out a twelve-foot troll together, they become friends. Hermione is a real eager student which comes in handy on some moments in the book. She can remember all the spells from their schoolbooks and classes, and also helps Harry to come across the barriers for the stone by solving a complicated puzzle (one of the barriers). She has a large tuft of brown hair and big front teeth.
Professor Dumbledore: he’s the headmaster of Hogwarts and the only wizard Voldemort ever feared. Dumbledore’s a very wise and noble man, who can get across very integrating, but at the same time is very humane and can enjoy the little things in life (such a sours and tenpin bowling). He’s an old man, wears half-moon glasses, has a long crooked nose, a long silver beard and a moustache. He impresses Harry the most from all the characters.
Draco Malfoy: Harry and Draco can’t stand each other. Draco is a mean, arrogant boy with a long, pale face and sleek white hair who does everything to get Harry and his friends in trouble. He’s very proud on the fact he comes from a family with ‘pure’ wizards blood, and hates wizards and witches born in Muggle families. Malfoy is always accompanied by his ‘bodyguards’, Crabbe and Goyle, who just like Malfoy, are from Slytherin.
Other important characters: Professor Quirrel (teacher Defense Against The Dark Arts), Professor Snape (teacher Potions), the Dursleys, Professor McGonagall (head of Gryffindor), Neville Longbottom (clumsy classmate).
Themes
Friendship, adventures, wizardry, courage
Explanation of the title:
The explanation of the title is easy: it is named after the philosopher’s stone, the main subject of the book. Harry Potter is the main character. So it shouldn’t be difficult to understand the title “Harry Potter and the philosopher’s stone”.
Point of view:
The story is told in the third person.
Judgment:
I found the book really good. Though it’s all fiction (what I normally don’t like) the writer has succeeded to write it down like it has happened in real life. I just couldn’t stop reading. It was a bit hard to get all of the story-line in the English version, but with the Dutch version next to it at the time, it was not that hard anymore.
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