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Category Archives: Harry Potter
The Language of Magic
When magic words appear in books and other media, they’re usually either total nonsense or based on some dead language, often Latin. The common term “abracadabra” is thought to be based on Aramaic, with the phrase “Avra Kadavrai” meaning “I … Continue reading
Posted in Harry Potter, L. Frank Baum, Oz, Oz Authors, Ruth Plumly Thompson
Tagged abracadbra, avada kedavra, earthsea, glinda of oz, hocus pocus, incantations, language, magic, queen zixi of ix, true names, ursula leguin
4 Comments
Leave the Real World Far Behind
If you’ve watched the DiC Super Mario Bros. 3 cartoons, you’ll know that the inhabitants of the Mushroom World are always referring to the Earth we know as “the real world.” Wouldn’t their own world be more real to them? … Continue reading
Posted in Authors, Harry Potter, L. Frank Baum, Mario, Oz, Oz Authors, Piers Anthony, Ruth Plumly Thompson, Television, Xanth
Tagged bill willingham, fables, fairies, fairyland, king ato, pirates in oz, princess gureeda, real world, robert heinlein, speedy in oz, the adventures of super mario bros. 3, ugu the shoemaker, waddy
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Do Come Orphan On Again
Is there any significant narrative reason for Dorothy to be an orphan living with her aunt and uncle? It’s often the case that someone not living with their parents leads to a later reveal, about how they’re the child of … Continue reading
Posted in Characters, Eloise Jarvis McGraw, Fairy Tales, Harry Potter, John R. Neill, L. Frank Baum, Oz, Oz Authors, Ruth Plumly Thompson, Star Wars
Tagged aunt em, betsy bobbin, bob up, button-bright, dorothy gale, jenny jump, orphans, ozma of oz, peter brown, robin brown, speedy, the cowardly lion of oz, the emerald city of oz, the tik-tok man of oz, the wonder city of oz, the wonderful wizard of oz, tik-tok of oz, trot griffiths, uncle henry
2 Comments
Harry Potter and the Oblivious Wizards
I recently read this Cracked article on Harry Potter, and thought it had some valid points, especially as far as the wizards being unaware of Muggle culture goes. Admittedly, I didn’t think about this all that much when actually reading … Continue reading
Posted in Harry Potter
Tagged cracked, j.k. rowling, ministry of magic, muggles, suspension of disbelief
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Underwater Basilisk Weaving
If you’ve read the Harry Potter books, you have a general idea of what a basilisk is. It’s a mythical snake with incredibly poisonous venom that can destroy pretty much all life, and even its breath and glance can kill. … Continue reading
Posted in Greek Mythology, Harry Potter, Monsters, Mythology
Tagged basilisk, cockatrice, king cobra, mongoose, weasel
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Fantasy Values
As someone who’s read a fair amount of both British and American fantasy, I have to wonder if there’s a significant difference in the values they portray. There’s a mention in this article (which, by the way, I discuss in … Continue reading
Posted in C.S. Lewis, Chronicles of Narnia, Fairy Tales, Harry Potter, Oz
Tagged american dream, bravery, charisma, chivalry, gryffindor, hogwarts, hufflepuff, ravenclaw, sorting hat, tin woodman, wizard of oz
4 Comments
Harry Goes to Pot
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2 – Beth and I saw this at 3 AM, which in hindsight was probably a mistake. Oh, well. This was the last in the Harry Potter series (well, unless J.K. Rowling can … Continue reading
Wizardly Education in the Dark Ages
One of the most memorable parts of Disney’s animated version of The Sword in the Stone is the wizards’ duel between Merlin and Madam Mim. If you read The Once and Future King, however, you’ll find no hint of this … Continue reading
Posted in Arabian, British, Cartoons, Harry Potter, Mythology
Tagged arabian nights, blaise, bleise, disney, dom-daniel, galapas, king arthur, king uther pendragon, madame mim, magic, maugraby, merlin, robert de boron, satan, t.h. white, the once and future king, the sword in the stone, wizards, zatanai
2 Comments
The Wizard of Oz and the Wizard of England
The Arthurian legends have had a profound effect on British fantasy, and some of that has carried over to the United States as well. Merlin, especially, seems to make a lot of appearances in recent fantasy fiction, having been everything … Continue reading
Posted in British, Characters, Harry Potter, Magic Items, Mythology, Oz
Tagged gina wickwar, john dough and the cherub, king arthur, king richard coeur de leon, kinglet of phreex, margaret berg, merlin, merry go round in oz, morgan le fay, nebbie, ozma, pastoria, piers anthony, robin brown, ruth plumly thompson, sir gareth, sir hokus of pokes, sonny burns, the magic of oz, the marvelous land of oz, toto of oz, wizard of oz, xanth
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