Growing up with Harry
Mar. 29th, 2007 09:06 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
author_by_night(Yet again, non-Harry Potter people- forgive me.)
Many of us were children or in our early teens when we first picked up the book with that odd guy in front of a train (or on a broomstick, or somewhere else, depending on where you reside.)
So I'm conducting a survey of sorts, and want feedback from those of you who were in your teens or younger when you first read the books. In a short paragraph or sentence, tell me these things
- Your country of residence.
- The fandom/LJ name you want to be quoted as (in case I decide to quote yours), or if you'd rather not be quoted, but still want to answer.
- How old you are now, and how old you were then.
- What it was like, growing up with the books.
If you know someone who grew up with the books (little brother/sister, younger friend, your own kid, etc.), you may also post about that.
Note: I will be quoting a number of these unless you request otherwise, but it is possible not all answers will be used. I will make an effort to link to this post when I complete the project, but if it is hard to fit the number I recieve in, I will not be able to. However, again, I will link to this.
Oh, and just FYI: I was fourteen when I first read the books. I'm now twenty two. Time flies!
ETA: Thanks to all of you who have replied so far! 41 comments! One of these days I will catch up on replying, but in the meantime, it's been cool hearing all of your stories, and look forward to more. :)
Many of us were children or in our early teens when we first picked up the book with that odd guy in front of a train (or on a broomstick, or somewhere else, depending on where you reside.)
So I'm conducting a survey of sorts, and want feedback from those of you who were in your teens or younger when you first read the books. In a short paragraph or sentence, tell me these things
- Your country of residence.
- The fandom/LJ name you want to be quoted as (in case I decide to quote yours), or if you'd rather not be quoted, but still want to answer.
- How old you are now, and how old you were then.
- What it was like, growing up with the books.
If you know someone who grew up with the books (little brother/sister, younger friend, your own kid, etc.), you may also post about that.
Note: I will be quoting a number of these unless you request otherwise, but it is possible not all answers will be used. I will make an effort to link to this post when I complete the project, but if it is hard to fit the number I recieve in, I will not be able to. However, again, I will link to this.
Oh, and just FYI: I was fourteen when I first read the books. I'm now twenty two. Time flies!
ETA: Thanks to all of you who have replied so far! 41 comments! One of these days I will catch up on replying, but in the meantime, it's been cool hearing all of your stories, and look forward to more. :)
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no subject
Date: 2007-03-31 02:30 am (UTC)United States
- The fandom/LJ name you want to be quoted as (in case I decide to quote yours), or if you'd rather not be quoted, but still want to answer.
bloopfish
- How old you are now, and how old you were then.
I am 19, I was 11.
- What it was like, growing up with the books
Well, I had almost given up on reading for entertainment when I first met Harry. Before that point everything I had ever read was completely dull and pointless, like they were just adult books with smaller words, but with Harry it was exciting! I couldn't wait to get home from school so I could learn what happens next. Since I put off reading it for awhile (because everyone else was doing it and I didn't want to be a sheep) I was actually the same age as Harry when I read the first book. Looking back on it, it's amazing how well JKR portrayed that age. Even with all the magic it was so believable. It's a bit strange that I've grown older than Harry. I think a lot of my discontent with Ootp and HBP is that it no longer mirrors my own experiences. It's no longer what I would do in those events, but what Harry the Chosen One would do.
no subject
Date: 2007-04-15 03:34 pm (UTC)Sweden
- The fandom/LJ name you want to be quoted as (in case I decide to quote yours), or if you'd rather not be quoted, but still want to answer.
I'm not in the fandom and I don't use LiveJournal, but feel free to qoute me anyway :)
- How old you are now, and how old you were then.
I was 11 when I first read Philosopher's Stone, and am 18 now.
- What it was like, growing up with the books
I remember thinking it was really weird when Prisoner of Azkaban came out, and I was younger than Harry! :) Then I realized, I will outgrow Harry with many years when the series are finished. Also I remember feeling with Harry in Order of the Phoenix, simply because I lost my own grandmother right before I read it and man, it sucked. (Not to mention I also found and used my own Capslock of Rage. Good God, were we ever obnoxious when we were fifteen, Harry and I both.) I've always read a lot so the Harry Potter books aren't the only series I've grown up with, but since it's not finished it's been with me for several years now (unlike other series, which I usually just devour in one go :)
I remember being a big fan of the books when I was eleven and twelve, then finding them a bit childish at fourteen and fifteen, and then returning to them, rereading and realizing they weren't 'kiddies' books', but complex and layered. Just because there were silly jokes and broomsticks didn't mean I couldn't find more 'mature' things in them as well. I'm happy to have gone back and done that. :) Also, to reread meant to find how much I changed from eleven to eighteen. What I found horrible and weird at twelve (Harry/Ginny *laughs*)
suddenly made sense when I had some experience of my own.
Another good thing about growing up with these books is that I could get older in between. Had the series been finished when I was eleven, I would have read them all at once. And putting Half-Blood Prince into the hands of a shy eleven-year-old is perhaps a bit... much. (Though I wouldn't have minded when I was eleven!)
Put together, it has been an interesting series to follow, and the characters have certainly been good childhood friends! :)
oh, and sorry for the long answer, it's just such an interesting subject - once I start, I can't stop :)