I average an email a day from serious readers with questions, theories, and comments about the Hogwarts Saga and what I’ve written here or in my books about Harry’s adventures. Lately, I’ve been receiving mail from China. Which means that something I’ve written has been translated without my knowledge, or, more likely, we have some precocious readers of English doing some research.
Of course, when I receive notes like this one, I have to wonder.
格兰杰先生，
您好，希望这么称呼您有没有犯忌什么，我是你的读者，因为《Harry Potter’s Shelf》
先自我介绍吧，我来自中国，生于2000年，正读初中二年级的女生。可以称呼我的英文名Aileen。
再此非常非常感谢您的书，它让我更深入地了解了《Harry Potter》，让我重游罗琳女士笔下的魔幻世界，也让我把许多看似无关的文学作品联系了起来。
我是个古怪的中国人，喜欢《诗经》，却挚爱欧美电影、欧美音乐，从小看《Harry Potter》长大的我看完中文版、电影后，又将英文原版啃了一遍，七部，不长也并不短，但它伴随了我好多年。毫不客气地说，《Harry Potter》是我的全部。
虽然看了很多遍，但是还是有疑问。
神秘事务司内那扇打不开的门内到底是什么? 为什么后来就没有提到过了?
既然魔杖可以用违背主人意愿的夺的来改变忠实的对象, 为什么纳威在第五部中违背主人意愿除掉了哈利的魔杖,最后凤凰魔杖和老魔杖不是属于纳威的? 为什么在魔法界那么多次的除你武器, 魔杖没有乱认主人? 难道所谓的”夺的方法很重要”，只是指不用魔法从手中直接拿? 还有格林沃德拿到老魔杖是偷的吧, 难道用偷的, 魔杖也会认主人?
好吧，可能这些不算问题，好多人一定都知道了，或者猜到了。我在网上看到好多人回答，但是终归认为不准确。如果您能帮我解答，我非常非常感谢。
您说这是您写第五本关于《Harry Potter》的书，很可惜，我只看到了这一本，其他几本可否让我阅读？《Harry Potter》小说为什么如此流行?你以这个为主题，回答了我们众多疑问，而我想知道，《Harry Potter》究竟是闲书还是名著？在中国，有众多书被称“名著”，那些书告诉我们一些人生哲理，出名的《Harry Potter》若是名著，它也或多或少地告诉我们了什么吧？
您说的没错，我们在阅读时，不管是什么书，都应该记下一些自己认为好的例子，可能做不到反驳权威的意见，但是也应把书串联在一起思考。我想我会学习这一点，积累一些例子去和你们争辩。
再次感谢您的书，带给我了很多，也希望能和你们做朋友，加入你们一同思考值得争议的问题。加油，加油。
Got that? Me, neither.
The Google translator gives us this version:
Mr. Granger,
Hello, I hope you have no taboo so called anything, I am your readers, because “Harry Potter’s Shelf”
First introduce myself, I come from China, was born in 2000, being read junior high school sophomore girls. You can call my English name Aileen.
Thank you very much again for this book, it makes me a better understanding of the “Harry Potter”, let me re-visit the magical world of Miss Luo Lin pen, let me put a lot of seemingly unrelated literary link up.
I was a weird Chinese people, like the “Book of Songs”, but in Europe and America love movies, European music, grew up watching “Harry Potter” I grew up watching the Chinese version of the film, turn the English original bite again, seven, does not Long is also not short, but it is accompanied me for many years. Said rudely, “Harry Potter” is my all.
Although I had read many times, but still have questions.
The open door of the Department of Mysteries door in the end is what? Why then would not mention it?
Since the wand can be used to go against the wishes of the owner won a loyal subject to change, why Neville contrary to the wishes of the owner to get rid of the fifth part of Harry’s wand, wand and finally Phoenix Neville Elder Wand does not belong? Why Magic In addition to your circles so manyweapons, no mess wand recognized masters? Did the so-called “wins the method is very important,” not only refers to the direct take from the magic hands? There Greenwald got old wand is stolen it, do with a steal,and the wand will recognize the owner?Well, maybe not these problems, a lot of people must have known, or guessed. I read a lot of people to answer, but after all, considered inaccurate. If you help me to answer, I am very very grateful.
You say that this is the fifth book you wrote about “Harry Potter” is, unfortunately, I only saw this the other several Can I read? “Harry Potter” novels Why so popular? You with this theme, answered our many questions, but I want to know, “Harry Potter” what is light readings or famous? In China, there are many books have been called “classic”, the book tells us that some of the philosophy of life, the famous”Harry Potter” If the classics, it more or less tell us what, right?
You’re right, we read, no matter what books should write down some of the good examples they think might do to refute authoritative opinion, but should also think about the book series together. I think I will learn it, and you accumulate some examples to argue.
Thanks again for your book, bring me a lot, and you also want to make friends, to join you think about controversial issues together. Come on, come on.
Aileen 2014/3/11
I ventured this response:
Dear Aileen,
Since the wand can be used to go against the wishes of the owner won a loyal subject to change, why Neville contrary to the wishes of the owner to get rid of the fifth part of Harry’s wand, wand and finally Phoenix Neville Elder Wand does not belong?
John
This letter from another reader of Harry Potter’s Bookshelf was written in English:
Dear Mr.Granger,
I’m Nicole,a senior high school student from China.Before reading your book,I had read many kinds of books,such as Jane Eyre written by Bronte,Pride & Prejudice written by Austen,series stores of Sherlock Holmes, etc.I think as a student of science,I know not so much for literature.Therefore,I’d like to get some advice which is useful.
I read Rowling’s books three years ago and now I am still crazy about it.It is true that I cannot understand some things and may there be misunderstandings.After all,every country has its unique culture.
First of all,in HP and the Prisoner of Azkaban,we all know that Sirus Black came up.We can infer from the following books that he is good at magic.But why in the fight against wormtail ,he stood still untill he was caught by officers?He had the chance and he was able to escape.I also had a question towards the Sorting Hat,since wormtail is not so brave and even turned to Dark Lord,why would he go to Gryffindor?What do you think of the sorting hat?
Secondly, what does Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! mean?So far I haven’t understand this sentence said by Dumbledore.And I can’t understand why Voldemort will be so crazy,in his school life he doesn’t prove to be a child!Sounds so horrible!And in the book of chamber of secrets, as Hagrid is a Gryffindor,why only Pro.Dumbledore suspect him?Why other professor believe Riddle but not Hagrid?
What’s more, I’ve mentioned that I am a Chinese student.I am not so familiar with western culture.My favorite movie director is Alfred Hitchcock,especially for his Rebbca and Psycho.Do you think there are some same features between Hitchcock’s short stores and Rowling’s book?I fell in love with literature lately,but I have no certain ideas to do reading,I hope you can offer me some exact and useful advice.
And I ‘d like to get some heed of making pen pals with Americans,especially in cultures.
Hope to hear from you soon.
Yours sincerely,
Nicole
Dear Nicole, if I may,
Thank you for your kind note. I’ll try to answer some of your questions! I cc my 18 year old daughter Anastasia Granger, another Hermione, with whom you might want to correspond.
First of all,in HP and the Prisoner of Azkaban,we all know that Sirus Black came up.We can infer from the following books that he is good at magic.But why in the fight against wormtail ,he stood still untill he was caught by officers?He had the chance and he was able to escape.I also had a question towards the Sorting Hat,since wormtail is not so brave and even turned to Dark Lord,why would he go to Gryffindor?What do you think of the sorting hat?
These are all good questions! I think the best answers are in the article J. K. Rowling’s Brilliant World Building by Nathaniel Givens. Please let me know if it helps. Givens’ thesis is that the small number of magical people, their remarkable powers, and yet that they are almost entirely dependent on Mugglesmakes them as bizarre as they are. A paragraph:
The odd behavior of witches and wizards and the bizarre nature of their social institutions is not sloppy world-building. It’s brilliant world-building based on a keen observation of human nature. If a tiny cohort of humans were given incredible magical powers, this is pretty much the world that you would end up with. Parasitic, backwards, shallow, and reckless.
Secondly, what does Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! mean?So far I haven’t understand this sentence said by Dumbledore
I wrote about that in this post at HogwartsProfessor.com in 2007. Let me know if this helps. In brief, Dumbledore is criticizing the practice of sorting First Years into Four Houses; each of the words is a picture of the prejudice of one Hogwarts House.
And I can’t understand why Voldemort will be so crazy,in his school life he doesn’t prove to be a child!Sounds so horrible!And in the book of Chamber of Secrets,as Hagrid is a Gryffindor,why does only Pro.Dumbledore trust him? Why do the other professors believe Riddle but not Hagrid?
Voldemort is a psychopath, a high-functioning narcissist who only cares about himself, which is to say, beyond manipulation, he is incapable of thinking about other people as human beings as he is.
Do you think there are some same features between Hitchcock’s short stores and Rowling’s book?I fell in love with literature lately,but I have no certain ideas to do reading,I hope you can offer me some exact and useful advice.
Alfred Hitchcock and Joanne Rowling both know how to tell an exciting story — Hitchcock with moving pictures, Rowling with words. I do not know anything about film artistry, however, so I cannot say what, if anything they have in common.
About a reading list, Anastasia can help you here. If you like Jane Austen and Bronte Sister novels, I recommend you try Charles Dickens’ Christmas Carol and then Tale of Two Cities. After that? Shelley’s Frankenstein.
If you like those books, let me know and I’ll recommend some more!
Thank you again for your kind note and wonderful questions!
Gratefully,
Two Parthian Notes:
(1) Shared Text. Need I say more? We’ve seen that the Hogwarts Saga is familiar enough to the Chinese Communist government and people that it has entered their diplomatic speech. That I receive email from Chinese students is another demonstration of Harry’s reach and continuing relevance.
The closest library that is included in WorldCat.org that has it is in Japan, there’s no libraries in China listed (but I have no clue what percentage of libraries in China are on OCLC/worldcat, it might be very rare over there for all I know…)
Hi John – Great job at answering these questions and reaching across the miles and cultures. It still amazes me how far the Harry Potter novels reach and how lucky we all are to have experienced them. Again, well done on the responses.
A 17-year-old from Beijing told me that she read HP in Chinese as a child, and “Every night the summer I turn eleven, I wait for my letter.”