Shared Text: The Several Wizarding World Allusions Made During the University of Virginia’s Summer Leadership Crisis

August 5, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Not all Harry Potter comparisons by higher education critics take nine years to appear in print. (See the preceding article by Elizabeth Baird Hardy for one that did.)

Like a lot of professors in Virginia, I followed with intense interest the Board of Visitor’s unexpected June 10th dismissal of University of Virginia (UVa) President Teresa Sullivan, and the sixteen days of protests by faculty, students and alums. The debacle ended with Dr. Sullivan’s reinstatement on June 26th. The Chronicle of Higher Education, happily a bit quicker on the draw with this story, has a detailed summary of the events here.

Allusions to our favorite Shared Text were quickly popping up all over social media: Twitter, Facebook, and commentary on online news article by people following the story. Rector Helen Dragas was compared to virtually every bad guy in the series, from Lucius Malfoy to Lord Voldemort to Dolores Umbridge. I also spotted at least one Hunger Games illusion, wherein it was suggested that Dragas and Sullivan fight it out in the Arena to settle their dispute.

Most of the Harry Potter allusions popped up in tweets or in comments on news articles, hard to document with URLs. But combining the #UVA hashtag with the key words brings quite a few up from the Twitter archives. A few sample Tweets:

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Filed Under: Louise Freeman, Shared Text Tagged With: , ,

Chronicle of Higher Education Finally Notices Harry Potter

August 5, 2012 by 11 Comments

On August 1. The Chronicle of Higher Education published a brief piece about how effectively Rowling satirizes the (American) educational system, particularly in the person of Umbridge, the administrator we all fear and loathe, particularly if we work in an academic setting. Though Rob Jenkins’s article is about nine years late to the party, it does have some merit. In addition, many of the comments posted by readers are even more chortle-producing for their “I just woke up from a decade-long coma” tone (I am really amused by the attorney who wants to be the literature police. What is he even doing reading the Chronicle? Hopefully, he’s not planning to sue a teacher for giving a student the grade the student earned, but that’s another post). So check out the article, and then follow me after the jump for a few thoughts on yes, indeed, why Umbridge is, to some of us, much scarier than Voldy himself. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Elizabeth Baird Hardy, Shared Text Tagged With:

Casual Vacancy: A Month Until ‘The New Rowling’

August 4, 2012 by 10 Comments

The countdown began months ago but I begin to feel real anticipation when we are one or two lunar cycles away from the appearance of Casual Vacancy, Joanne Rowling’s first post Hogwarts Saga novel. It doesn’t hurt that men like Bruce Charlton, friend of this blog, has posted his thoughts on Ms Rowling as a writer in the form of “predictions” about Vacancy. He doesn’t actually make any predictions per se about what the book will contain or be about but he is much more enthused than he was at the publisher’s announcement of the title. Let me try to be more specific with my crystal ball to re-start the ball rowling, if you will, here.

I think it all comes down to the meaning of “adult novel,” the big difference between Vacancy and Harry Potter. I’d assume “adult” means at least five things akin to an ‘R’ rating in films, that is, ‘what keeps the movie from earning the coveted G-is-for-Disney rating.’

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Filed Under: Casual Vacancy

Catching Fire: A Speculative Screenplay

July 31, 2012 by 3 Comments

Back in June, Hana McCarthy sent us her outline of how she would structure a screenplay for the film adaptation of Catching Fire. With the actual filming set to begin soon (and probably not in my stomping grounds this time, alas), and the actual script guarded by dragons, trolls, and scary guys with earpieces, Hana’s speculative script is a great way to see how the story could be effectively adapted to the screen, preserving most of its tone, themes, and critical elements (particularly those of interest to us nerdy folks here). Please note, this is NOT the actual script being used for the film, but Hana’s delightful, orginal work. Of course, spoilers abound, but the biggest one might be how the actual film will be spoiled for us by Hana’s fascinating treatment, with which Hollywood will probably not be able to compete. So get some popcorn, read on, and get fired up! Thank you so much for sharing with us, Hana! [Read more…]

Filed Under: Hunger Games Tagged With: ,

Ascendio Thoughts 1: The Harry Potter Fan Zone Review

July 30, 2012 by 2 Comments

Let’s start what I hope will be a cascade of posts about the HPEF finale in Orlando earlier this month, Ascendio 2012, with the publication of David and Toni Gras’ report that they wrote as journalists and fans under the rubric of the Harry Potter Fan Zone web site (yes, I have the Gras’ permission to do this!). Tomorrow I’ll put up my footnotes to this listing at the various points where I participated in the remarkable cavalcade of events — over 250! — that took place in the Muggle equivalent of the village down the street from Hogwarts Castle.

Ascendio 2012

By Harry Potter Fan Zone reporters, David and Toni Gras, July 2012

“…there will be a time when we must choose between what is right and what is easy.”

— Professor Albus Dumbledore.

Harry Potter Educational Fanon (HPEF) held its 8th and final event, “Ascendio”, in Orlando, Florida July 11 – 15, 2012 in the shadows of “Hogwarts Castle” at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studio’s Portofino Bay Hotel.  As Professor Dumbledore reiterated in his famous quote from “Goblet of Fire”, HPEF decided to choose the “right” path rather than the “easy” path when they sacrificially and joyfully took on the immense efforts of coordinating and organizing a conference of this magnitude for Potter fans.    Approximately 1000 loyal and enthusiastic Potter fans filled the hallways of the conference center at the hotel for 4.5 days, some dressed in Potter costumes or as Potter characters and some in regular street clothes.  All were welcome at the conference which offered something for everyone…..

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Filed Under: Hog Pro Notes