Weekly Response #2

Book: Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone

Author: J.K. Rowling

Pages Read:  19-38

I have just finished reading chapters two and thee which I have a few questions and comments to share with you. Chapter two is called Vanishing Glass it begins with his Aunt Petunia waking up Harry Potter by yelling “Up! Get up! Now!” As he woke up it was natural for him to start making breakfast and today of all days so happens to be Dudley’s Birthday. His parents of course were pouring him with gifts as it explains some of the things Dudley got for his birthday it said in the book that “Dudley’s favorite punching-bag was Harry, but he couldn’t often catch him.” I never realized how violent Dudley is to Harry until then. As I kept reading there are many moments where Dudley will randomly hit, push or punch Harry which isn’t fair to poor Harry he gets enough mental abuse from his Aunt and Uncle it must suck constantly getting physical abuse from Dudley.

Being Dudley’s Birthday they all decided to go to the zoo, on the way there in the car ride Harry was speaking out loud about his dream ‘I had a dream about a motorbike, it was flying’ said Harry. This dream is actually a faint memory when Hagrid brought Harry in his flying motorcycle to the Dursley’s. Naturally his Uncle Vernon was furious and said ‘MOTORBIKES DON’T FLY’. It amazes me how Harry is remembering this and if Harry will slowly put all the pieces together and remember more. It excites me!

When they arrive at the Zoo Harry sees a Brazilian Boa Constrictor behind the glass, I love how he talks to the snake but I find it really cool how it seems like he’s speaking English to it when he’s really not and without even realizing  it he uses magic to remove the glass and set the snake free. At that point Dudley was leaning on the glass when it vanishes then falls into the Boa Constrictors cage. I’m kind of curious how Harry sounded to other people when he was talking to the snake, did they think he crazy?

The next morning Harry was getting letters sent to him one every few days and were even sent to his cupboard under the stairs and after that they were being sent to his new room  but his Uncle Vernon wasn’t letting him read his own letters.  Then one day a whole bunch of letters come pouring down and out the chimney filling up the house and I am wondering why are there THAT many letters, what is so important to be said to Harry by that many people and what is it exactly what they say, they can’t all be his acceptance letter.. could they? But now his uncle is furious and I hate how he makes such a big deal about the letters he doesn’t even let him see one. After the whole letter explosion Uncle Vernon demands them to move away, so after a few moves they end up in the middle of nowhere surrounded by old water and in my opinion I think Harry’s Uncle went way to extreme with them moving so far away. And I wonder where do they go after?