Litsy

Harry Potter And The Sorcerer's Stone: By J.K.Rowling | J.K. Rowling

It's officially midnight eastern so here is your discussion post for Chapter One of Sorcerers/Philosophers Stone. Please remember - we are discussing how this theme shows up in THIS chapter, not in the book as a whole.

BOOK 1, CHAPTER 2 THEME (Reading on 1/5): Lonliness

#hpchapteraday

freyaheart The commitment I see in this chapter is that of the hogwarts staff. Dumbledore to get him to his family, McGonagall to see that harry was going to a good home and Hagrid getting him there safely. 8y

Missusb I did a post about this. Are we meant to comment here? This is my first #litsychallenge. The commitment I see is that of the Dursley's. They are totally committed to being muggles. Now & forever. #obtuse #narrow #hellish (edited) 8y

maximoffs @Missusb you've absolutely done it right! I love that you commented here and also posted about it :) 8y

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Missusb Yay thanks @steverogers appreciate the confidence 👍 #whew 8y

maximoffs Midnight reading thoughts. Will probably listen to the audiobook and have more but here we go: Dursley's seem so committed to normalcy that they're blinded by everything else. When you commit to something so fiercely (like normalcy) when things start to change (b/c of you or b/c of circumstances beyond control) I've always felt like I couldn't be open about it because I committed to something else so publicly 8y

maximoffs There's a huge commitment on the wizards end for not hiding magic that day. Also where was the Ministry of Magic? Did the Statute of Secrecy just get waived because of everything? McGonagall committed to a baby she doesn't even know because she SAT ON A BENCH ALL DAY and didn't do it out of a commitment she made to Dumbledore b/c he was surprised when he saw her. ALSO SHOULDNT HE HAVE KNOWN SHE WASNT AT WORK?????? 8y

maximoffs Commitment on Dumbledores part of calling Voldemort Voldemort. He's been trying for ELEVEN YEARS. I admire the commitment between Lily and James. I also noticed when McGonagall was talking about how every wizard family would talk about him like...a commitment culturally to pass down stories? 8y

maximoffs And FINALLY: at least for midnight reading thoughts: Hagrid is so committed to this baby that isn't his. And it reminds me of those kids I've watched grow up and literally love them like they're mine and how even though they aren't, how committed I am to them. That's what Hagrid is to me there. 8y

jenniferw88 All good points but re McGonagall and Dumbledore: I've just googled 'Halloween 1998 day' and it was a Saturday, so they won't have been teaching. 8y

Joriebooks @jenniferw88 It would have been Halloween 1981. Harry was born in 1980. Although it was still a Saturday. 8y

jenniferw88 @Joriebooks I did think afterwards'thats the wrong year's but didn't know how to edit post lol! 8y

Reecaspieces I agree with all of y'all. Especially the Dursleys commitment to normalcy. However, I think they are also committed to jealousy and hate for Harry. Harry is a threat to their "sweet baby boy" plus Mrs. Dursley was very jealous of Lilly. 8y

the_hibernator The commitment the teachers are asking of the Dursleys when dropping him off. Definition 2. http://hibernatorslibrary.blogspot.com/2017/01/hpchapteraday-sorcerers-stone-cha... 8y

Bklover It seems as if the Dursleys are committed to denial. Denying the existence of Lily and all she represents. 8y

alexbaysinger Yes, I'm on the same page regarding the Dursley's commitment to normalcy. Throughout most of the chapter Vernon sees strange things (the cat, the wizards) and tries to think up reasonable explanations for them. Also he's very committed to thinking about drills during these situations, lol. 8y

alexbaysinger Dumbledore is also committed to doing what is right rather than what is easy. He knows Harry will be better off with the Dursley's even though life with Muggles will be harder for Harry. He is capable of doing more powerful magic than Voldemort, but is committed to being noble rather than powerful. Also he is committed to Hagrid when any other witch /wizard would have written him off. 8y

mllemay The Dursleys are definitely an example of 2. They get saddled with the obligation to raise Harry and that definitely restricts their freedom to live in a certain way and to continue to disregard half of their family. Also agree about Dumbledore's commitment to doing what's right for Harry. He has to know that Harry will be an outsider with the Dursleys and probably quite miserable but he still leaves him there so he can have a 👇🏻 8y

mllemay (Cont) "normal" childhood and not have to contend right away with the pressure and responbility that his fame will inevitably put on him. (edited) 8y

mllemay Oh and I'd say that Hagrid is also pretty committed/dedicated/loyal to Harry already given how violently he cries when he has to leave him lol 8y

mrp27 I agree with the Dursley's commitment to all that is normal, but to me that is a self serving type of commitment. When I think of commitment, I think of it as something people do through thick and thin, good and bad and not always comfortable. When Dumbledore commits himself to Harry, to love and protect, he does it knowing it won't be easy and at great sacrifice to himself. Now that's commitment! 8y

Rozilla I love the commitment that Dumbledore and Minerva show to their former students James and Lilly. It reminded me of every great teacher I have ever met. The idea that they will attempt to secure a future for Harry is the ultimate in seeing things through! 8y

maximoffs @Rozilla I LOVE the idea of how commitment was shown to James and Lily. Oh my gosh I never thought about that 8y

pppooraikul Personally, I think the Dursleys did not directly commit to normalcy in the first place. It began with their determination to keep a secret. The secret. They committed to hide their involvement with magic and overdid it, I guess. Thus, the commitment led to their obvious abnormal obsession with normalcy. 8y

Loretta @mrp27 But I think it's more than a commitment to Harry--it's a commitment to protecting all of Wizarding kind. He likely suspected--and I think this suspicion is confirmed in later books--that Voldemort wasn't quite finished. So he was ever watchful and committed to the cause of defeating him and protecting the entire world,. 8y

mrp27 @Loretta Absolutely right. I just read HP and cursed child and Dumbledore in his painting form spoke to Harry about his love for him. Now going back to HP and Sorcerers stone, I see Dumbledores commitment to Harry about his love and that was my focus, just one aspect of Dumbledores commitment. (edited) 8y

maximoffs My first blog post with all my thoughts on commitment is up! The Bachelor, Harry Potter and my life collide in this post about commitment.
https://harrypotterchapteraday.wordpress.com/2017/01/04/is-dumbledore-the-best-o... (edited) 8y

DrJAdMerricksson Hmmm. Well, looking at commitment as a responsibility, the Dursleys' will need to make that choice in regards to the infant left on the porch. Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Hagrid show a commitment to little Harry as well, by taking him where he would be safe, if not necessary. 8y

Loretta @mrp27 Yep, it was this emotional combination of both personal and public service. ❤️💛❤️ 8y

Peddler410 So first, I am trying to form my thoughts solely on what is in this chapter 😬 Because of their strong dislike of magic, the Dursley's are committed to being as normal as possible but also to denying what they know. Dumbledore and McGonagall were committed to Harry and in doing so show their commitment to his parents. Hagrid shows a commitment to Harry's parents. Y getting him safely to Dumbledore. All of this is a commitment to the world of magic 8y

BarbaraJean @steverogers I totally relate to your comments re: the Dursleys, on feeling like you can't change or be open about change b/c of a public commitment. Totally see that in them, connected to fear of what others will think. I resonate with that--I have a hard time being open until I'm "sure" about something b/c I hate looking like someone who backs out of commitments. But sometimes a change of direction is needed or out of your control and that's ok! 8y

BarbaraJean @alexbaysinger @mllemay @DrJAdMerricksson I agree with your comments on the commitment Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Harris have toward Harry--that's what stuck out to me the most in this chapter. Their commitment to do what's right--what's best for Harry--even though it'll be hard (it's going to be hard for Harry, but it's also hard for the teachers to leave Harry w/ the Dursleys) 8y

Caterina In addition to all the thoughtful comments here, I think Mr. and Mrs. Dursley's commitment to Dudley is an interesting example of an unhealthy level of commitment. Their world revolves around him to a large extent, and their commitment to and love for him is not what's best for them, for him, or for anyone else. 8y

alexbaysinger @Caterina I never thought of that! That's true. I think their commitment to Dudley might also be en extension of their commitment to normalcy. They're so devoted to Dudley because he's "normal" aka not a wizard, which in their eyes makes him perfect and worthy of their affection even though he's a spoiled brat. 8y

ErinC Okay, maybe I'm a cynic and having never read this before, I'm maybe missing a point to come later, but why oh why didn't Dumbledore commit to caring for Harry as a baby? I guess seeing how committed the Dursleys are to being "normal" couldn't Dumbledore see how awful an environment that would be for him? 8y

maximoffs @erinc not a cynic and a great point! There actually is a reason we find out later BUT (this is me coming from a bit of a religious standpoint too) I had abusive parents. And I often STILL get mad at God like "why the HELL would you put me with them" and in my faith it's because like here, there's a reason. But that doesn't make it any easier on the kid in question. 8y

ErinC Thanks @steverogers! I kind of figured but it's still frustrating at first. I thought it would've been more apparent at the beginning. 8y

maximoffs @erinc it's def I think a question you're supposed to be pondering. Like why would you leave him with these terrible people. 8y

Yunie241 I definitely saw commitment in McGonagall as she watched the Dursleys all day. Even though she didn't want to believe the truth as to why she was keeping an eye on them, not wanting to admit that Lily and James were dead, she just wanted to feel assured that Harry would be placed with people that care about him. 8y

monkeygirlsmama I saw commitment in many forms in this chapter. 1st McGonagall kept an avid watch on the house all day and was committed to waiting around for Dumbledore. 2nd Dumbledore was committed to seeing Harry kept out of the spotlight until he was old enough to understand and appreciate his history and the weight of his calling. 3rd Hagrid was committed to getting Harry to Privet drive safely. (edited) 8y

Amandajoy I see McGonagall & Hagrid's commitment to trusting Dumbledore. Neither one is too excited about leaving Harry with the Dursleys but their commitment to Dumbledore allows them to trust in his decision. 8y

monkeygirlsmama @ErinC I'm new to reading this series too, but my takeaway is that Dumbledore was committed to seeing Harry brought up in a safe environment away from the wizarding world. I think he might have been inclined to raise himself or with Hagrid and McGonagall, but the point of leaving him w/his family was so he could grow up out of the spotlight & be unscathed by the knowledge of the weighty responsibilities that would one day be his. Until old enough. 8y

monkeygirlsmama @Amandajoy Excellent take away. I saw that too, but didn't register it. 8y

Kat.Kao The Dursleys' commitment to Harry/Lily really struck me--this is my first reread, and I first read the book in high school, so I'm in a totally different place this time. They're abusive, but it seems to be out of pure terror and weakness than out of hatred or cruelty. The big question for me is not why Dumbledore didn't keep Harry, but why DID the Dursleys? I think that says a lot about their willingness to keep this child who terrifies them. 8y

MyNamesParadise @Kat.Kao I think Petunia agreed to it because she was secretly envious of Lily being a witch. I guess she was able to convince Vernon of keeping Harry without revealing that to him though... 8y

MyNamesParadise @alexbaysinger great point about Dumbledore doing what is right, even if it means some not-so-right things along the way. And agree about Hagrid. 8y

Kat.Kao @MyNamesParadise so that could be her connection to the wizarding world? Interesting. I was thinking it was her love for her sister being stronger than her jealousy/fear, but I like that idea. 8y

MyNamesParadise @pppooraikul I agree regarding the Durselys. It became about keeping up the facade of "normalcy!" 8y

MyNamesParadise @Caterina I think they overcompensated in their love for Dudley because they wanted to make sure he was "normal" because in their minds Harry by definition "wasn't normal". 8y

MyNamesParadise @Amandajoy great point about McGonagall and Hagrid putting aside their own opinions of the decision and having a larger commitment to Dumbledore weighed out in the end! 8y

MyNamesParadise @Kat.Kao well that's what I took away from it! In one of the later books Dumbledore tells Harry how jealous Petunia was on Lily which SHOCKED Harry. So not having read that part in a while, it's like her own secret. If Vernon knew Petunia wanted to be a witch, would Vernon see Petunia differently. She's with someone like Vernon bc it's easier 2 hate a group that u know you can never be a part of than to accept it wasn't meant for you (my takeaway) 8y

Amandajoy @Kat.Kao I never thought to question why the Durselys did keep Harry. That puts things into a different perspective. 8y

stacybmartin I'm with everyone else on the Dursleys - their commitment to being perfect and normal (and condemning everyone else) goes way above and beyond the norm. They're so afraid of anyone thinking they may be in any way connected with the 'Potters' sort' that they become boring, narrow-minded, jerk faces that can't even realize how big of a spoiled brat Dudley is. That's a huge commitment to keeping face. 8y

MatildaBaggins I love McGonagall & Hagrid's commitment to Dumbledore and their trust in him. I also feel Dumbledore's commitment to keeping Harry away from the wizarding world was a hard decision for him, but he did it to protect Harry, all feelings aside. 8y

MatildaBaggins And I agree with everyone else on the Dursleys' abnormal commitment to normalcy... 😂 (edited) 8y

451Degrees I agree with a lot of everyone's comments on the Dursley's commitment to normalcy. Also their commitment to be nasty people towards the wizarding community. What is striking in this instance is that Petunia's sister ends up being dead and they still are so against them and everything the Potter's were! I feel like they are being disrespectful to those who had fought and died even if they don't understand it. Plus it was family...😒 8y

451Degrees I would also like to comment on McGonagall's commitment to being herself in a trying situation☺️ She's absolutely one of my favorite characters and completely blunt and honest about what she's thinking and being present in this situation didn't change her personality whatsoever! 8y

intothehallofbooks All of these comments are so great and I agree with so much of this! When I was reading in terms of today's theme, what was first in my mind is what @pppooraikul mentioned above: the Dursleys commitment to keep the Potters and their association with them a secret. Which I think then turned into this abnormal appearance of normalcy. High fives to Mr Dursleys commitment to ignore/explain away what he saw that looked abnormal or magical! (edited) 8y

451Degrees I also like that the theme is commitment for day one since we are committing 11 months to reading all these books! Yay Littens! Happy reading 😊 8y

intothehallofbooks @451Degrees Yes! I hope I can stick with it! 😁 8y

Godmotherx5 I was touched by Dumbledore's, McGonagall's & Hagrid commitment to the Potters' memory. They sought to keep Harry safe. In so doing, they added to their grief with another great loss. 8y

WanderingBookaneer @Caterina : I think the Dursley's are committed to keeping up appearances to the point that they strive for everything to seem perfect. It may be inconceivable to them that their child is far from it. As first-time parents they might not realize that they are, in fact, enabling their precious boy. 8y

WanderingBookaneer I agree with @mllemay . Dumbledore knows that Harry will be a celebrity in their world and instead of taking the boy under his wing, or handing him to another magical family, he chooses to spare Harry from that spotlight. There is no way for Harry to go unnoticed by other magical folks because of his scar. I think, as we will learn in later books, but Dumbledore is committed to finding out the truth. (👇🏻) 8y

WanderingBookaneer In fact, Dumbledore is so committed to this search for truth that it takes him years to accumulate information and eventually pass it on to Harry. If Harry were to live in the magical world word would get out to Voldemort. We have to remember that at this point Dumbledore knows about the prophecy and wants to get to the bottom of things. (edited) 8y

WanderingBookaneer Furthermore, I honestly believe that he thinks the Dursleys will do the right thing and tell Harry everything when the time is right. Lily was such a wonderful person and Petunia is her sister… His presumption is almost understandable. 8y

WanderingBookaneer However, I want to talk about Rowling's commitment. Without giving too much away because of the first timers in the group, the author does include so many details that will be relevant in future books. Each rereading opens my eyes to how much of a master of her craft J. K. Rowling is. She had this wonderful epic in her mind and she was committed to sharing it with the world and we are the better for it. 8y

WanderingBookaneer I was just talking to @BookishMarginalia . I told her that if Harry had grown up in the magical world he would've been the equivalent of young drew Barrymore. Daughter (and granddaughter) of royalty who was catapulted into fame at a young age, did not know how to handle the pressures that came with that fame, and imploded for a bit. 8y

carrceli This is awesome!!! I think the Dursleys commitment to being normal stems from fear and knowledge. They know that the "Potters crowd" is out there and they fear anything that might associate them to the wrong crowd 8y

pppooraikul @WanderingBookaneer Totally agree with you on Rowling's commitment! I reread the series countless times I thought nothing would surprise me. But as I reread for this challenge, I was constantly amazed. 😍 8y

Lizpixie Sorry I'm late to this discussion! My take on Petunias reasons for keeping Harry, is that it's a big one up on the sister that was more perfect, more special than she felt she was. I feel like it's her way of saying "look, everyone loved you more, but I'M the one raising your son for you. Being perfect and special didn't help you much in the end" I think this is her commitment of needing to be better than her sister. 8y

mllemay @Lizpixie that's such an interesting take on it! It makes a lot of sense, considering her personality. 8y

ScarletQuill So many good comments here so I'll just second everything! As a parent, I'm struck by the Dursleys' commitment to acting like their son is a precious angel. I'm sorry, even first time parents know a bloody tantrum when they see one. So that's an impressive level of sanity they're clinging onto in the face of that baby freaking all the time. 😜 8y

Redjewel_7734 I'm most struck by McGonagall's commitment. She's committed to knowing the truth, and the only source she'll trust for that in this instance is Dumbledore. She's committed to her students which we see in her commitment to watching the Dursleys; Harry is the child of former students so she wants to know what he's being sent into and he will be her future student so she wants to know he's being watched out for. McGonagall's commitment is a force to 8y

Whatannareads Sorry I am late to the party 🎉 but spent the day catching up! 8y

Whatannareads So most of my points have already been made; but the thing that struck me most is commitment is not always a positive thing; The Dursleys could be admired for taking in Harry, but there main motive for taking him to me is there commitment to stamp out Harry's Heritage- whether that be jealousy on Petunia's part of her sister or fear of the unknown, but I think it's a mix. 8y

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