Happee Birthdae Harry
Harry Potter's birthday is on July 31 and we thought it'd be fitting to celebrate that by asking a few of our regular Limitless Blog authors to write up what this fictional character and world he resides in means to them.
I’m not sure why but I was always reluctant to read Harry Potter as a young child. Part of it might have been because I hated reading up until I was in third grade and started reading chapter books. Another reason could’ve been because people would keep telling me to read the books and whenever I’d ask them to give me a summary of the plot, they would just tell me to look it up on the Internet. Back then I didn’t have my own laptop or Apple device with a screen reader to access the Internet independently. In fifth grade during silent reading, I kept complaining that the books for my grade level were too easy and gave me no mental stimulation. My EA thought I was ready to read young adult books and finally I was able to get a summary of what Harry Potter was about. She gave me the first book in electronic braille to read over the winter break. I was still kind of reluctant to read the books but she told me she would be asking me questions about the book so I knew there was no getting out of it and I couldn’t pretend to read it.
Needless to say, I fell in love with the series almost immediately. I finished the first book in less than a week and immediately felt frustrated that I didn’t have the whole series. As soon as school was in session I immediately pleaded to have the rest of the series given to me. I finished all seven books in less than four months.One of my favourite aspects of the books is the balance of plot and world building. I just love this whole separate world the author created with all of the lore and knowledge and history. I love dissecting each and every chapter of the books, finding parallels or symbolism, and then comparing it to real life social issues. Doing in-depth character analysis is also something the bookworm in me loved doing.
My favourite character would definitely be Hermione Granger. She is also a nerdy bookworm who is extremely passionate and sometimes let’s her strong opinions and beliefs go a bit too far in her activism. What I admire most about her however is the fact that she isn’t afraid to be herself and be different even though people might laugh or make fun of her.I love that there is such a wonderful Harry Potter community in Blind Beginnings. I enjoy sharing videos, discussing podcasts, and debating different theories with my fellow "Potter Heads". The Harry Potter Book Club at Blind Beginnings is definitely one of my favourite programs. The enthusiastic narration and conversation make it much more exciting rather than just listening to an audiobook by myself. Me and a couple other members definitely agree that we love the angry character voices much more this way then the original audiobook. It’s also a great way to bring together people from various, ages all the way from kids under 10 to people in their late teens and even some adults.
by Nika Najafi
What started out as a children’s fantasy series has now shaped an entire generation of young people. From children to adults, there has been something magical about Harry Potter that seems to continuously pull people in, and for many of us, it has happened multiple times. Harry Potter, among other things, speaks to the desire in all of us to be loved and to be recognized not for what we do or what labels we wear, but for who we are. And for many of us as youth and young adults with disabilities, the lure is even stronger.
I first discovered Harry Potter as a fourth-grade student listening to a teacher read it aloud to the class. It was mildly fascinating to me as it was trendy at the time, and everyone was talking about it. Yet it wasn’t until much later that I began to see parallels in the series to life as a disabled person.
The concept of a boy who lost his parents, became famous, and is the hero who steps in to save the day with a little help from his friends is by now familiar to most. But for those of us who read the books again and again, there is so much more. Harry is singled out from the get-go for something he has no control over. People have placed high expectations or made assumptions about him based on something that he has no memory of and is represented by a lack of parents and a scar on his forehead sticking out like a sore thumb.
If this sounds familiar, either from your personal experience or as someone who has heard a friend or family member share this same struggle, that should be of no surprise. People with disabilities, blindness or otherwise, are often singled out for something they have no control over. Harry is famous as a result of his survival. People with disabilities are noticed for whatever the one thing we do that stands out may be: music, sports, making it through university, our disability stories, or for simply living our normal lives. And like Harry, many of us have no desire to be famous. Some people in the series bask in glory. Harry has, among various human flaws and shortcomings, a desire to simply be accepted for who he is, not because he is famous. And he is shown repeatedly that there will be people who will do just that. People who will accept him as he is, warts and all, yet will address the flaws they do see with love and understanding. And I believe that this is a desire we all share: to be accepted for the people we are underneath the disability label, and to simply be seen as people with flaws, strengths, and all the other things that come with being human.
And now that I am serving as the narrator for the Blind Beginnings Harry Potter Book Club, I’ve gained yet another layer of appreciation for the series and for the hope that it gives to so many of us, and that somewhere in the world will be our own golden trio: people who aren’t afraid to acknowledge and address our shortcomings, but will see past the obvious appearances to the people beneath and will stick with us through thick and thin.
by Clement Chou
Editor's Note: The Harry Potter Book Club is open to Blind Beginnings members and runs every Wednesday at 4PM PST until September 2021.