Harry Potter News and Commentary
“Most frightening to children is to dream their own figures of fear and find no analogue in anything they hear about or read. Children need to see their feelings, particularly the darkest ones, reflected in their stories. Mitigating the darkness of the fairy tale takes away their power to reassure children that they are not alone in their fearful imaginings, that they are shared and can be addressed.”
~ Maurice Sendak
Previous post: Harry Potter Theme Park Promises Thrills
david on Harry Potter “Feeble”, Rowling’s Success “Depressing”
SPT on Chapter 20: Xenophilius Lovegood
jensenly on Chapter 20: Xenophilius Lovegood
Tom on Chapter 20: Xenophilius Lovegood
Minerva on Alice at King’s Cross
Red Rocker on Alice at King’s CrossRed Rocker on Alice at King’s Cross
Joivre on Alice at King’s CrossMinerva on Alice at King’s CrossRed Rocker on Alice at King’s Cross
Loading ...
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Interesting statement. Profoundly insightful, even.
Needs data to back it up.
I used to read it to my second graders when I taught, and they loved it, but mostly loved the pictures. It was never really one of my favorites, though. And maybe that’s the difference – Sendak may have touched something that spoke to them in a way that doesn’t necessarily speak to adults.
I don’t think I want to see the movie, however. Something about it just doesn’t look the same as the book. Maybe it’s been too long since I read it.
So Sendak recently spoke about this issue again … with a bit more, um, color.
Reading that article made me laugh. It reminded me of a letter Beethoven wrote to his publisher telling him to go to hell. But really, who’s to say what is too scary – we all fear different things. Alfred Hitchcock, master of screen murder and mayhem once said:
“I’m frightened of eggs, worse than frightened, they revolt me. That white round thing without any holes have you ever seen anything more revolting than an egg yolk breaking and spilling its yellow liquid? Blood is jolly, red. But egg yolk is yellow, revolting. I’ve never tasted it.”
Now if Max was a wild thing serial killer – then yes, that’s too scary for children. But I assume that’s not the case.