MuggleNet

Reading 'Harry Potter' helps college students with the classics of literature

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 22:24:48 -0500

Colleges and University professors from all over have begun teaching the literature of J.K.Rowling's Harry Potter series in the classroom. And for those who grew up reading the seven book series, professors are finding that students are able to better understand and appreciate the classic literature of Charles Dickens, according to a Washington and Lee University English professor.

Suzanne Keen has struggled in the past to educate college students on classical pieces by Charles Dickens, whose 200th birthday is on February 7th, and with the exception of the infamous tale A Christmas Carol, found that students from six or seven years ago did not enjoy other works by the author, like Little Dorrit.

"It seemed that students were losing their connection to Dickens," Suzanne said. "That was alarming, because, amongst the Victorian novelists, Dickens is the most popular, the most fun, the easiest to read - right up there with Jane Austen."

Today, the students entering colleges and universities grew up reading the Harry Potter series. Consequently, said Keen, "they get Dickens." Apparently, reading Harry Potter is like taking a crash course in reading Dickens because "it's got humor, it's got the caricatured names, it's got multi-plots, it's got the really long stories that you read for hours and hours and hours, and you enjoy the fact that they're long."

Suzanne goes on in the article that she gives all of the credit to J.K. Rowling for priming the younger students with a kid's book version of a Dickensian world. A generation that enjoys reading long books, talking about books with other students, and better appreciating classical English Literature with the likes of Shakespeare and Charles Dickens.

Do you feel that reading the Harry Potter series has given you a greater appreciation towards reading classical works that you might not otherwise have enjoyed as much? Let us know in the comments below. Discussions are welcome.

MuggleNet's February birthday reminders

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 22:24:48 -0500

We would like to extend a very Happy Birthday wish to the actors, actresses, characters, and MuggleNet Staff members that make the Harry Potter series so successful today.

February birthdays:

May all of your birthday wishes come true.

Is your birthday in the month of February? Do you share a birthday with someone on this list? Let us know in the comments below.

MuggleNet's Top Trivia Winners for January

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 22:24:48 -0500

Are you playing MuggleNet's daily trivia challenge? Do you think you have the dedication and knowledge of the Harry Potter series that will set you apart from the rest of the fans? Give it a shot and find out!

Each month we are resetting the points and announcing the trivia leaders. So be sure to visit the site each and every day, login to your MuggleNet account, and answer the three (3) trivia questions to the best of your ability. You will earn ONE point for each correct answer and TWO points for each correct answer every Friday. You will get recognized if your knowledge and dedication are tops, as long as you are not gaming the system.

Join us in congratulating the January winners: Mike, Elizabeth, Maegahn, Carroll Jackson, Slytherclaw, Michelle Tsai, Diana Mayhall, and Michael Stiger.

Feel free to email me directly at keith@staff.mugglenet.com if you have any comments or concerns with the trivia questions or the results as announced.

Good luck to everyone who plays in February!

Which author will win the battle for the Best Children's Book of the past decade?

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 22:24:48 -0500

The viewers of the BBC series Blue Peter and programme [British spelling] editor Tim Levell will be deciding which children's book of the past decade is the best.

Luckily, this will not be another People's Choice award fiasco, where four of the five choices were Harry Potter stars, and the fans spread the votes out among the four with the end result of losing to the only other nominee. In this case, the vote is strictly for Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

The boy wizard takes on David Williams's Mr. Stink, and Anthony Horowitz's Alex Rider Skeleton Key, Jacqueline Wilson's Candy Floss, Francesca Simon's Horrid Henry and the Football Fiend, Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Austere Academy, Jeff Kinney's Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Michael Morpurgo's Private Peaceful, Charlie Higson's Silver Fin, and John Grisham's Theodore Boone.

Be sure to head over to the website right here and vote now.

First video from 'The Ellen Degeneres Show' on Dan meeting his girlfriend on 'Harry Potter' set

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 22:24:48 -0500

Dan Radcliffe continues his promotional tour for The Woman in Black by appearing as a guest on The Ellen Degeneres Show today.

In this clip, Dan discusses meeting his girlfriend Rosie Coker (production assistant for the Harry Potter films) on the set of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince film and started going out with her towards the end of filming for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 1.

Ellen also has a staff member attempt to scare Dan...very funny.

We will give more details of the appearance as they become available.

Video: So what scares Dan Radcliffe?

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 22:24:48 -0500

In a new interview with Entertainment Tonight, Dan shared how he feels about horror films in general as well as what he hopes people will experience while watching his latest film, The Woman in Black.

When asked if he was a fan of scary movies, Dan said:

"I suppose my favorite sort of horror movie would be something like The Shining. I saw that when I was way too young, I was about 14 and it just terrified me, and I mean it still does."

As for why people like to go and see a horror film:

"I think people love to be scared in a safe environment of a cinema. Going to a cinema is a very casual thing, it's not like going to the theater. There's no sense of being in an audience and being all in this together, but I think horror movies do that. If you go see a comedy, you'll get some of the people laughing and some of the people not laughing, it sort of divides the room. But, in this, the whole room is just like having their hearts pounding in the chest. That's what we are going for here."

The Woman in Black is set to be released this Friday in theaters. What part of the movie are you most looking forward to seeing? The terror? Dan in another movie? The mystery of the woman in black? Let us know in the comments below.

Matthew Lewis is ALL grown-up in these photos from MTV News

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 22:24:48 -0500

Here are some new photos of Matthew Lewis - the actor who portrayed our favorite sword weilding Neville Longbottom - that MTV News grabbed from the one-time Hump Day Hottie looking very grown-up.

These photos were taken by London-based photographer Idil Sukan, who was the official photographer for the British Independent Film Awards.

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

Matt has just wrapped up the filming on a major BBC TV project called The Syndicate and is set to begin work on a new film called Wasteland at the end of the month.

What future type of film would you like to see Matt in next? Let us know in our new comment system below.

Emma Watson could be under the direction of David Yates again in near future

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 22:24:48 -0500

Warner Brothers is negotiating to acquire an Emma Forrest-scripted drama based on the scribe's memoir titled, Your Voice in My Head. David Yates is expected to be the director of the film and he is currently in discussions with the young starlet he directed in four of the Harry Potter films, Emma Watson, to play the lead role.

Emma would be playing the role of a young woman who attempts suicide before being saved by a New York-based psychiatrist who's dying of cancer. As for the hopeful candidate for Emma's leading actor, the studio is aiming very high with names like George Clooney and Tom Hanks among the mix.

We will let you know more of this story as it develops.

Video: Celebrate Daniel Radcliffe's graduation from Hogwarts with a flashback to 2001

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 22:24:48 -0500

With his new role in the creepy thriller film, The Woman in Black, Daniel Radcliffe has officially graduated from his Harry Potter duties at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

In celebration, Entertainment Weekly sent us this terrific flashback video to Daniel's first one-on-one ET interview that took place in 2001. At just 12 years old, the normally bright-eyed Daniel seemed a bit weary from the marathon-length press junket interviews of the day, but he managed to muster some genuinely boyish enthusiasm in talking about his first Harry Potter movie, the start of a new life adventure - and being on the verge of worldwide fame.

Do you still remember seeing Dan for the first time before Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone was released in theaters? Tell us your first memory of Dan, Rupert, and Emma in the comments below.

Take a ride on the 'Hogwarts Express' at the National Railway Museum's Wizard Week 2012

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 22:24:48 -0500

The National Railway Museum, located in York England, is home to over 300 years of Railway History and from February 11th through the 19th will be home to Wizard Week 2012.

During the event, you will be able to enter their best-dressed wizard competition on Facebook, and win a one-on-one magic class with the Magic Hatter, an exciting owl experience with Falconry UK Ltd. and much more.

All guests will be able to experience All-action wizard duels, owls displays, a show with the Magic Hatter, and meet Roger Highfield - the author of The Science of Harry Potter - to find out how dragons fly and if invisibility cloaks would really work. Get your picture taken flying on a broomstick, and finally take a 10-minute ride on the 'Hogwarts Express' Steam locomotive.

The 'Olten Hall' is a 1937 GWR-4900 Class 5972 Steam locomotive that was featured in the Harry Potter film series. (if there is any problems with the 'Olten Hall,' don't worry as you will be able to ride on another Hall class locomotive called the City of Truro).

While you are visiting York, be sure to check out The Shambles, a set of streets in York city centre which was the inspiration for Diagon Alley and is featured on many Harry Potter tours.

For full details of the event, check out the National Railway Museum website right here.

Let us know if you will be going in the comments below, and feel free to send in your pictures!