Project by: Sophia Gregoire (10th Grade)
Project Advisor: Anna Gonzales
Student(s)’s Advisor(s): Susan Now

Description of the Project:

A thorough annotation of the Harry Potter books, investigating the common themes, the problematic ideals of the author, figuring out storylines and plot holes, and also just some of my opinions. I also find obscure details/inconsistencies/attempted metaphors and similes throughout the book

Final Product: 

Here’s a quick look into my annotations and my final literary analysis paper:

I could talk about so many more issues with the books and the author and the writing. I could talk about Joannes horrible misogyny portrayed in her female protagonists, or how she made Umbridge get raped by a herd of angry centaurs, I could go on about that for hours, but for this essay, I wrote about more things that I’d noticed in this re-reading of the series, and even since I was younger I was able to recognize JK Rowling’s internal hatred for femininity.

This project made me certain that there are probably very few people who know more about the series than I do, and I think I not only improved my knowledge of the books but also my ability to annotate or notice deeper hidden themes in writing. Doing this has taught me what to do and what not to do in my own writing, mostly from the mistakes made by JK Rowling, but some of the more beautiful aspects of her writing as well. 

Harry Potter is still my favorite series, I know it better than almost everything else. I do not think that they are good, or well written in terms of story development, character development and representation, but I do think that they are a childhood classic and that everyone should read them. It also says something about a person’s growth and maturity to see their opinions change as they begin to understand the issues with the books more and more.

This project is something that I’ve wanted to do for a very long time, and I’m happy I finally got to do it. Even more so that I get some form of credit for it.

Update on Progress from Weeks 1-3 (include any photos or video if relevant):

I have photos of my annotations from the third and fourth books, I leave marks on every page so it’s very thorough and it takes a lot of time to do, but I think I now have a very good understanding of the first half of the series

Update on Progress from Weeks 4-6 (include any photos or video if relevant):

It’s taking a while to get through the 5th book, there are 870 pages in it and again, I try to mark my pages as much as possible, just because I have so many thoughts. I’m trying to get through it as fast as possible, Ill upload a video of the annotations when I figure out how to do so.

Update on Progress from Weeks 7-9 (include any photos or video if relevant):

Almost done! halfway through the 6th book which is the 4th shortest, and one of the best, in my opinion, it’s going to be a tight squeeze to finish but I have faith in me. I might submit a video or videos along with my final product/poster. I’ve decided I’m going to a general summary and an illustration of my general thoughts and annotations, one for each book and then in the center of all the illustrations ill have bullet points of the most regular occurrences and the general themes in the writing and characters.

TRIMESTER 2 UPDATES:

Description of the Project:

Thorough annotation of the Harry Potter books, investigating the common themes, the problematic ideals of the author, figuring out storylines and plot holes, and also just some of my opinions

Final Reflection:

Update on Progress from Weeks 1-3 (include any photos or video if relevant):

I finished the first three books of the series and I am currently reading the fourth book. Im trying to upload pictures of my annotations, but it says the images cant upload (same for weeks 4-6). I annotate each page, taking note of character traits, inconsistencies, intended character relationship and unintended character relationships. Small remarks about JK Rowling being the worst

Update on Progress from Weeks 4-6 (include any photos or video if relevant):

The pictures aren’t uploading still, its something about the size of it or something but JK Rowling queer coded a bunch of her characters and then tried to pass them off as straight because people were talking about how they thought characters were queer. Then she made dumbledore gay after all the books came out and then didn’t involve his romance in the fantastic beasts movies even though she had the opportunity to. The Goblet of Fire and the Prisoner of Azkaban are the best books, also I’m still annotating each page very thoroughly trying to catch every detail that has already come up in the books or wil

Update on Progress from Weeks 7-9 (include any photos or video if relevant):

Trimester 1 Update:

Final Product (e.g., documents, images, video, audio, poster, display, etc.):

(NO FINAL PRODUCT) (CONTINUING THROUGH THE TRIMESTERS)

Final Reflection on Learning:

I am really enjoying this project so far, I think its really good for me to sit down every day and read something that makes me happy and notice the more stringent details that go on within it. It’s improving my observation skills and annotation skills which comes in handy with American Literature/any English class.

Update on Progress from Weeks 1-3 (include any photos or video if relevant):

I have been trying to read a chapter a day, taking as many notes as I can to grasp every detail mentioned, I am still on the first book but the work has lots of effort put into the annotations and observations, I hope to read the 1-3 book this trimester.

Update on Progress from Weeks 4-6 (include any photos or video if relevant):

I have finished the first book and moved onto the second book, my motivation has been lacking a bit so I haven’t always been able to read a chapter a day, but I am reading and annotating at least 3-4 pages every day, sometimes more than just a chapter too. The speed of the work isn’t consistent but the value of the work is.

Update on Progress from Weeks 7-9 (include any photos or video if relevant):

I am still reading the 2nd book but I will finish it soon and I hope to read the third book over break and come back next trimester ready to read the fourth book, I intend to continue this project throughout the trimesters, I want to do an annotation of all the books and then if I have time sum up all of my observations or something of that nature, but I am intending to continue this project throughout the trimesters.