Blog #1

   One of the many things that appeals to me about books 1 and 2 of the Harry Potter series is how Rowling uses different elements of fantasy and is able to incorporate them into a mysterious storyline which leaves the reader shocked or surprised.

      One of the elements stands out the most for this convention is the example of Professor Quarrel. Professor Quarrel is a character who seems like an innocent normal man for the most part but he has this personality, which has the reader questioning about his true identity. He is able to have Harry believe that he was an innocent man, and to have Harry portray Snape as the villain who was after the sorceress stone. But in the final chapter of the book we realize that Quarrel is the man with 2 faces and on the other side is the darkest and  the most feared wizard Lord Voldemort. Rowling created a fantasy like character ( something that we have never really heard of before) and was able to use it to give the  most revealing and shocking surprise that had the readers speechless.

    Rowling  also uses the same tactic in Chamber of Secrets. No one in the school can explain what is causing all of the attacks that are occurring in Hogwarts. Ron, Harry, and Hermonie tried to gather information as to why these events where happening, until they discover that a serpent was what was having the students become petrified. But that wasn't the prime answer to this mystery, for the person that released the serpent out and into Hogwarts  was no other then lord Voldemort. Even more suprising  than the last book, Voldemort is a different form of himself, his younger self Tom Riddle. Tom Riddle also tells Harry another shocking surprise, which is how he made Ginny Weasley do the terrible things that were occurring on the school.