Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

        I am re-reading the book, Harry Poter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K.Rowling.  In this book Harry is faced with a series of challenges known to the wizarding world as the Tri-Wizard Tornaments.  Competing in these tournaments makes him the youngest wizard ever to take part in these competitions.  There are three in total, and in the third one you have to find a goblet in a gigantic maze.         I think that the tournaments are very acurate in saying that life has challenges, and to get what you want, you have to get through them.  Not that it will be easy because, of course, it won't be.  These challenges are very literal in saying that things will be tough.  I'm wondering if Rowling wanted it to be that way though.
        One reason that she might have wanted it to be literal is to show that things stand in the way of what we want.  And that we don't get handed anything in life, we have to work for it.  This is an important message for her to show because I feel like many kids that read these books are a little younger, or at least when they read it for the first time.  If they don't learn that you have to work for things earlier on in life, then it might be harder for them to learn it later.
        J.K.Rowling might not have ment for that message to be literal.  Making it literal was sort of like handing you the message of the story.  It was easy to figure out, to easy.  I feel like it you had to think to figure out the message, then it would enhance the point of it.  It took me less then a minute to think of the message, if you want us to think, then make us.
        If I ever write a book , a real book, I know that I'm going to try to get kids to think.  After all, most good books make you think.  This book is an exceptoin.

The Diamond of Darkhold *Spoilers are included!

        I just finished reading The Diamond of Darkhold by Jeanne Duprau.  In this book Lina and Doon venture back into their old underground city called Ember in the hopes of finding supplies to help the Emberites and the people of Sparks make it through the winter.  When they get there Doon is captured by people that have moved into Ember.  Lina manages not to get caught and goes to get help.
        I don't really know what to say about this book, so I'm just going to say that I find it annoying how un-edjucated the people that moved into Ember are.  They are the Trogg family, by the way.  But anyway, they find a big "jewel" and have no clue that it could be more than that.  It has a big metal ring around it! What jewel has that?  None that I know of.
        They are also very inconsiderate of others.  When they first arrived in Ember they  went exploring.  The Troggs soon discovered a river, and beside it... bodies of Emberites that died trying to leave.  And what did they do? They tossed them into the river.  Didn't even bat an eyelash.  I don't mean that they were supposed to have a funeral for them or anything, but I just wish that they would feel a little bit bad about throwing them into the river.
        Those things are just my opinions, but what about the rest of you?  Do you agree?

Harry Potter #3 P.S. There is a spoiler

         I'm reading the book Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling.  In this book Harry, Ron, and Hermione return to Hogwarts only to find out that Sirius Black, a prisoner in Azkaban is on the loose, and he wants to find Harry.  Not only that, but dementors are at Hogwarts and now Harry needs to learn how to fight them off.
         One thing that I've noticed in this book is that the dementors always seem to be after Harry.  This is probably because he has some of the worst memories out of all the students there at Hogwarts.  One thing that I would like to know what the dementors represent.  Do they represent all the dark things that we keep hidden in the back of our minds?  I've come to think so.  Dementors are a weapon, used to get us to think about those memories.  Memories that could haunt us forever, causing us to be lifeless thing just floating in a world that we feel we don't belong in turning you into one of them, a dementor, with no emotions, no soul, no life.  I think that is what anyone would beome, with no happy memories.  Without those memories, without happiness in general, what is the point in living?  There really is none.
        If dementors were real people, then they would be the bullies.  The  ones that make you feel bad, that suck all the happiness out of you.  But it's just to make themselves happy, to make them feel better, so that they have more of a soul.  And really, it doesn't work.  All it does is makes them want more people to be sad, for them  to have something to live for.  They just don't realize, that living that way is not worth it.  Anyone like that should try to do something with their lives, to make it worthwhile.  No one should have to live like a dementor, so just be happy and think about those happy memories.  Leave the bad ones in a loked up trunk in your head.

It's Not Easy Being Mean

        I just finished reading the book it's Not Easy Being Mean by Lisi Harrison.  In this book Massie, Alicia, Dylan, Kristen, and Claire set off to find a key to unlock a mysterious room on OCD's campus.  Well, except Claire because she's to busy working on an a contract in acting.  The only problem about finding the key is that it's under some boy's bed.  I'm not going to say  what happens so you have to read it to fing out.
        Honestly, having to write about some issues in this book is hard because it is just so shallow!  But looking past all of that, there is something there to think about.  Spoiler coming up soon.  It comes up towards the end of the book, where Massie and her friends are forced to make some sacrifices to get the key after a "loser beyond repair", Layne Abeley, finds the key.  In order to get the key from Layne, Massie has to bargain with her untill she decides to give it up.  I feel like this is saying that you have to lose some to win some.  I know that it's a common cliche, but that is the way to describe it.  But then I started thinking about how if you are happy with what you have and everyone in the school wants to be you, then why not give someone else a chance to shine for a little while?  You've had you're glory days, now why not let someone else steal the spotlight.  Escpecially since that room is a secret and no one is supposed to know about it.  Then nothing would be affected.  at least I don't think it would be.
        But to Massie, knowing that Layne had the key and not her would probably make her... unhappy.  Sh'd probably want that key for herself,  just so it would make her feel better than everyone else.  If I were her, I probably would want the key to.  The only difference is that I might agree to share the room.  Then me and who ever found the key would both be happy.  If I were there, I probably would have suggested that.  Sure, I would've been shot down by tons of comebacks, but at least the thought would be on Massie's mind.
        I wish Massie was a little more considerate of others, but that is just the way she is.  And luckily she doesn't actually exist, at least not in my life.  You've heard what I think, now what about you?