Letter Essay #6 Brendan McCarthy

Recently, I finished reading Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, a 309-page book by J.K Rowling. The books have gained worldwide attention, won multiple awards, and sold more than 400 million copies. They have become the best-selling book series in history and been the basis for a series of films over which Rowling had overall approval on the scripts and maintained creative control by serving as a producer on the final installment. I have started to read this series because I read it in elementary school and I just want to read it again.
Harry Potter has to live with his mean uncle, uncle Vernon, and his aunt, aunt Petunia. They have a son, named Dudley. Dudley is a huge bully to Harry. Harry is treated very badly by them. One day, Harry receives a letter in the mail. When he starts to open it Dudley grabs it out of his hand and gives it to uncle Vernon. Uncle Vernon disproves of the letter immediately when he first sees it and rips it up. He keeps getting these letters but never gets a chance to read one. One day, uncle Vernon had enough, he took them far away in hopes of them not sending them any more letters. On Harry’s birthday, which no one notices, a big man named Hagrid bursts through their door saying that Harry is a wizard. Later in the book, Harry is going to Hogwarts, a wizarding school. Harry does a lot at Hogwarts, such as becoming the youngest seeker in quidditch. He is eventually led on to believe that Snape, the potions teacher, is going to try and steal the sorcerer’s stone, a stone which could make you live forever. The book follows Harry and his adventure of trying to stop Snape.
The genre of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone is fantasy. I know this because things happen that could never happen in real life. Wizards and magic isn’t real.
The structure of this book is chapters. Every chapter there is a picture of something and a title. I like this method because it makes it so you can read the book in sections and stop at the beginning of new chapters.
I liked the way the author led the reader on to believe that Snape was the one trying to steal the stone. It was a big surprise at the end for when I read it the first time. The author kept having dialogue between Harry, Ron, and Hermione about how they are going to stop Snape.
Finally, I liked this passage in the book “It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends. I therefore award ten points to Mr. Neville Longbottom” This passage is from at the end of the book when the house cup is being awarded and Slytherin is in the lead and Dumbledore is awarding points to people from Gryffindor so that they could win. Dumbledore is talking about Neville standing up to Harry, Ron, and Hermione.
I rate Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone a 10/10.

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2 thoughts on “Letter Essay #6 Brendan McCarthy

  1. I know a lot of students read Harry Potter in elementary school; definitely worth a re-read as you grow older.

  2. Dear Brendan,
    This is very well written letter essay. I really like that you included a descriptive summary and how precious the Sorcerer’s Stone is. It can make you live forever; that is a very prestigious stone.
    From, John

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