Appreciation for the Whomping Willow
It’s far from gentle, but the Whomping Willow isn’t all bad. Today is National Love a Tree Day, and there are some upsides to the destruction this tree has wrought.
Author: Laurie Beckoff
When Harry Pulled a Beowulf
Harry Potter is a lot like the heroes of old, but what about a certain hero of Old English? Dive below the surface and probe the watery depths of Anglo-Saxon epic poetry for some interesting parallels.
BuzzFeed Sorting Hat Quizzes: A Not-Entirely-Guilty Pleasure
BuzzFeed is inundated with Sorting Hat quizzes assigning the taker a Hogwarts House based on absurd and unrelated criteria. But even the most ridiculous quiz can lead to enlightening discussions about identity.
“Harry Potter” and the Case Against Binge-Watching
“Harry Potter” taught a generation to probe the depths of literature while waiting for the next book. But how has our critical engagement with media changed in the age of the instant gratification of a Netflix binge?
