Black Beauty

I find it funny that Black Beauty was not written for children, given that it is written from the point of view of a horse. Using non-human protagonists or narrators is something that seems to be associated almost entirely with children's fiction, especially today. You would have a hard time finding an adult book written from the point of view of an animal, but that is very common in children's literature, as well as movies or TV shows. It also seems to be written in a quite simple and easy-to-understand way, similar to the way children's books are written. The chapters are very short and to the point, and the narrative focuses more on plot and the horse's relationship to the other characters more than it does on detail, which makes it easier for children to read and stay interested in. The plot, however, includes some material that might be tough for children to read, and it was in fact not meant specifically for them. I think that contrast is really interesting, and it reminds me of the fairy tales we read: not meant for children, and with material that may seem too violent or inappropriate for children, but largely read and enjoyed by them.

It's Real For Us

Reflect on a book from your childhood or teenage years, explaining why it is so important to you. Detail the memories associated with the text, its influence on you, and if applicable, your changing attitudes toward it. If you have no favourite book or memory, discuss another childhood entertainment artefact or educational experience.

Harry Potter hasn't always been as important to me as it is now, but I still remember the first time I discovered it. It must have been the Christmas of 1999, because my dad had seen Chamber of Secrets in a shop and given it to me as a gift that year. I'd never heard of it before that point, and neither had he, apparently; he was unpleasantly surprised to find out that it was the second book in a series about magic. That didn't stop me from being excited about the book. I was a very early and very dedicated reader, and a story about a boy wizard was a perfect way to keep myself occupied, which is mostly what it was for the next eleven years. But on May 2, 2010 (the day of the Battle of Hogwarts, funnily enough), I read Deathly Hallows in one sitting. From that day it stopped being a hobby and became a sort of way of life. I became part of the Potter fandom, I joined a Harry Potter-themed charity organization and met some of my best friends, I started listening to wizard rock, I started going to conventions and midnight showings of the movies and reading the books in my spare time. This made-up story became a huge part of my life in a very real way. Harry's world is real for those of us in the fandom. It's a way for all of us to connect and share in the same experience, a way for us to escape from the real world into something much more exciting and fun, a base for many other creative projects (music, fanfiction, charity organizations, documentaries, musicals, etc.) within the community. It isn't the first work of fiction to have a community of fans form around it, of course, but I think the Harry Potter fandom is the first to go to this extent, and I think it's blazing the trail for other fiction to go the same route. These books are so important to me not only because they are enjoyable but also because they have affected my life in so many different ways. They're part of the reason why I get so invested in stories, which has changed the way I will view fiction for the rest of my life.