1. What is it about the magical food that entices us?

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What do we think of when we say the words Harry Potter? Do we instantly think of the boy who lived? The chosen one? Voldemort’s enemy? J.K Rowling invites wizards, witches and muggles on a journey of self-discovery. When reading Harry Potter as a child, I only focused on the major story line- Voldemort’s revenge on Harry Potter. However, J.K Rowling uses motifs to show the hidden symbolism in her novels. Food is one motif which is overlooked as it plays and important part in Harry’s life. Critic Jacqueline Corinth comments on the use of food in these novels by stating ‘Food is a central issue in the novels from the very beginning when we learn that although Harry Potter is not technically starving at the hands of his aunt and uncle he is incredibly underfed both literally and emotionally’ (269) which implies that food is able to give us an insight into Harry’s life as a child. With this being said it becomes important to compare his life at home with his family to when he is staying at Hogwarts. Although this is a topic I will be focusing on more in the next blog posts to come I want to draw your attention the picture displayed to the right. Harry reaction towards the feast in the Great Hall is one in which is only shown when he is attending Hogwarts. Could this then mean that food also indicates as a source of change as now Harry is able to live his life comfortably at Hogwarts.  My question I’m going to pose is why is food so essential to the series. One idea is that it invites us into the magical world as we are able to experience alongside Harry the transition from the muggle world to the magical one.  However, not all the foods used in the series are our everyday foods. With the production of butter beer and chocolate escalating in the wizarding world we in the ‘muggle’ world are oblivious to how we ourselves can produce something so bizarre. Is it these foods which allow us to be a part of Harry’s world? So, what is it about these unfamiliar foods that allow us to be part of the magic? Is it that they are something in which we have never encountered before thus enticing us to know more? Or is it the curiosity of the unknown which drives us to want be part of another world?

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