The Lexicon Blog
Posted
by Paula Hall
in Website news
I recently posted a humorous and imaginative essay in which new Lexicon contributor pepoluan wonders of the wizarding world How do they make all those books? Have fun!… Read More
Posted
by Paula Hall
in Website news
Paula again, with another fabulous scholarly essay. Alan Jacobs, Professor of English at Wheaton College and a scholar of Christian theology and literature, among other things, has allowed us to publish on the Lexicon his essay “Opportunity Costs — What does it profit a man to defeat the Dark… Read More
How do they make all those books? Printing in the Wizarding World
• Essay
I read the essay “When Magic Meets Muggle Technology” by PrefectMarcus. I thoroughly enjoyed the essay, which provides a pseudo-science, almost science fiction view of the wizarding world. Being myself an ardent fan of the sci-fi genre, I value this essay dearly. The essay ends with a question: how does… Read More
Opportunity Costs: What does it profit a man to defeat the Dark Lord but lose his soul?
• Essay
Originally published at Books & Culture, November/December 2005, Vol. 11, No. 6, Page 22.[1] The stab of envy came instantly, unexpectedly. I was somewhere quite new to me: on one of the enormous ferries that run between the mainland of British Columbia and Vancouver Island. As we moved westward… Read More
Posted
by Paula Hall
in Website news
Three new essays have been posted! Douglas Moran has Some Thoughts on House Elves, and Professor Koniphorus Swamp, who “has devoted her career to the investigation of the biology of magic,” has provided Another View of Magic, Genes, and Pure Blood in response to an earlier essay on wizarding genetics by… Read More
Genes and Appearance in Animagi
• Essay
Posted
by Professor Koniphorus Swamp
in Essays
Every living thing has genes that largely determine its appearance. Humans (magical or Muggle) look like humans because they have human genes; dogs look like dogs because they have dog genes; cats look like cats because they have cat genes. The set of genes that make up an individual person or dog… Read More
Posted
by Professor Koniphorus Swamp
in Essays
I read with interest the essay “Magic, Genes, and Pure Blood,” by glamourousgeek, being myself involved in research into the complex inheritance of magic, but I must take exception to the science expressed within it.[*] Even if the magic trait is inherited through Mendelian genetics (which does not quite… Read More
Posted
by Steve VanderArk
in Website news
Some of you have already discovered that we’ve added a new feature to some of the Lexicon pages. It’s called the Pensieve, and it’s designed to allow you to add information to the page. Yes, it’s a comment tool, but we’d like to encourage you to use it … Read More
Magic
• Essay
Posted
by Steve VanderArk
in Canon discussion
Magic is what sets folks in the wizarding world apart from their Muggle neighbors. Magic is the heart and soul of the wizarding culture in the same way that science and technology are the heart and soul of Muggle culture. Where a Muggle would pound a stake into the ground… Read More
Posted
by Paula Hall
in What's New
From the moment it was physically possible for the first fan to have finished Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, the Harry Potter fandom has been speculating on what is going to happen in Book Seven — and what needs to happen, given the puzzles, mysteries and loose… Read More
Posted
by Anita (akh), Jo Mears (Serenadust), Pippin, Lyn J. Mangiameli and Siriusly Snapey Susan
in Canon discussion / Essays
“Ah, what a tangled web we weave… Or in this case, what a tangled web Jo Rowling has woven. With one volume left to wrap up all the threads, we Harry Potter fanatics have created a list of all the sphinx-like comments, unfinished story lines, incomplete character trajectories and cryptic references to… Read More
Prisoner of Azkaban: Chapter by Chapter
• Essay
Posted
by Steve VanderArk
in About Sources
Chapter synopses: William Silvester Chapter 1 – Owl Post In which we are reminded of Harry’s previous adventures and told of his summer holidays, he receives birthday cards and presents from his friends, and Harry learns what Ron and Hermione did during the summer. Chapter 2 – Aunt… Read More
Posted
by Paula Hall
in Website news
I’ve just posted a terrific scholarly essay on the depiction of virtue in the Harry Potter books that should be a real treat to read for anyone who appreciates just how important the Harry Potter books are. It’s called Harry Potter and the Good Life, and it was written by … Read More
Posted
by belindahobbs
in Website news
I am very excited to announce that we now have functioning archive files of the latest Door opening onJKRowling.com. This is only a copy, but you will be able to work the puzzle to open the door and read the full W.O.M.B.A.T. test. You will not however, receive… Read More
Posted
by Paula Hall
in Website news
Two more essays have been posted: Love and Death in Harry Potter, by Paul Spilsbury, and The Importance of Neville Longbottom, by Douglas Moran. We’ve been busy little beavers at the Lexicon this weekend!… Read More
The Importance of Neville Longbottom
• Essay
Here in the Lexicon, there are multiple essays on Harry, Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Snape, physical locations, creatures, and practically anything else you can name. And yet there is not one essay about one person whose fate is tightly linked to Harry’s, and who has been moving gradually but inexorably towards a more important position in the books: Neville Longbottom. I think Neville becoming… Read More
Love and Death in Harry Potter
• Essay
Love and death are major themes in J.K.Rowling’s Harry Potter books. She herself has said in a recent interview in recent interview in The Tatler magazine that “My books are largely about death.” And in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, one of J.K. Rowling’s chosen spokespersons, Professor Dumbledore, impresses upon Harry that his “ability… Read More
Posted
by Steve VanderArk
in Website news
Hey y’all, this is Steve. We’ve just uploaded a commentary and guide to the W.O.M.B.A.T. test which Jo put on her website. This guide doesn’t give “correct” answers since in many cases we just don’t know for sure. It does pull together canon resources which will be helpful and… Read More
Posted
by Paula Hall
in Website news
I’ve neglected to mention the addition to the Lexicon of two essays published in February. The first, The Complications with Memory by Suzanne Foster, is a comprehensive survey of the myriad ways memory is integral to the progression of the Harry Potter series. The second, Where is Spinner’s End? by Claire M. Read More
Posted
by belindahobbs
in Website news
I have updated the Guide to Jo’s website with information about the fifth opening of the Secret Door including instructions on how to work the puzzle to get behind the door (for those who have yet to figure it out for themselves, or perhaps having troubles). Read More
Goblet of Fire: Chapter by Chapter
• Essay
Posted
by Steve VanderArk
in About Sources
synopses: William Silvester Chapter 1 – The Riddle House In which we learn of the mysterious murders in the Riddle House fifty years ago, how Frank Bryce was accused but released for lack of evidence, and how the Riddle House fell into disrepair. In the present, Frank interrupts… Read More
Chamber of Secrets: Chapter by Chapter
• Essay
Posted
by William Silvester
in About Sources
by William Silvester Chapter 1 – The Worst Birthday In which we are reminded of the happenings during Harry’s first year at Hogwarts, uncle Vernon has a very important dinner guest coming, dinner plans are made, and Harry’s birthday is forgotten again. Chapter 2 – Dobby’s Warning In… Read More
Harry's Dreams
• Essay
Posted
by Steve VanderArk
in Canon discussion
While Dumbledore’s statement above makes good sense, it wouldn’t do Harry any harm to try to analyze his dreams a little more than he does. Often there are important clues in his dreams to what’s going on. As a matter of fact, Harry’s extra-sensory powers are not limited to prescience. Read More
Posted
by Lisa Bunker
in Website news
I have been adding new artwork to the following pages: Harry, Quotes about Harry, Quotes about Ron, Quotes about Voldemort, Luna, Snape, Tom Riddle, Lucius Malfoy and the Malfoy family. Many thanks to Sebastien Theilig, Makani, Tea with Voldy, and Jenny Dolfen. Hope you like them!… Read More
Is Harry a Horcrux?
• Essay
After thinking carefully through the various factors involved, I cannot help but conclude that the most logical scenario, based on all the available evidence, is that Harry is a Horcrux. I will structure this essay in four sections. First, I will discuss the background. Second, I will discuss the evidence indicating that Harryis a Horcrux. Read More
Posted
by Paula Hall
in Website news
I’ve posted two great new essays. The first, “Is Harry a Horcrux,”by Stephen Haas, makes a well-thought-out argument for the idea that, you know, Harry is a Horcrux! The second, “Dumbledore vivens Snapeque bonamicus“, by Denis Howarth, is a spectacular essay theorizing, as many fans have, that Dumbledore is… Read More
Posted
by Lisa Bunker
in Website news
I think I have finally added all the new character names (canon and non-canon) and information from the new documents at JKR’s site. Here is a summary: New names (non-canon): Mylor Sylvanus, Oakden Hobday and Bathsheba Babbling New names (canon): Tilden Toots and Georgina Smythe New first-names (non-canon): Aurora Sinistra, Cuthbert Binns and Septima Vector Rowling also considered the… Read More
Posted
by belindahobbs
in Website news
I’ve updated the Guide to Jo’s website with most of the changes today. You can find detailed instructions for collecting the new scrapbook extras in the Tips and Tricks section as well as many images of how the site looked before the update for comparison. Read More
Posted
by Lisa Bunker
in Website news
Lisa (again). Well, I finally came up with a design for the main Wizards page that I like! See what you think. Read More
Posted
by clinthagan
in Website news
Some of you may have already noticed, but there’s a new way to explore the Lexicon! Check out our new Knight Bus Tours of the Lexicon. Each tour will take you on a journey to some places you know and some places you may have never been before. There are… Read More
Posted
by Lisa Bunker
in Website news
Lisa here. I have been adding possible name derivations for the Black family. Here is a sampling: Phineas is an English variant of ‘Phinehas,’ a name from the Bible. ‘Phinehas’ probably means “Nubian,” though some believe it means “serpent’s mouth” in Hebrew (BtN). In Greek mythology, Phineus was “a… Read More
Posted
by Steve VanderArk
in Website news
I have just discovered that our Lexicon email has been messed up for a few days. Apparently anything sent to an @hplex address will bounce. UPDATE: (10 am) As far as I can tell, it’s fixed. Sorry about the inconvenience. Read More
Posted
by Steve VanderArk
in Characters
Key 1 – Phineus’ youngest sibling was Isla Black, who married muggle Bob Hitchens. Key 2 – his 2nd child was another Phineus, who ‘supported Muggle rights. His 3rd child, who married Violetta, was Cygnus (1889-1943). Their children were: Pollux (1912-1990) who married Irma Crabbe Cassiopeia (1915-92) (Key… Read More
Posted
by Lisa Bunker
in Website news
The Lexicon’s Black Family Tree has been updated with the new information! We’ll be revising the character pages next. Read More
Posted
by johnkearns
in Website news
I haven’t posted here in a while, but it doesn’t mean I haven’t been busy! I’m very excited to announce the debut of the Lexicon’s newest section: the Gazetteer. It’s a list of all the countries, cities, buildings, and other places mentioned in the books – nearly 300 in all. Read More
Posted
by Lisa Bunker
in Website news
I have been adding images from the Wizard cards and from Jo’s Wizard of the Month to the Wizard A to Z pages. If you click on the thumbnails you can see a larger version of the image. Read More
Posted
by Steve VanderArk
in Websites
A new Harry Potter resource website just opened which is absolutely fantastic. It’s called the Potter Index (Potter Index). This site makes a perfect complement to the Lexicon and the Quotes database here on the Floo. I know that the editors at the Lexicon will be using this… Read More
Posted
by Paula Hall
in Website news
We have two provocative essays by glamourousgeek, Magic, Genes, and Pure Blood, discussing wizarding genetics and the meaning of blood status in the wizarding world, and Merlin, God, and You-Know-Who: Religion in the Wizarding World. There’s a fun piece analyzing Harry Potter’s Astrological Birth Chart by lunalove, speculating that Jo Rowling… Read More
Posted
by Steve VanderArk
in Website news
I’ve been cleaning out my inbox, and have made a number of corrections suggested by our readers. Most notably, the birth and first year dates for Cedric have been changed, and Katie Bell now has her own, expanded page. More corrections & additions coming. Read More
Posted
by Steve VanderArk
in Website news
The updated and re-organized Black family pages are finished! If you had bookmarked the old pages you will need to update them. New Black family page New Black family tree New location of Sirius page… Read More
