Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Title: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Author: J.K. Rowling
Published: 2nd July 1998
Genre: Children’s literature, Fantasy, Fiction
Start Date: 20th July 2022
Finish Date: 20th July 2022
Summary
There is a plot, Harry Potter. A plot to make most terrible things happen at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry this year.'
Harry Potter's summer has included the worst birthday ever, doomy warnings from a house-elf called Dobby, and rescue from the Dursleys by his friend Ron Weasley in a magical flying car!
Back at Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry for his second year, Harry hears strange whispers echo through empty corridor and then the attacks start. Students are found as though turned to stone. Dobby's sinister predictions seem to be coming true.
Review
This is my first time since the movies come out that I have read the Harry Potter series, I have fond memories of Harry Potter.
The book started very similarly to Philosopher’s Stone with Harry at the horrid Dursleys. The arrival of Dobby sets of a chain of events that ends with Harry luckily back in his happy place; Hogwarts although he did have to use a flying car.
Many mysterious events happen at Hogwarts, and Harry along with Ron and Hermione set about discovering the Chamber of Secrets. Looking for clues along the way to help them find out what is happening to their fellow students.
J.K. Rowling continues to build up the wonders of Hogwarts and the magic world that started in the Philosopher’s Stone. J.K. Rowling imagination runs wild, filling the book with magic, spells, friendship and humour. The humour is rich in narrative, it will not only make the children laugh but the adults too! Gilderoy Lockhart; he is an amazing character that frequently takes the limelight off of Harry and his friends.
The Chamber of Secrets delicately emphasises on the aspects of life; pride, justice, respect, loyalty and courage. It also shows how children’s mind works, and how they sometimes would rather lie and keep secrets than give an explanation for their actions. Regardless on whether they are a witch, wizard or a muggle; every child have the same thought process.
I found Chamber of Secrets to be more of a mystery than the Philosopher’s Stone was, there is more trying to find clues and nearly being caught. J.K Rowling has done a brilliant job of making it a children’s literature whilst on the brink of a horror.
Chamber of Secrets certainly did not disappoint, and it is well worth the read. The second book of the Harry Potter Series make you eager to continue the story as well as set up future plots.
If you want to take a break from the boringness of life this is definitely a book to read. I would also recommend this as a book to read with your children.
Looking at comparing the movie to the book; there are many aspects of the book that stands out to me, but I will tell you the ones that make a difference to me. In the book, it starts on the morning of Harry's birthday, whereas in the film it starts in the evening on the day of the Masons' visit. In the film it is implied that the Dursleys' gave Harry Dudley's old bedroom after his first year of Hogwarts, when he actually was given the bedroom right before Harry's new schoolyear in the previous book, in an attempt to dissuade the acceptance letters to Hogwarts addressed to Harry.
Dobby's warning, in the book Dobby is sitting quietly on Harry's bed whereas in the book he is jumping on the bed and laughing. In the books, whenever Dobby disapparatesm the usual loud cracks are heard, but in ht film he appears and disappears quietly. The film shows Dobby levitating the cake into the lounge and over Mrs Mason, however in the book Dobby dropped the pudding in the kitchen causing it to explode all over Harry and not Mrs Mason. The reasons for the Masons' exit in the book was because of Mrs Mason's fear of birds when a Ministry Owl arrived at the Dursleys in regards to the illegal use of the Hoover charm.
The Burrow, in the book Ron does not wish Harry a Happy Birthday as they get him the day after. Harry's birthday is the same day as the Masons' visit. In the book, the Dursleys were woken up by Hedwig's screech whereas in the film they are woken up due to the noise of the bars falling onto the grass. My favourite part which I feel they should have included in the film is in the book Harry's trunk is in the cupboard under the stairs so Fred and George sneak into the house, pick the lock of both Harry's room and the cupboard the anticipation of them doing it quietly and quickly enough was thrilling. In the flying car, which is a ford anglia, Fred and George suggest that Dobby could be an untrustworthy servant of the Malfoys, this is omitted from the film. Also in the book, when Harry arrives and the Burrow Mrs Weasley make her sons 'de-gnome' the garden, this is also omitted from the film.
The Rogue Bludger, in the book to borrow the Moste Potente Potions book from the library which has the recipe for the Polyjuice potion, Hermione has to get a note from Gilderoy Lockhart (which he signed without looking at it properly) because it was in the restricted section. Whereas in the film, this scene was omitted and the book was found in the normal section of the library. In the film, the Quidditch match takes place in the sunlight however, in the book, the majority of the match takes place in rainy weather. In the book, Draco does not notice the Snitch at all, due to having been insulting Harry at the time and Harry quickly catches the Snitch before Malfoy could realise it, whereas in the film he sees it just after Harry does, and just after ducking to prevent being hit by a Bludger, and it leads to both of them chasing after the snitch for a few seconds before Harry catches it first. In the film, Lucius Malfoy is seen in the audience observing the Gryffindor-Slytherin Quidditch Match, this is not mentioned in the book. In the book, Fred and George attempt to protect Harry from the rogue blunger and they later place it back in its case whilst restraining it, in the film Hermione destroys the blunger with Finite Incantatem after the game, effectively damaging a piece of Hogwarts property. In the book Harry injury to his arm is caused by the rogue bludger, before he charges at Malfoy, but after spotting the Snitch, due to a moment of hesitation. However, in the film it occurs after the added incident in which Malfoy has crashes off his broom, additionally Hagrid is present when Lockhart removes the bones from Harry's arm when attempting to heal the broken bones, this was not in the book. In the film, Filch supports Slytherin as he is seen standing in a crowd of Slytherin spectators, whereas in the book it is never specified if he takes side. In the book, when Harry is in the hospital wing following the Quidditch match, Ron, Hermione and Madam Pomfrey are the only people there when he takes the skele-gro, the rest of the team come in later and Madam Pomfrey shouts at them to get out. In the film however, the entire team plus Ron and Hermione come with him, and Madam Pomfrey tells them to get out of her way, not to get out of the Hospital Wing.
The Polyjuice Potion in the book changes colours as the hair is added, in the film it does not change colours at all. The scene in the Great Hall during the Christmas Feast, Hermione simply says that she got Millicent Bulstrode's hair off her robes. In the book, however, depicts her and Millicent in the Duelling club where Millicent is head-locking Hermione, and she happens to find black hair on her robes. The scene where Harry and Ron hide Crabbe and Goyle in a broom cupboard is omitted. Due to this omission in the film, Crabbe and Goyle are dazed and confused when Harry and Ron run past them as their transformation is in the middle of wearing off instead of pounding while still in the cupboard. In the book, the potion is in one of the stalls and when the trio prepares to drink from their separate glasses, they each go into a different stall and drink. Whereas in the film, the potion is in one of the sinks and the trio drink beside that same sink and only Ron and Hermione run into cubicles when they feel they are going to be sick whilst Harry remains at sink and watches himself transform.
During the Slytherin Common Room scene, there are some parts of the book which are omitted from the film, like; Draco showing Goyle/Harry and Crabbe/Ron the Daily Prophet article about Arthur Weasley's inquiry at the Ministry of Magic about having been fined for having an enchanted Muggle car is omitted. Draco does not mention Dumbledore's love of Muggle-borns (but it's obvious that Dumbledore still loved them). Also, due to this omission, Draco does not make the rude mimicking act of Colin Creeveywanting Harry's autograph. There is no mention of Azkaban prison in this scene because Harry did not ask Draco whether he knew if the person who opened the Chamber last time was caught. Instead, it is first mentioned by Hagrid in the scene where Dumbledore and Cornelius Fudge come to Hagrid's hut. In the film, when Draco mentions that "you'd never know" the Weasleys were pure-bloods the way they behave along with an added line that was not mentioned in the book—"They're an embarrassment to the wizarding world. All of them."—Ron makes a fist and looks furious, but in the book, Ron's face is just contorted with fury and there is no fist. In the book, Ron and Harry realise they're turning back to normal when Harry sees Ron's hair turning red and his nose lengthening and they run. In the film, they realise when Ron sees Harry's scar reappearing (which didn't happen in the book) and Harry seeing Ron's hair growing red again and whispering "Scar" (Ron) and "Hair" (Harry). There is a scene added in which Draco finds a small package and after shaking it once, asks Goyle/Harry if it's his (Harry's), Harry shakes his head and Draco puts the package in his school robe pocket, then a few seconds before Harry and Ron realise that they're about to turn back to their normal selves, Draco unwraps the package and after Harry's scar reappears and Ron's hair starts turning back to red, Draco is seen to having a small silver object in his hand, but it does not fully appear since it was in Draco's hand. The package was not included in the book.
In the book when McGonagall is cancelling the Gryffindor-Hufflepuff Quidditch match, she is doing this with a large megaphone while out on the field to send the message much to the dismay of Oliver Wood and the audience. However, in the film she simply informs the Gryffindor team just as they were heading out to the field, and Oliver Wood is much less aggressive about it than in the book. Ginny's attempt to confide her secret to Ron and Harry is omitted, although a scene where Ginny sees Harry with the diary was initially featured in the script. Almost all foreshadowing hints about Ginny acting strangely or emotionally are omitted. However, in the film, the scene in which McGonagall informs the Gryffindors of the possible closing of the school reveals a close-up of Ginny appearing uneasy as if it's her fault.
In the book, after Hagrid mentions that if they were looking for answers, all they'd have to do was follow the spiders, Harry and Ron didn't see any spiders until one day in Herbology when Harry points them out to Ron. They noticed the path the spiders were taking, which was right into the Forbidden Forest, and didn't follow them until everyone had gone to sleep in their dormitory. In the film, right after Hagrid is taken away by the Minister, Harry and Ron see spiders crawling along Hagrid's window and follow them into the Forbidden Forest. In the book, Ron (reluctantly) and Harry looked around for spiders and then when entering the forest, Ron is brave. In the film, Ron is completely scared and reluctant to go into the forest and follow spiders. In the film, Ron asks why they have to follow spiders and why it could not be "Follow the butterflies". This dialogue did not appear in the book. In the book, Harry, Ron and Fang are taken by the spiders to Aragog's lair but in the film they make their own way there. Also, they never see the Ford Anglia before arriving at Aragog's lair; hence their looks of surprise in the film when it crashes through the spiders to rescue them, although a deleted scene shows them finding the car before they meet Aragog. Also, in the deleted scene where Harry and Ron find the Ford Anglia, Harry tells Ron they don't want to lose the trail of spiders, but in the book, they lose the trail and try to find them before being dragged to Aragog's lair. In the film, Mosag, Aragog's mate, is not mentioned.
In the book, when McGonagall and the other teachers volunteer Lockhart to fight the Basilisk, the teachers are collected in the Staffroom with Harry and Ron hiding in the wardrobe. In the film, the teachers are gathered in front of the daubed message on the wall stating Ginny's capture with Harry and Ron hiding behind a corner. Also, in the book the teachers' comments after Lockhart has left them make it clear that they know he is incapable and were simply getting him out of the way. These comments are left out from the film, but it's still highly unlikely the plan was ever genuine and unlike in the book, the second message is seen on-screen in the film. In the book, when Harry and Ron realise that Lockhart is a fraud, they subdue him by performing a Disarming Charm and throwing his wand out of the window. In the film, Lockhart drops his wand in a manner of defeat, when Harry and Ron point theirs at his face. Also, the book has Gilderoy Lockhart citing some specific examples of individuals that he not only stole credit for their deeds from, but also wiped memories from as insurance. The film does not actually list any specific examples of his victims. In the film, just before Harry and Ron jump into the cavernous pit leading to the Chamber of Secrets upon opening it, Moaning Myrtle offers to let Harry share the toilet she lives in should he die in the chamber. She only alludes to this offer in the book after Harry, Ron, Ginny, and a recently-amnesiac Gilderoy Lockhart leave the chamber, where she expressed some implied disappointment in the fact that Harry survived. In the book, it says that the snake who had shed the skin must have been at least twenty feet long. In the film, Ron remarks that the creature must have been at least sixty feet long. In the book, Harry walks for a longer period through the tunnel to find the Chamber after being separated from Ron and Lockhart, but in the film, the tunnel was only one small room and had the entrance to the Chamber right before Harry, Ron and Lockhart. Although, before they enter the room, there is another passage seen on the opposite side. In the book, the entrance to the Chamber where Ginny was consisted of a solid wall on which two entwined serpents are carved, their eyes set with great, glinting emeralds and when Harry speaks Parseltongue to open the entrance, the serpents part as the wall cracks open and the halves slide smoothly out of sight. In the film, the entrance consisted of a circular door with 7 snakes on it that were on the edge of the door and when Harry speaks Parseltongue to open the entrance, an eighth snake appears from the cylinder bit where the snakes are held and goes all around the door and whenever it approaches each snake's head, the snake's head backs away and allowing the door to be opened.
In the film, when Lucius arrives at Dumbledore's office and Harry notices Dobby, he is shown realising that Dobby's masters were the Malfoys and thus explained why he was hesitant to reveal anything directly or his self-inflicted punishments, with Lucius then giving a veiled threat to the house elf in response. This did not happen in the book (largely because Dobby had already been speculated to be part of the Malfoy family much earlier in the book). In the book, Harry's conversation with Dumbledore after the defeat of the basilisk is set in McGonagall's office, and Arthur, Molly, and McGonagall are present at the start of the scene. In the film, the scene is set in Dumbledore's office instead, and Arthur, Molly, and McGonagall do not appear. In the book, Harry accused Lucius of deliberately supplying the diary to Ginny Weasley at Diagon Alley while they were still in Dumbledore's office and Lucius is meeting with Dumbledore, with Dumbledore also giving a veiled threat to Lucius in response to this as well as his forcing the board of directors to fire Dumbledore. In the film, Harry's accusation occurs after Lucius leaves, and Dumbledore, while still implicitly warning Lucius about his actions with the diary, is not notified by Harry about Lucius's action with the diary. In the film, Lucius Malfoy's sarcastic statement about Harry and Harry's response was improv from the actors. In the book, to free Dobby, Harry puts the diary in his sock and had Lucius Malfoy throw it so Dobby would catch it after he removed the diary, but in the film Harry puts his sock in the diary and had Lucius give the diary with the sock to Dobby unknowingly instead. In the book, just after Dobby was freed, Malfoy raises his wand threateningly at Harry, before Dobby tells him to leave. In the film, it sounds like Lucius Malfoy starts saying "Avada Kedavra" before Dobby blasts him backwards across the hall (the spell was the result of an ad-lib by Jason Isaacs).
In the book, Lucius Malfoy says to Harry, "Someday you'll meet the same sticky end as your parents. They were meddlesome fools too." In the film, he said, "Your parents were meddlesome fools, too. Mark my words, Potter - one day soon, you're going to meet the same, sticky end." During the dinner scene, the scene where Gryffindor wins the House cup again is cut, though it is nonetheless implied. Hermione originally hugged both Harry and Ron in the book upon revealing that she had been cured. In the film, she only hugs Harry, and just gives a hesitant handshake to Ron (note, this was the result of Emma Watson being hesitant to hug both Daniel Radcliffe and Rupert Grint in public view, with her hugging Radcliffe during filming having to be frozen for a few seconds to get the desired effect due to Watson breaking the hug too quickly). This also unintentionally foreshadowed her and Ron's hesitant blossoming feelings for each other in the succeeding films. In addition, Hagrid's arrival has him apologising for his lateness, explaining his release from Azkaban was delayed due to the letter requesting his release getting lost, and proceeding to blame a bird named Errol for it getting lost, causing Ron to give a slightly embarrassed look. This was not present in the book.
I am sorry, I went completely overboard with the comparing! Literally watched the film to do this.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️