Harry Potter - Your Chance to Win a Copy of HBP!

*ADARA* · 07-19-2005, 06:04 PM

Haven't gotten your hands on a copy of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince yet? How would you like to win a basket of goodies, including the book, for free? Read on, dear posters, read on...

Your lovely mods feel that although you won't be paying for the gift basket (picture to be posted soon) that you should at least try to earn it. You're all wonderful people so we can't choose a winner based on character and behaviour

Instead, we've chosen to make the gift basket a prize for an essay contest.

We aren't expecting you to jump through hoops for this but there are a few rules:

Only one entry per poster.

To submit an essay you must be a poster on the HP Board.

Essay must be at least 500 words and no more than 2,000 words. Any essay shorter than 500 words will not be entered into the contest. Essays above 2,000 words will not be considered either. You will be asked to re-write your essay if it is too short or too long.

You must have you essay in before the deadline. The deadline is July 30th. Any entries submitted after July 30th will not be considered.

Plagiarism is strictly against the rules. There are several essays on the internet about Harry Potter and it is very easy to see whether or not you have plagiarized. We expect more of you so please don't steal other people's work. You may use quotes from the book.

No part of HBP is to be mentioned at all in any entry. No spoilers, nothing at all about HBP.

Please post your essays or links to your essays on this thread to be archived by Cara. Please follow the conventions of standard written English. Please organize your essay in a logicalk and coherant manner. Also, use language that communicates your ideas effectively. Please note that you do not have to be in the US to enter this contest, it is open to any HP Board poster

Additionally, the Winner will be chosen after careful consideration by Cara, Kim and myself. The Winner will be announced on July 31st and the prize mailed the next day. The prize is a gift basket including one copy of the US version of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling, various HP sweets and other goodies.

The gift basket is not finished yet but as of right now includes:
-one "Deluxe Edition" US printing of Harry Potter & the Half-Blood Prince
-Harry's glasses
-a quill
-a misfortune teller
-coupons
-dragon door hanger
-HBP cover temp tattoo
-HP Wizard-In-Training hat and serviette
-sweets
-Prisoner of Azkaban Sirius wanted poster postcard
-Stickers
-Color drip candles
-Colin Creevey's Camera
-HBP Bracelet from Barnes & Noble
-Harry Potter poster

Now, as for the subject of you 500 to 2,000 word essay, please choose a topic from below and include it on the top of your entry so it is obvious which task you have chosen.

Essay topics:
OotP

"I think what I was trying to do with the death in this book was show how very arbitrary and sudden death is. This is a death where you didn't have a big death bed scene. It happened almost accidentally, and that is one of the very cruel things about death, and they're now in a war situation where that really does happen, where one minute you're talking to your friend and the next minute he's gone. It's so shocking and so inexplicable... "Where did they go?" I found it upsetting to write, because I knew what it would mean to Harry." Respond to the JKR quote and the impact of Sirius dying.
Last day of term: Harry discovers Sirius's mirror. Harry hadn't opened the package from Sirius. It was the one thing he held back from as long as we've known him and it is the very thing that could've prevented the book ending the way it did. Discuss Harry refraining from opening the package containing the mirror, the irony, the symbolism and why the mirror was important.
Discuss Umbridge as a character, a person, and as a member of the Ministry.
Discuss the DA. Included positive sides, negative sides, and points that you feel are rather important that were brought up with the DA and why you feel they were important.
Discuss the symbolism of the fountain at the Ministry of Magic.
Discuss Occlumency and Legillimency.
Discuss the prophecy and interpret it.
Discuss Luna Lovegood as a character, a person, a member of the DA and a bullied student.
Discuss the veil: how it is portrayed, what it represents, and if you think that there may eventually be a way of coming back from beyond the veil.

GoF

JKR: "The worst ever [rewriting] was thirteen different versions of one chapter (chapter nine in Goblet of Fire). I hated that chapter so much; at one point, I thought of missing it out altogether and just putting in a page saying 'Chapter Nine was too difficult' and going straight to Chapter Ten." Discuss chapter nine and why you think JKR found it so hard to write.
Discuss S.P.E.W. as in why it was founded, what it's goals are or may be, and your views on the treatment of House Elfs and their rights.
Discuss Rita Skeeter as a character, a person, and as a journalist. Also, bring up some of her articles and her sensationalizing style of writing. Is it really her or is it that quill of hers?
Discuss Harry and Cedric's relationship throughout the book. How well did the two Hogwarts champions work together and get along? What was the impact, on Harry & the school, of Cedric's death?
Discuss the happenings of the Quidditch World Cup.
Discuss the Tri-Wizard Tournament including all of the schools & their champions, the tasks, and the results.

PoA

Discuss Sirius Black as a person, a character, and as Harry's Godfather. If Sirius was cleared at the end of the book, do you think he would've been able to adapt well to life outside of Azkaban and to take care of Harry?
Discuss the Marauder's map, it's purposes, and it's creators.
What are your views on Dementorsin general and of being placed at the school and around the wizarding world? Do you think that Dementors even belong at Azkaban?
Discuss the Patronus charm and include it's uses. Why dooesn't a Patronus always take a form? Why are the forms sometimes different for a wizard and unique for each wizard?
Discuss Snape's grudge, to the best of your knowlege. Response can include any information known about Snape up to and including OotP.

CoS

Discuss the some of your favorite points from CoS and explain why they are important to the plot.
Discuss the friendship of Harry, Hermione & Ron in this book.
Discuss Fawkes and phoenixes in general. Discuss the symbolism of Fawkes with the hat and the sword at the end of the book.
Dobby: was he more of a help or a hinderance? Bring up at least three important points involving ODbby from the book.
Discuss Gilderoy Lockhart as a person, a character, a teacher and an author.
Discuss the Burrow and the Weasley family as you see them in this book.

PS

Discuss Harry talking to the snake at the zoo, getting his first letter in the post, and Hagrid telling him about his parents. Do you think he coped well?
Discuss Professor Quirell as a person, a character, a teacher and a host for parasitic Voldemort.
Discuss the Mirror of Erised, what various characters saw in it, and it's symbolism.
Discuss the Gryffindor Quidditch team, it's members, Wood's explaination, and Harry being the youngest Seeker in a long time.
Discuss Hermione's nervousness at being faced with lessons in a subject that can't be learned by heart out of a book (flying). Also discuss pre- & post-holloween relationships with Ron & Harry and the development of their friendship. Was there more to it than saving her from a troll and her covering for them?

General Topics

Discuss how on of the following characters has developed from the first to the fifth book: Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Neville Longbottom, Ginevra Weasley, Percy Weasley, Fred and/or George Weasley, Draco Malfoy, Albus Dumbledore, Severus Snape, Cho Chang, or Minerva McGonogal.
Why do you think the DADA position is vacated every year? Give reasons from books one through five for your theory. Also, you may hypothesize on how one would stay in the position for more than a year.
Discuss Harry's bond to Voldemort from books one through five.
Discuss Dumbeldore's decision to place Harry with the Dursleys and not tell him several important things when he reutrned to Wizarding Society. Do you agree or disagree with Dumbledore waiting to tell Harry certain things such as the prophecy?
Discuss the O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s to the best of your knowlege. Do you agree with the levels these tests are administered? Why or why not?

Thanks for your time and good luck to everybody!

lenfaz · 07-20-2005, 05:50 AM

Ahhhh Essays topics! Goody goody... can I still enter the conquest even if I'm not from the US?

Caradeangel · 07-20-2005, 11:36 AM

Lena, yes you can enter the contest

lenfaz · 07-20-2005, 12:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Caradeangel

Lena, yes you can enter the contest

yeay!!!! goody goody! sorry, i'm a geek. I love essays. *ponders what topic to choose*

Kimberly · 07-20-2005, 01:33 PM

Good luck to everyone! I can't wait to read your essays!

Caradeangel · 07-21-2005, 08:19 AM

Yes, good luck to everyone who enters the competition

*ADARA* · 07-21-2005, 01:39 PM

Good luck to everyone

I've edited the contest information to show that you don't have to be from the US to enter but the book is a US version.

~Chrissy~

Citizen Sarah · 07-25-2005, 02:15 AM

ooh that looks like fun, now that I'm free for the summer I might give it a go.

*ADARA* · 07-25-2005, 09:48 AM

Awesome, thanks

Updated starter post to say that the gift basket is not finished yet but as of right now includes:
-one "Deluxe Edition" US printing of Harry Potter & the Half-Blood Prince
-Harry's glasses
-a quill
-a misfortune teller
-coupons
-dragon door hanger
-HBP cover temp tattoo
-HP Wizard-In-Training hat and serviette
-sweets
-Prisoner of Azkaban Sirius wanted poster postcard
-Stickers
-Color drip candles
-Colin Creevey's Camera
-HBP Bracelet from Barnes & Noble
-Harry Potter poster

More to be added before the contest is over. 5 days and counting

Caradeangel · 07-25-2005, 11:03 AM

That sounds so good. I wish I had any writing talent

greetvdm · 07-27-2005, 07:27 AM

I have a question. Are the topics listed under the title of the book limited to that specific book? Or can it also include information given in the following books? (I know HBP is off limits)

I mean, for example: can I discuss the Marauder's Map + its creators (listed under PoA) but also include information about it that we learned in the 4th/5th book?

jjlover01 · 07-28-2005, 03:17 PM

Melynda Austin (jjlover01)
HP Contest
July 28th
761 words

Topic from PS: Discuss Harry talking to the snake at the zoo, getting his first letter in the post, and Hagrid telling him about his parents. Do you think he coped well?

Freedom

Everybody wants to be free. We all want to feel as if we have charge over our own lives, and no one can control us. Harry Potter thought he would never be free. He thought he would be locked away for the rest of his life, and never be able to have that freedom he so desired. When freedom does come to him, it comes in the most peculiar ways. Three different situations, the snake incident, the letter, and the truth about his parents, none of them seem related, but are in fact tied to setting Harry Potter free.

Harry Potter wasn’t frightened at the fact that he could talk to snakes. He was amused and amazed. Dudley had tried to get the snake to pay attention to him, but the snake didn’t even look his way. It almost seemed that the snake felt the same way about Dudley that Harry did, except the snake had the option to ignore Dudley. Harry, however, could not ignore him. The snake had a lot in common with Harry. They were both away from their parents and home, and grew up in an environment where nobody loved them. They both were locked away in a cage, and they were not able to get out. Even though Harry and the snake had the same problems, Harry felt more sympathy for the snake. The snake should not to be locked up in a cage when it had the world to explore. When Harry accidentally released the snake and put Dudley and Piers in the cage instead, he laughed at their misfortune. Finally they would know what it is like to be locked up in a cage, and have no way to get out. They would see first hand how Harry lived day after day. Harry had saved the snake from life in a cage, but could not figure out how to get out of his own bondage. His day would soon come when he would be free also.

Harry was finally able to touch freedom in the form of a letter. Someone knew where he was, and knew of the pain that he was in. Even though he didn’t know who was writing the letters, Harry didn’t care. Someone wanted to see if he was okay. Somebody wanted him. All of his life he had been treated like a slave and locked away from the world. Now that was all about to change. Harry would be free, and start a life of his own. Freedom was snatched away when Uncle Vernon took the letter away from Harry. Now it seemed that Harry would never know who had been writing to him, though he was treated a little better after the Dursley’s read the letter. The letters began to pour in so much that the family had to go away. But nothing is ever that simple. Fate was rested in that letter, though Harry did not know it yet.

None of the things Harry had ever done in his life made any sense to him. Strange things were always happening around him, but he had no idea how to stop it. When Hagrid had told him that he was a wizard, it made sense to him. How else could all this weird stuff be explained? Harry’s parents had died at the hands of Lord Voldemort, but Harry had somehow survived. There was a reason why he was still alive, and why he lived with his Aunt and Uncle. He was supposed to grow up far away from the wizarding world, the world that had taken his parents. For the first time in Harry’s life he was free to be who he really was.

Harry had been through a lot in his life. He lived with family who didn’t care about him, and didn’t complain. When his life began to change, he handled all the situations in stride. He knew that his time would come when he would be free, and he was willing to wait as long as it took to get that freedom. He handled everything with maturity well beyond his eleven years. His parents would have been proud of Harry.

Freedom always comes at a price, but it’s a price that Harry was willing to pay. To follow in his parents footsteps was a dream come true for Harry. Living as a muggle may have been easier, but if he hadn’t stepped out, he would have never had the chance to be happy. Being free was the best thing that had ever happened to Harry.

*ADARA* · 07-28-2005, 05:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by greetvdm

I have a question. Are the topics listed under the title of the book limited to that specific book? Or can it also include information given in the following books? (I know HBP is off limits)

I mean, for example: can I discuss the Marauder's Map + its creators (listed under PoA) but also include information about it that we learned in the 4th/5th book?

You may use information from any book except HBP

jjlover01 thanks for submitting but that link only works for you. Please copy and paste onto this thread

~Chrissy~

jjlover01 · 07-28-2005, 08:47 PM

I copied and pasted the essay into my previous post.

**Rainstorm Jenny** · 07-28-2005, 10:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by *ADARA*

Awesome, thanks

Updated starter post to say that the gift basket is not finished yet but as of right now includes:
-one "Deluxe Edition" US printing of Harry Potter & the Half-Blood Prince
-Harry's glasses
-a quill
-a misfortune teller
-coupons
-dragon door hanger
-HBP cover temp tattoo
-HP Wizard-In-Training hat and serviette
-sweets
-Prisoner of Azkaban Sirius wanted poster postcard
-Stickers
-Color drip candles
-Colin Creevey's Camera
-HBP Bracelet from Barnes & Noble
-Harry Potter poster

Whoa, all those goodies!