Ellen Reiss writes on "Nature, Romanticism, and Harry Potter"

Having just seen the latest Harry Potter film, "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix," which I liked very much, and being on page 217 (at 3 PM, Friday, July 27, 2007!) of the seventh and last book of the series, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," I want to tell you about what Ellen Reiss, the Class Chairman of Aesthetic Realism, wrote about J. K. Rowling's first book.

She asked, "What does its enormous popularity say about people and what they are looking for?" And then she explained:

" First of all, the importance of this novel, its goodness, and the enthusiasm about it are explained by the following principle, the basis of Aesthetic Realism: "All beauty is a making one of opposites, and the making one of opposites is what we are going after in ourselves." And the chief opposites that Ms. Rowling has made inseparable are the opposites that are central to romanticism, that new way of feeling and showing the world which began in Europe at the end of the 18th century: the opposites of the strange and the ordinary."

Later she writes,
"Harry Potter is about as unmysterious, non-tingling, ordinary a name as one could think of. Sorcerer's Stone is something else. And this boy with the dull name, who is hardly striking, and wears eyeglasses held together with Scotch tape, is a wizard; in fact, a very special wizard."

Her thrilling commentary continues as she speaks about the Dursleys, Harry's herbology class, Hagrid, and Harry's beloved snowy owl, Hedwig.

To read more, go to Nature, Romanticism, & Harry Potter, an issue of the periodical, The Right of Aesthetic Realism to Be Known.

As to the general subject of this blog: I have learned that any time a person likes the world more honestly, the contempt which is at the root of racism is that much opposed. This happens whenever you see opposites such as the strange and the ordinary making sense in a fine work of art.

More links to the writing of Ellen Reiss:

Ellen Reiss, Class Chairman of Aesthetic Realism
The Aesthetic Realism Explanation of Poetry
Jobs, Discontent, and Beauty -- on the poetry of Robert Burns and the ethical meaning of work
Some biographical and literary information
How Should a Child Be Seen? -- report by teachers and parents Barbara McClung and Lauren Phillips of an Aesthetic Realism class taught by Ellen Reiss, in which she discusses "Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder" and shows it's related to the question of giving attention that everyone, young, old, and in-between, has.
Excerts from and links to many critics and other authorities speaking about Eli Siegel, Aesthetic Realism, poetry, ethics, aesthetics at the website Countering the Lies
Leila Rosen, Aesthetic Realism associate and teacher of English: "Aesthetic Realism taught me to ask this great question: How is aesthetics present in the ordinary moments of our lives--not only when we're at a museum or gallery, but also when we're on the subway, cooking a meal, choosing what to wear, thinking about God or love? This is what the present blog is about."
More on Aesthetic Realism and Robert Burns

Aesthetic Realism and Rock 'n' Roll!

Eli Siegel stated that in the technique of all art, including music, is the answer to our questions as individuals. Racism begins with how we see difference as such. Racism is a diminishing of the value of a person we see as different from us. It is contempt, and all art arises from respect for the world. In every good instance of rock 'n' roll, whether by the Fab Four of Liverpool or by the Drifters or the Supremes, an artist felt that he or she would be added to by notes, melody, rhythm, other people's voices and instruments, sound as such -- every one of which is different from what that person began with as just themselves.

And I'm not even talking about the multi-ethnic history of rock 'n' roll about which so much could be said.

So come and hear the explanation of why rock 'n' roll has been loved for over 50 years, together with some of the greatest hits of all time, sung by people who've studied and love the meaning of those golden oldies! (And some are from our own current century)

This will be one of those events you'll be sorry to have missed in years to come. This will be historic, showing the real lollapalooza ethics of rock. You will have one of the greatest times of your life. I know, because I'm lucky enough to be in it, and the rehearsals are alive!

Here is a link for more information about Rock 'n' Roll, the Opposites, & Our Greatest Hopes -- A Celebration! -- Sunday August 12 at 2:30 PM.

THAT WAS SOLD OUT!

SPECIAL REPEAT PERFORMANCE!
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 7 at 2:30 PM
The Aesthetic Realism Theatre Company presents:
Rock ‘n’ Roll, The Opposites,& Our Greatest Hopes—A Celebration!
Why has rock ‘n’ roll affected people so much? Singing & commenting on songs from the ‘50s and ‘60s to the present, we illustrate these sentences from an Aesthetic Realism lesson Eli Siegel gave to a rock musician:
“Rock ‘n’ roll has the answer to people’s problem of, on the one hand, wanting to be very private and sad, and on the other, wanting to have something like sunlight and public force. Every person has to make a one of the most secret thing in him and the most public thing. Rock ‘n’ roll shows it can be done.”


Call 212 777 4490 to make reservations


See also:

--an article by artist Marcia Rackow about a beloved author and illustrator of children's books: 'Wonder and Matter-of-Fact Meet--the Imagination of Beatrix Potter.'


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