In which Harry teaches us yet another lesson

As I sit here and watch Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, I can help but realize the important lessons in this movie. And they're not lesson lessons--the kind that, when you read a book or watch a movie, feel like swallowing gravel because seriously, YA writers, we don't want you to condescend to teach us a lesson, we want to read a well written story that has meaning. Gah.

No, these lessons are simply, unintentional ones, like 'Don't spend too much time making a cake if a house elf is just going to splatter it all over your guests later' and 'Twelve year olds should not drive to school and if they do, they should wear their seat belts.' (really Harry? You're a mugglefreaking idiot)

The other lessons are equally not thrust in your face although somewhat less relevant to today's teenager. Here are a couple more lessons in list format, for those of you who aren't interested in reading between the scenes:

• If you consistently bleach your hair or wear a long, extremely blond wig, you will became a flaming racist.
• If you receive a red envelope that screams hate mail, take it outside before you open it. That way, your face won't match your hair when it's finished screaming at you.
• Never let a man who has won a smile contest play doctor with your arm (this includes not only Gilderoy Lockhart but Carly Cullen, too).
• When you start hearing voices in your head saying 'Kill', see the Hogwarts Psychiatrist, aka, Dobby.

Aside from that though, a couple weeks ago, a certain person commented on how juvenile the initial Harry Potter books are and I am now ready to respond to this. Here it is:

Of course they're juvenile. They were written for children. That does not take away their applicability. It also does not mean they're not incredibly written and executed and generally well plotted.

But back to the movies, these kids are just too unbelievably adorable. I know there are people who think that present day Dan Radcliffe is repulsive (I respectfully disagree), but you have to admit he was pretty darn adorable in 2002. Same goes for the rest of the cast, though something should have been done about Hermione's hair. I guess it fits the description and all but what human being should have to go through having that captured for their entire life?

All this was put into perspective for me today as I heard at least four Japanese teenagers tell me they like Harry Potter because it is exciting. Apparently, learning English is fun.