MY READING LIFE / STUDENTS' WORKS
Lifetime lesson
Imagination, science acquired from ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows’
Published: Jul 11, 2024 08:58 PM
Editor's Note:

"Read ten thousand books, and your pen will be guided as if by the gods" is an ancient Chinese idiom that can be seen in students' textbooks. China's Ministry of Education has published an action plan to further promote reading among students across the nation. With new and diverse book recommendations, the reading scene is expected to be revived not only at schools, but also across society. To contribute to this endeavor, the Global Times launched "My Reading Life" essay contest for middle school students.

Please pick up a pen and share your stories with us at reading@globaltimes.com.cn

Participants will be rewarded once the article has been selected.

Photo: VCG

Photo: VCG

The book of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is the seventh book in J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series of novels. It is also the final installment of this remarkable series. 

The story centers on Harry's search for and destruction of Voldemort's horcruxes as the wizarding world descends into anarchy and darkness. It tells the story of what happened right after Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2005).

Although Rowling's most famous book collection was created based on her imagination, the book of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is still full of wisdom that has inspired me in my everyday life. I think this book can immerse readers in the writer's creative world. At the same time, it also contains many deep thoughts. 

The theme of this book is about adulthood and responsibility. In this story, Harry Potter is forced to transition from a protected child to an adult responsible for protecting others. He found the Deathly Hallows, which is actually a symbol of being forced to take on the responsibility of fighting against Voldemort. 

Rowling tells us through this story that adulthood means responsibility, and this responsibility may bring pain, but it is also the only way for us to grow and protect what we love.

While reading the book, I became deeply intrigued by the magic power of invisibility. Seeing how someone can disappear in the blink of an eye made me think about a technological design that I had seen in Shanghai. 

Although I do not remember the design's name, I still know that it was created by a team of physicists. One of the leading figures of the team is called Chu Junhao. He is an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. His project lit up my dream to have the power of invisibility, but also intrigued me to learn more about the subject of physics. 

At the Super Science Night held by Bilibili, China's major video-sharing platform, Chu showed how invisibility can be achieved with special technology and materials.

He asked workers to hold a panel in front of him. Initially, the lower part of his body was visible through the panel. After rotating the panel 90 degrees, his lower half disappeared. But the stage behind him could still be clearly seen.

The magic was realized by a lenticular grating. It is composed of rows of tiny cylindrical convex lenses. Each vertical cylindrical convex lenses can shrink and make thin objects parallel to it so that light can be refracted, according to Chu.

When a row of these cylindrical convex lenses forms a grating, several images are produced. They are too small to be noticed by the eyes. This achieves an invisible effect.

"Invisibility in science fiction will become reality as invisibility technology and material develop," he said. "More invisible equipment will change our life, such as invisible rooms that can provide better privacy and invisible hearing-aids."

Some people say that reading fantasy stories is not as practical as studying books and reading theoretical books. 

However, this statement is not true for me because if I had never read Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, I would never have been intrigued by the knowledge that I could grasp in real life. 

Every time I walk into a bookshop, I feel that I am lucky to be able to read, and to choose subjects depending on my liking. No matter if it is a serious topic like physics or a more interesting book like the Harry Potter, I think I will always love reading.

The author is a student at Beijing National Day School