Hannah Matus, a junior in political science, said “Harry Potter and English Comedy,” a special topics English course she is taking this quarter, took her by surprise.

“I expected to be talking about the plot setup and prevalent themes … but it’s actually so much more than that,” Matus said.

Although the course explores J.K. Rowling’s best-selling fantasy novels, it also examines British comedy so students can fully understand the puzzles posed in the Potter books.

Professor Susie Kneedler said she is very enthusiastic about the material, structuring the course to include textual analysis and a review of clips from the Potter movies.

“I’m hoping for students to look at the books from as many different angles as they wouldn’t have otherwise,” Kneedler said.

Michael Maley, a sophomore in history education, said he agrees the class is not what he originally expected.

“I expected to just read the books and watch the movies and pick out the discrepancies,” Maley said.

But Maley said he enjoys how the course is organized because after reading each of the books, the professor shows clips of movies and British television shows. Kneedler discusses other topics to help the class understand Rowling’s writing and how the movie directors have misinterpreted parts of the novels.

Cassie Chenault, a senior in English, is taking the course not only to fulfill a major requirement but because she loves the Potter books and wanted to take a fun course.

“You are only in college for four years,” Chenault said. “You should take classes that are fun, not that just meet a requirement.”

Chenault said she is learning about things in the books she did not see when she first read them.

The course is open to anyone interested in Harry Potter, even those who have not yet read the books. Class discussion is very spirited and many students have varying opinions on the mystery and comedy portrayed in the books, and often have their own interpretations of the author’s message.

“Who doesn’t want to sit in a classroom and watch movie and television clips while reading a novel that has captured the world?” Maley said.

Heather Dodds can be reached at [email protected].