WHAT IS E7?

Enlightening 2007 -- E7 for short -- is the world’s first “family camp” exploring the world of magic in literature.  With its camp dates (July 12-15, 2007) coinciding with the release of the film Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and immediately preceeding the release of the much-anticipated series finale, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, E7 is drawing fans of all ages to explore and discuss the books and films we love.

One of the world's top-ranked schools of education, the University of Pennsylvania's Graduate School of Education, has agreed to co-sponsor and host E7 in a setting worthy of the special occasion -- Penn's gothic, ivy-league campus.  The dormitory where particpants may reside, the Hall of Flags where the Feasts will be held, and even most of the classrooms are reminiscent of a medieval castle.

E7 is a family camp, and as such, many of the activities are designed for the whole family to enjoy together. Family members gather for all meals, including a two-hour lunch break for relaxation, exchanging stories about each person's day, or joining in the lunch-time contests and discussions. In addition to the family activities, classes are divided into different age groups so that every member of the family can meet new friends who share their love of books.

E7: THE NAME

The event's name refers to the Enlightenment era that plays so prominently in America's early history. The Age of Enlightenment, spanning the eighteenth century, represents a time in European and American history of reason, independence and self-determination. Its doctrine became the battle-cry of American colonists during the Revolutionary War and the founding principles of their Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution. The city of Philadelphia, led by Benjamin Franklin, became an important center of the American Enlightenment and embraced its principles of equality and education.

The growth of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter over the course of the series can be called an "enlightening."  Like America's own adolescence, Harry Potter's teen years involve a journey from absolutism and domination to a more ambiguous time of skepticism and independence.  Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix perhaps best captures this transition, as Harry begins the book angry, frustrated, confused and "in the dark." He moves through a world with many rules but few explanations to the book's climax when he must take action, deal with consequences, and, finally, come to terms with what he discovers.

Harry's quest for knowledge in the series' fifth book becomes his own personal Enlightenment.

Since we will be viewing and discussing the newly released film version of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, it is only fitting that the name of our event reflect both its central theme and the important historical legacy of our host city.