Harry Potter is widely renowned for its beautiful writing and incredible world building. However, there is that question that reverberates in everyone’s head: What makes Harry Potter so special? It comes down to a couple concepts, one of which is the fact that we’re exploring the wizarding world at the same time that Harry is. Everyone feels the excitement when Hagrid tells Harry the truth, “Harry—Yer a wizard” (Rowling, 1997). Rowling does a great job incorporating small details that helps the reader understand the ins and outs of the wizard world. This new universe has centaurs, broomsticks, and most importantly, magic. In a way, it feels like the reader is part of this new adventure to this amazing life.
Another reason for its massive success is that Harry goes through the same kinds of problems as ordinary human beings with a twist of the unordinary. There’s a large workload from class, evil teachers, and the problem of socializing with new people. However, there’s also a mix of magical classes, a scar that originated from one of the most evil men in the wizarding world and flying sports. Also, Hogwarts is treated like an ordinary boarding school that has a few kinks in it; there’s a mysterious third floor and a forest full of dangerous beasts. There’s just enough relatability and the unknown to allure so many readers to enjoy this parallel world.r
Finally, one of the best parts of this book is the interesting yet familiar characters. Most of the characters in the book are archetypes that we’ve seen before: the bookworm, the bully, and even the mean teacher. They’re all well developed and they make for interesting interactions: Professor Dumbledore. Can I ask you something?...What do you see when you look in the mirror?" "I? I see myself holding a pair of thick, woolen socks” (Rowling, 1997). Rowling’s amazing writing makes the audience truly care for Harry and his friends, so it’s like the audience has invested emotions into the book. The reasons for why Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone is so popular is endless: however, most of it boils down to the immersive writing and the relateable aspect of the book.
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ReplyDeleteI really love that you brought up how Harry goes through the same struggles that most of face in the real word. The magical aspect of the book is obviously not realistic, but because Harry and the characters go through similar things that we do, such as hard classes, competition with peers, the search for their identity, etc., a lot of other parts of the book are relatable to the readers. A touching moment is when Harry sees his family in the magic mirror. Rowling says, "The Potters smiled and waved at Harry and he stared hungrily back at them, his hands pressed flat against the glass as though he was hoping to fall right through it and reach them. He had a powerful kind of ache inside him, half joy, half terrible sadness" (209). This part was very sad for me to read, but it made me sympathetic for Harry. A lot of us in life may be unhappy or may be longing for things that we never will be able to have, and this moment in the book portrays this struggle well. I also agree with you on how Rowling's writing makes you truly care for the characters. The part of the book that I just described really made me identify with Harry, and I always found myself rooting for Harry and his friends. Rowling skillfully draws readers into loving her books. This was my first time ever reading anything related to Harry Potter, and when Harry left Hogwarts at the end of the book, I found myself wanting to immediately start the second book.
ReplyDeletePreethi, or anyone else who may come across this post:
ReplyDeleteHow did you feel about the ending of the book? Were you surprised that Snape tried to protect Harry? I was, but it was also my first time reading the book:-) I'm definitely curious to know more about Snape, and I am definitely going to continue the series.
I completely agree that one of the reasons the Harry Potter series is so popular among young adults is its unique combination of fantasy and familiarity in the characters and plot lines. Rowling crafted a series that was perfect for young adults, as it offers an escape from the real world while simultaneously including details that connect Harry and his friends to the reader. The reader is able to think, "What if I were in Harry Potter's shoes?", which adds to the wonder of the story as a whole.
ReplyDeleteThis can be seen specifically in the first novel through the student’s placement into “houses” upon their arrival at Hogwarts. The use of a sorting hat with an animated personality placing students into the house most suitable to their personalities adds to the fantasy and wonder that surrounds Hogwarts. However, to the reader, there is a sense of familiarity that comes with connecting with a specific group specifically during their time in ordinary middle and high school. Therefore, Rowling has taken an outrageous and exciting aspect of Hogwarts and connected it to something that every young student resonates with.
Rowling’s ability to create a fantastical world filled with surprise and wonder while simultaneously crafting characters and plot lines that connect to the reader is one of the many reasons the Harry Potter series has taken the world by storm