I'm heading out on a date with hubby today to see Harry Potter 7.2. I know we are late to the party, but that is how things work in our world.
Thinking about the phenomenon that is Potter, the series that made Jo Rowling richer than the queen of England and became the most successful movie franchise in history, I'd like to ask -- Inkers and dear blog followers, if you are a Potter fan, what is it about the series that makes it dear to your heart? Rowling's work certainly reflects the influence of other successful authors, including C.S. Lewis, Tolkien, and Dickens, authors who have been imitated ad nauseam. So, what about Potter made so many people connect to it?
For me, it is the boy who lived, Harry Potter himself. From the first chapter of book one, I cared about this person, an orphaned boy living with awful relatives in a cupboard under the stairs. I felt his excitement, fear, and disillusionment as he discovered his true heritage and started on his journey to make things right. To me, if Harry Potter wasn't such a well-drawn character, the world of the series still would have made it successful, but not to the degree it is.
BTW, I hate goodbyes. I'm taking Kleenex with me to the movie.
I have also fallen in love with the boy who lived. It is the classic idea of one struggling to overcome and the courage to move forward even when you would rather hold still. I love the series in books and movies and while I too am sad to see the movies end I left this last movie with a feeling that my friends from Hogwarts are living on in a happy world. :) Loved your post!!!!
ReplyDeleteI've loved the series from the beginning and to pick the thing I love the most is very difficult. The characters of Harry, Ron and Hermione each drew me in for different reasons. I must say that for me the real love started the first time Rowling walked me down Diagon Alley. The magical world was a facinating place to escape to. Love, loyalty, hatred and vengence all lived in the magical world with real life consequences. I thought HP 7.2 was a great film. They did a great job.
ReplyDeleteI'm sadly going to be the dissenting voice here. I was one of the few strange people who didn't "love" Harry Potter. I obviously respect Rowling and the success she achieved. How many countless people did she get into reading through her books? It truly is amazing. So, in that sense, I respect Harry Potter.
ReplyDeleteThe story is in the perfect setting for children as well. What bored elementary school child wouldn't love to go to a school of magic? Rowling also did have some really interesting ideas, but for some reason I still felt gypped when I'd finished the series. Were my expectations too high? Undoubtedly. How could they not be after seeing all the rage for nigh on a decade?
As far as the story goes, it is a typical hero's journey. My biggest disappointment as I read the books was actually Harry. He never seemed to change. He was the same boy from book one to book seven, except for at the very end when he accepted his "destiny" and defeated Voldemort. If a deeper character development was there, then I missed it completely.
Then again, who am I to criticize the most popular series of books ever written?