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Harry Potter is the name of a popular series of fantasy novels by British writer J. K. Rowling. Depicting a world of witches and wizards (the protagonist being the eponymous young wizard Harry Potter), the series has since the release of its first novel, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (retitled Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone in the United States) in 1997, been a lightning rod for criticism, both literary and otherwise. Despite this, the series has succeeded in gaining immense popularity and commercial success world wide and across age demographics, spawning in addition to its original medium, books, movies, video games, and a wealth of other commercial items.
The majority of the series' action takes place between 1991-1998, focusing on Harry Potter’s journey toward manhood over the course of his education, interactions, journeys, and adventures. Through the course of these, the series also explores themes of friendship, ambition, choice, prejudice, and love against the backdrop of the expansive magical world with its long and complex history, diverse inhabitants, unique culture, and parallel society.
As of 2006, six of the seven planned books have been published. The latest, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, was published in its English-language version on 16 July 2005. The first four books have been made into successful films, and the fifth began filming in February 2006. English language versions of the books are published by Bloomsbury, Scholastic Press, and Raincoast Books.
Please note, most links lead to spoilers. Those that are noted will carry the following tag:
Publishing history
In 1990, Rowling was on a crowded train from Manchester to London when the idea for Harry simply “fell” into her head. Rowling gives an account of the experience on her website:
- I had been writing almost continuously since the age of six but I had never been so excited about an idea before. To my immense frustration, I didn't have a functioning pen with me, and I was too shy to ask anybody if I could borrow one. I think, now, that this was probably a good thing, because I simply sat and thought, for four (delayed train) hours, and all the details bubbled up in my brain, and this scrawny, black-haired, bespectacled boy who didn't know he was a wizard became more and more real to me. I think that perhaps if I had had to slow down the ideas so that I could capture them on paper I might have stifled some of them (although sometimes I do wonder, idly, how much of what I imagined on that journey I had forgotten by the time I actually got my hands on a pen).
That evening J.K. Rowling began the pre-writing for her first novel, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (Sorcerer's Stone in the U.S.), pre-writing that would include the plot to each of her seven planned books, in addition to an enormous amount of historical and biographical information on her characters and universe. Eventually Rowling relocated to Portugal, where she in 1992 married her first husband, and in 1993 had her first child, Jessica, all the while continuing her writing of Stone. When the marriage dissolved, Rowling returned to Britain with her daughter and settled in Edinburgh to be near her sister, famously continuing her writing of Philosopher's Stone in local coffee shops. Bringing in only £90 a week (£70 of which were from income support) and unable to secure a place for her daughter in a nursery, the sleeping infant Jessica would be a constant companion to her mother as Rowling labored to finish the book that she had at this point begun to fear would never be completed.
In 1996 Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone was completed and the manuscript was sent off to an agent.
- "The agent sent the manuscript back to my despair without the folder, which had cost me $7, saying writing 80,000 words made it much too long for a children's book." The second agent she tried, Christopher Little, wrote back immediately to say he liked it and wanted to take her on. He sent the manuscript to Bloomsbury...
At Bloomsbury, at the time a fairly small independent publisher, Philosopher's Stone landed in front of the uninterested eye of Nigel Newton, the chairman of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc. The unenthused Mr. Newton took the manuscript home but did not read it, giving it instead to his eight year old daughter Alice. Showing great zeal over what she had read, Ms. Newton would go on to 'nag' her father for months until Bloomsbury, after eight other publishers had rejected Philosopher's Stone, offered J.K. Rowling a £2,500 advance.
Despite Rowling's statement that she did not have any particular age group in mind when she began to write the Harry Potter books, the publishers initially targeted them at children aged around 9 to 11. On the eve of publishing, like Harper Lee (To Kill a Mockingbird) and S.E. Hinton (The Outsiders) before her, Joanne Rowling was asked by her publishers to adopt a more gender neutral penname, in order to appeal to the males of this age group, fearing that they would not be interested in reading a novel they knew to be written by a woman. Rowling elected J.K. Rowling (assuming the "K" from her grandmother Kathleen).
The first Potter book was published in the United Kingdom by Bloomsbury in July 1997 and in the United States, September of 1998, but not before Rowling received a six-figure sum for the American publishing rights, an unprecedented amount for a children’s book. Among the prizes the series went on to earn, the first three books, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, all won the Nestlé Smarties Book Prize for the 9 to 11 age group in 1997, 1998, and 1999, respectively.
By 2000, the series had become very high-profile due in part to marketing strategy by Rowling's publishers, but also due to word of mouth buzz among readers, especially young males. The former being notable because for years interest in literature among this demographic had lagged behind other interest like video games and the Internet. Rowling's publishers were able to capitalize on this excitement by the rapid successive releases of the first three books that allowed neither Rowling's audience's excitement nor interest to wane, along with quickly solidifying a loyal readership. The culmination of this initial Potter excitement was the huge media coverage surrounding the 2000 release of the fourth book, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.
In 2001, two slim spin-off volumes called Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander and Quidditch Through the Ages by Kennilworthy Whisp were published. All proceeds went to the British charity organization "Comic Relief" (not to be confused with the American organization of the same name). The hype escalated with the publication of the next two books in the series, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, with midnight launch parties at hundreds of bookshops in the UK, simultaneous launch events around the English-speaking world, and intense media interest, leading to unprecedented first-day sales in the UK, US and elsewhere.
Over nearly a decade the books have garnered fans of all ages, leading to two editions of each Harry Potter book being released, identical in text but with one edition's cover artwork aimed at children and the other edition's aimed at adults. The series is also immensely popular around the world in its many translations. Such was the clamour to read the book around the world that the English-language edition of Order of the Phoenix became the first English-language book ever to top the bookseller list in France. The world wide success of Harry Potter including sales from the books, as well as royalties from the films and merchandise, has made Rowling a billionaire and by some reports richer than Queen Elizabeth II. As of 4 October 2005, more than 300 million copies of the books have been sold worldwide.
Overview
The story opens on the morning of November 1, 1980, a day that has been, for many British citizens, filled with both the peculiar and the incomprehensible; shooting stars, an inordinate number of owls, and oddly dressed strangers joyously accosting bewildered muggles on the street. The source of these strange events is the rare, unrestrained, celebratory mood of a carefully kept secret Wizarding World that had for years been terrorized by Lord Voldemort in his decades long bid for power. The previous night, however, Lord Voldemort, who had for months sought the hidden Potter family, discovered their refuge and killed Lily and James Potter. When he turned his wand against their infant son Harry, his curse rebounded upon him and he was ripped from his body, and he himself was forced into hiding, leaving Harry with his distinctive lightning bolt scar on his forehead, the only physical sign of Voldemort's attack. Harry's defeat of Voldemort in the course of the mysterious events of that Holloween night was met with a mix of awe and fear, but mostly joy by the magical community, resulting in them dubbing Harry, who had survived where so many others had fallen, "The-Boy-Who-Lived."
The orphaned Harry Potter was subsequently raised by his cruel relatives the Dursleys in ignorance of his magical heritage, they despising his "unnaturalness." As his eleventh birthday approaches however, Harry has his first contact with the magical world when he is notified by Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry that he is in fact a wizard and has been chosen to attend. Each book chronicles approximately one year in Harry's life at Hogwarts, where he learns to use magic and brew potions. Harry also learns to overcome many magical, social, and emotional obstacles as he struggles through his adolescence. There are seven books in the series, each slightly darker than its predecessor, as Harry ages and his nemesis, Lord Voldemort, gains power.
Characters in Harry Potter
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- Harry James Potter- The only child of James and Lily Potter with whom he shares many distinct characteristics, most notably James’ unruly black hair and Lily’s green eyes. He achieved fame at the age of one when Lord Voldemort, the most feared wizard of the age, attacked his home, killing his parents but failing to kill him, though leaving him with his instantly recognizable scar. At Hogwarts, he has shown himself to be a gifted wizard, excelling both at Defense Against the Dark Arts and Quidditch, along with being recognized as a capable leader within his house, Gryffindor, and the school in general. Despite his best attempts, he has been unable to down play his fame and his inability to do so has at times been a source of great frustration to him with it making him the target of unwanted media attention, rumors, gawking (chiefly at his scar), and the ire of professors and classmates alike. However, despite all external pressures, he remains overall courageous, noble, and high minded, though at times these qualities have been shown to negatively manifest themselves in what Hermione Granger termed his “saving-people thing.” Further information: Harry Potter (character)
- Ronald "Ron" Bilius Weasley-Harry Potter's best friend and sixth of the seven children of the widely respected though extremely poor Weasley family. He befriended Harry almost immediately upon meeting him during their first journey on the Hogwarts Express, though a serious rift did once develop between them due in part to his frustration at being forced to live in Harry's shadow, frustration that was no doubt magnified by his position as youngest brother in his large family. Despite this, he and Harry have remained close through the years with him being a constant companion through Harry's trials and adventures. Further information: Ron Weasley
- Hermione Jane Granger- The close friend of Harry Potter and Ron Weasley who is generally held to be the best student of Harry's year. Her high intelligence and reasoned based way of tackling challenges have often been a great asset to Harry and Ron throughout their Hogwarts careers, though her sometimes bossy and interfering manner has at times been a source of contention between them. Her status as a muggle-born, along with her intelligence and assertive manner, have on occasion made her a prime target for disapproving prejudiced classmates. Further information: Hermione Granger
- Lord Voldemort-The chief series antagonist and evil wizard bent on securing unmatched power and achieving immortality through the practice of Dark Magic. After years of slaughter in pursuit of his goals he met his match when he attempted to kill Harry Potter and failed, being thrown from his body and forced to flee into hiding. So feared was he at the height of his prodigious powers that even following his downfall most wizards feared to speak his name, referring to him instead as "You-Know-Who" or "He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named." Further information: Lord Voldemort
- Professor Albus Dumbledore-Harry's most trusted adviser and headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He is perhaps one of the most respected men in the Wizarding world, holding high ranking positions in both national and international magical government, along with being an accomplished alchemist and master of an assortment of magical disciplines. He is also said to be the only known sorcerer whom Lord Voldemort ever feared. Despite or perhaps, because of his magical power, intellect, and status in the magical world, Dumbledore often finds himself socially isolated and is as a result, not invulnerable to reckless emotional mistakes. Further information: Albus Dumbledore
- Professor Severus Snape- A gifted wizard, Hogwarts staff member, and since his youth, a bitter enemy of James Potter and Sirius Black. As Hogwarts Potions master he sought to exact his revenge on the deceased James Potter by verbally abusing his son Harry. A former spy employed by both Voldemort and Dumbledore, Snape's loyalty is constantly under question though Dumbledore maintains that he unequivocally trusts him for reasons that he has declined to reveal while there are those who still remain skeptical, Harry Potter chief among them. Further information: Severus Snape
- Professor Rubeus Hagrid- Son of a wizard and a giantess, he is both surprisingly gentle and nurturing. One of Harry Potter's biggest supporters and most steadfast friends, he is also the Hogwarts groundskeeper and Professor of Care of Magical Creatures and it was he who reintroduced Harry back into the magical world. Further information: Rubeus Hagrid
- Sirius Black- Best friend to James Potter and former rebellious youth who fled his pure-blood supremacist parents' home in his youth. Following the murders of James and Lily he was arrested for involvement in their murders though he later escaped Further information: Sirius Black
Content and writing style
The books are written in third person limited omniscient mode, with Harry as the central character. The books are generally written from Harry's point of view, with short exceptions in Philosopher's Stone, Goblet of Fire and Half-Blood Prince. The telling of the story through Harry Potter's perspective is perhaps one of the reasons that many readers feel so close with the character.
Rowling's main strengths as a writer include her ability to drive elaborate and largely seamless plots over a very wide canvas, and to create a convincing internal logic of her fantasy world. However, while there is much moral subtlety in many scenes in the books, the central clash between good and evil is drawn in largely black-and-white terms. Nevertheless, as the series develops, several characters have faced a choice between doing what is right or what is easy (a central theme), and moral "shades of grey" have been presented. This is especially relevant to characters such as Dolores Umbridge, some Ministry of Magic employees, Draco Malfoy, and Severus Snape.
While ideas of racism, genocide, anti-establishment and prejudice are as J.K. Rowling said, "deeply entrenched in the whole plot," Rowling prefers to let themes "grow organically," rather than sitting down and consciously attempting to impart such ideas to her readers.
Prejudice & Discrimination
Prejudice in the Harry Potter series first begins to be addressed in the earliest chapters of the first book. The Dursleys abhor any and all things abnormal, leading them to shun their magical relatives the Potters and abuse their son when he is delivered into their care. Upon entering the magical world, Rowling shows prejudice to exist in both worlds as Harry encounters more of the same in the wizarding world, learning that there are wizards and witches that hate muggles and view them as inferior because of their lack of magical ability. Furthermore, the magical world utilizes a system of designations, muggle-born, half-blood, and pure-blood, to indicate a wizard's heritage. The more prejudiced within the magical community take these designations a step further, viewing the designations as a system of ranking to illustrate a wizard's worth, pure-blood being the preferred sorcerers and muggle-born (alternatively known by the slur "mud-blood") as the most despised. In addition to prejudices held for fellow humans, there is also a common shunning non-humans and even part humans (commonly known by the offensive epithet, "half-breeds").
At every turn, Rowling dispels these prejudicial views of marginalized magical groups. Hermione Granger, the so called "mud-blood," is made to be the brightest young witch at Hogwarts, Hagrid derided by some as a dangerous "half-breed" for his giant blood, is shown to be a gentle lover of all creatures, and half-bloods including Harry Potter, Severus Snape, and Voldemort himself (though the theme is made more complex when one considers that Voldemort heads an organization, the Death Eaters who subscribe to these beliefs), are shown to be among the most magically powerful in the wizarding world. The subscribers of prejudicial views are often cast in a negative light, with characters like the Dursleys, Lucius Malfoy, and even Ministry of Magic officials as high as the Minister himself being portrayed as greedy, power-hungry, and at times, incompetent.
Choice
One of the most significant recurring themes is that of choice. In Chamber of Secrets, Dumbledore makes perhaps his most famous statement on this issue; that "It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities."Template:HP2 He confronts the issue again in Goblet of Fire, when he tells Cornelius Fudge that what one grows up to be is far more important than what one is born. Template:HP4
Many pairs of characters with similar backgrounds throughout the series are presented with similar situations but their choices on the matter distinguish them from their fellows and make them foils to one another. Both Sirius Black and Draco Malfoy were born into prejudiced pure-blood families but Black chose to reject his family's ideology while Malfoy embraced it. Dobby and Winky were both born into slavery as house-elves, but Dobby aspired to freedom while Winky aspired only to servitude. Hagrid and Madame Maxime were each born half-giants, but only Hagrid chose to publically and unabashedly embrace his heritage while Madame Maxime chose to hide for fear of what others would think of her, declaring herself to be "big-boned." Template:HP4
One of the most powerful choices of the series was the choice presented to Lily Potter the night she died and Voldemort was defeated. After killing her husband, Voldemort ordered her to step aside so that he could dispatch baby Harry. She refused, stepping in front of the curse meant for her son. Thinking that she was only buying her Harry a few more seconds of life, her choice unknowingly gave him a magically powerful protective shield that prevented Voldemort from doing him harm, causing Voldemort's curse to backfire on himself, ripping him from his body.
Choice has been a staple of Harry Potter's career at Hogwarts and his choices are among his character's most distinguishing traits from Voldemort's. Both he and Voldemort were orphans raised in difficult environments, in addition to sharing characteristics including as Dumbledore points out, Voldemort's "own very rare gift, Parseltongue - resourcefulness - determination -- a certain disregard for rules,"Template:HP2 but Harry, unlike Voldemort, has consciously chosen to embrace friendship, kindness, and love, where Voldemort conscious chose to reject them.
Criticism
 | It has been suggested that Anti-Harry_Potter_community be merged into this article. (Discuss) |
While it is arguable that the archetypical familiarity (see below) of the stories contributed to their rapid elevation to classic status, critics of the Harry Potter stories are quick to argue that they lack originality. The influence of such writers as Roald Dahl, T.H. White, C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien and others can certainly be detected.
Critic A.S. Byatt went even further following the 2003 release of the fifth book when she called Rowling's world a "secondary secondary world, made up of intelligently patchworked derivative motifs from all sorts of children's literature...written for people whose imaginative lives are confined to TV cartoons, and the exaggerated (more exciting, not threatening) mirror-worlds of soaps, reality TV and celebrity gossip." Byatt goes on to say that readers' deference to this "derivative manipulation of past motifs" is for adult readers driven by a desire to regress to their "own childish desires and hopes" and for younger readers, "the powerful working of the fantasy of escape and empowerment, combined with the fact that the stories are comfortable, funny, just frightening enough." The end result being the leveling "of cultural studies, which are as interested in hype and popularity as they are in literary merit.
Some critics were in agreement with Byatt. On Byatt, Fay Weldon said, "She is absolutely right that it is not what the poets hoped for, but this is not poetry, it is readable, saleable, everyday, useful prose."
Others like Charles Taylor of Salon.com responded to A.S. Byatt by conceding that Byatt may have "a valid cultural point -- a teeny one -- about the impulses that drive us to reassuring pop trash and away from the troubling complexities of art," but rejecting her claim that the series is lacking in serious literary merit, owing its success merely to the childhood reassurances it offers, stressing the progressively darker tone of the books filled with the discomfort of scenes including the murder of a classmate and close friend and the resulting psychological wounds and social isolation each causes. Taylor also points out that discomforting scenes disruptive to the childhood reassurances Byatt claims spurs the series' success are present in Philosopher's Stone (said to be the lightest of the six published books, citing "the devastating scene where Harry encounters a mirror that reveals the heart's truest desire and, looking into it, sees himself happy and smiling with the parents he never knew, a vision that lasts only as long as he looks into the glass, and a metaphor for how fleeting our moments of real happiness are," then asking rhetorically if "this is Byatt's idea of reassurance?" Taylor concludes that Rowling's success among children and adults is "because J.K. Rowling is a master of narrative."
Other critics like Stephen King concurred with Taylor calling the series "a feat of which only a superior imagination is capable," along with declaring "Rowling's punning, one-eyebrow-cocked sense of humor" to be "remarkable." He does however write that despite the story being "a good one," he is "a little tired of discovering Harry at home with his horrible aunt and uncle," the formulaic beginning of each of the six books published to date. King also rejects the view of the series often held by members of the fandom as being highly textured and thought provoking, characterizing the plot as "simple, uncomplicated fun."
King did, however, predict that Harry Potter "will indeed stand time's test and wind up on a shelf where only the best are kept; I think Harry will take his place with Alice, Huck, Frodo, and Dorothy and this is one series not just for the decade, but for the ages."
Controversy
In 1999 Nancy Kathleen Stouffer, who is sometimes known by her penname of N.K. Stouffer, quietly began to allege copyright and trademark infringement of her 1984 work The Legend of Rah and the Muggles and Larry Potter and His Best Friend Lilly by J.K. Rowling.
The primary basis for Stoffer's claims lie in her own invention of Muggles, non-magical elongated humanoids of sorts and the title character of the second work, Larry Potter, a bespectacled boy with dark, albeit wavy hair (Rowling's Potter is characterized as having all of those though with unruly instead of wavy hair). Stouffer contended (and still does to this day) that it is not just these examples and similar names but that it is "the cumulative effect of all of it combined" with the other comparisons she lists on her real muggles website.
J.K. Rowling, along with Scholastic Press (Rowling's american publisher) and Warner Brothers (holders of the series' film rights), preempted Stouffer with a suit of their own seeking a declaratory judgment that they had not infringed on any of Stouffer's works. Rowling, through the use of expert witnesses who brought into question the authenticity of Stouffer's evidence, won the case with Stouffer's claims being dismissed with prejudice and Stouffer herself being fined $50,000 for her "pattern of intentional bad faith conduct" in relation to her employment of fraudulent evidentiary submissions, along with being ordered to pay a portion of the plaintiffs' legal fees.
Added controversy stems from some Christian groups in the United States who have denounced the series for promoting witchcraft and Satanism. "It contains some powerful and valuable lessons about love and courage and the ultimate victory of good over evil," said Paul Hetrick, spokesman for Focus on the Family, a national Christian group based in Colorado Springs. "However, the positive messages are packaged in a medium — witchcraft — that is directly denounced in Scripture." Accordingly, Harry Potter has been the subject of various book burnings.
In addition to this, Chick Publications went so far as to produce a comic book tract called "The Nervous Witch" about two teenage girls who get seriously involved in occult witchcraft and become demonically possessed as a direct result of reading Harry Potter books.
It has also been argued that when Pope Benedict XVI was Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith he also condemned the books in a letter expressing gratitude for the receipt of a book on the subject, stating they are "a subtle seduction, which has deeply unnoticed and direct effects in undermining the soul of Christianity before it can really grow properly." Monsignor Peter Fleetwood, a Vatican priest, wrote that these remarks were misinterpreted, and that the letter was likely to have been written by an assistant of the then-cardinal.
Owing to the very nature of the books and the matter-of-fact way in which Rowling addresses the use of magic, the series has been a frequent target of banning and censorship in libraries. The series taken as a whole is in the list of the top 100 most frequently challenged books at libraries (i.e. books that have been requested to be banned), currently listed at number seven on this list.
Releases
Events
Following the Harry Potter media blitz or Pottermania of 1999-2000, the Harry Potter series developed a massive following of fans that were like other fan communities, so eager for the latest series release that book stores around the world began holding events to coincide with the midnight release of the books, beginning with the 2000 release of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. The events, commonly featuring mock sorting, games, face painting, and other live entertainment have achieved popularity with Potter fans and have been incredibly successful at attracting fans and selling books with nearly nine million of the 10.8 million initial print copies of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince in the first 24 hours.
Security
As publication nears, the popularity of the series as seen in the 670 Barnes & Noble release parties and 1,800 other parties registered with PotterParties.com, along with the nearly 2 million pre-orders for the sixth book between Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble, necessitates a level of security unprecedented in the publishing world including in some cases, armed police guards for truck delivery of the heavily sealed packages.
A shipment of Potter books to dealers also comes with strict instructions for distribution with the possibility of legal action and revocation of future books if proper procedure isn't followed.
Injunction against purchasers of early copies
A grocery store in Canada accidentally sold several copies of the sixth Harry Potter book before the authorized release date. The Canadian publisher, Raincoast Books, obtained an injunction from the Supreme Court of British Columbia prohibiting the purchasers from reading the books in their possession. This sparked a number of news articles questioning the injunction's restriction on fundamental rights. Canadian law professor Michael Geist has posted commentary on his weblog. Richard Stallman has posted commentary on his weblog calling for a boycott until the publisher issues an apology. Some versions of this creed have been circulated by email including a spoiler for one of the major plot points in the novel; whether this was actually the original posted version and was modified by Stallman is as yet unclear, though the tone of the sentence is substantially the same as that of the rest of the message.
Other analogous works
One of the earliest characters remeniscent of Harry Potter is the boy magician Kullervo, from the Finnish epic, the Kalevala. But he is the literary opposite of Harry. Like Harry, Kullervo is profoundly magically gifted from an early age, his family are killed in a raid on his home when he is an infant, and Kullervo is raised as a slave by unloving, spiteful people. Like Harry, after Kullervo grows up, he discovers a remnant of his family (in Harry's case, his godfather), who die a year or two after the reunion. But whereas Harry grows up to be a good-tempered, moral boy, who is rather the "joiner", Kullervo is a "loner" who becomes an ignorant, vengeful young man. Kullervo's spontaneous magical acts cause his tormentors to die horribly, whereas Harry has yet to kill or even seriously injure anyone.
J.K. Rowling's Potter books draw upon a long tradition of boarding school-set children's literature in English. This school story genre originated in the Victorian era with Tom Brown's Schooldays, by Thomas Hughes. Tom Brown's Schooldays laid down a basic structure which has been widely imitated, for example in Anthony Buckeridge's 1950s Jennings books.
Similarities between Tom Brown's Schooldays and Harry Potter are easy to identify. Both stories involve an average eleven-year old, better at sport than academic study, who is sent to boarding school. Upon arrival, the boy gains a best friend (East or Ron Weasley) who helps him adjust to the new environment. They are set upon by an arrogant bully — Flashman or Draco Malfoy.
The impact in English of the Victorian era children's authors has been lasting; J.K. Rowling frequently mentions E. Nesbit in interview. There are further echoes of Rudyard Kipling in Rowling's work. Like the Harry Potter story, Kipling's classic The Jungle Book opens with an attack by the principal villain (Shere Khan) upon a year-old infant (Mowgli) and his parents. Shere Khan is unable to kill Mowgli because Mother Wolf (a figure analogous to Lily Potter) is willing to die to protect him. Mowgli grows up a virtual orphan until he is eleven, when he learns that either he must kill Shere Khan, or Shere Khan will kill him (as with Harry and Voldemort). Other tenuous similarities include Bagheera, a black panther, who, like Sirius Black, is an escaped prisoner, and acts as an uncle figure to Mowgli.
Within the later-arising fantasy genre, schools of magic that may be forerunners to Hogwarts are identifiable. The basic premise of Ursula K. Le Guin's A Wizard of Earthsea, in which a boy with unusual aptitude for magic is recognised, and sent to a special school for wizards, resembles that of Harry Potter. The hero encounters a typically unpleasant Draco-like rival, in the Flashman tradition.
The Earthsea books, while hugely successful, were not the first to propose the idea of a school for wizards. Magical education appears in Eleanor Estes' 1960 book The Witch Family, and in Patricia Coombs' Dorrie series (1962+).
John Bellairs' Lewis Barnavelt books also have points in common with the Harry Potter stories. They concern a boy, orphaned when his parents die in a car crash, who goes to live with peculiar Uncle Jonathan and housekeeper Mrs. Zimmermann. Both are wizards, and their house is a Hogwarts-like construction of moving pictures and secret passageways. Big, bearded, affectionate Uncle Jonathan is only somewhat magical (like Rowling's Hagrid), while the shrewder, stricter Mrs. Zimmermann is actually a powerful sorceress, similar to Headmistress McGonagall.
Jill Murphy's The Worst Witch series (first published in 1974), is set in a witchcraft school for girls, hosted in an ancient castle on a remote hill surrounded by a forest. Classes include potions, chant and broomstick flying. In Diana Wynne Jones' Charmed Life (1977), two orphaned children receive magical education while living in a castle. The setting is a world resembling early 1900 Britain, where magic is commonplace. In the early 1990s, Jane Yolen also preceded J.K. Rowling (with Wizard's Hall), as did Eva Ibbotson (with The Secret of Platform 13).
In other media, fans of the comic book series The Books of Magic, by Neil Gaiman (first published in 1990 by DC Comics) cite similarities to the Harry Potter story. These include a dark-haired boy with glasses, named Tim Hunter, who discovers his potential as the most powerful wizard of the age upon being approached by magic-wielding individuals, the first of whom makes him a gift of a pet owl. Rowling officially denies being aware of this series, and Gaiman has gone on record stating that he believes similarities to be either coincidence, or drawn from the same fantasy archetypes. Archie Comics' Sabrina the Teenage Witch (first appearing in the 1960s, later resurrected in the 1990s in response to the success of the live-action television series) also features a young magical protagonist.
In film and television, Hogwarts-like witches - one of whom is played by theatre actress Hermione Gingold - appear in the 1958 movie Bell, Book and Candle. Similar characters appear in the 1960s television series Bewitched: Samantha Stephens' aunts are described as running a school for witches.
The 1985 film Young Sherlock Holmes, scripted by Chris Columbus, also displays similarities to the Harry Potter series. The three leads bear a strong physical resemblance to the Harry, Ron and Hermione of Rowling's description (as does a character named Dudley to Draco Malfoy). They investigate a supernatural mystery in a Gothic boarding school, where staff include the Professor Flitwick-like Waxflatter, and sinister Rathe. Trophy-room duels, scars, a hooded Dementor-like apparition, Death Eater-style cultists, a flying bike, and ultimate sacrifice for love are other elements in common. The similarities contributed to Warner Bros. decision to employ Columbus as producer/director of the Potter movies, in preference to Terry Gilliam, Rowling's original choice. Scenes from Young Sherlock Holmes were subsequently used to cast the first Harry Potter film (IGN: Trouble Brewing with Potter Casting?).
Harry Potter as a brand
Considering the popularity of the series there is unsurprising strength in the Harry Potter brand and merchandise surrounding the series is abundant. Such merchandise includes popular series inspired candies like Chocolate Frogs and Jelly Belly produced Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, along with a number of other Warner Brothers licensed products.
On 7 September 2005, Apple Computers announced that it would release a limited edition 20 gigabyte IPod with the Hogwarts logo engraved on the back. The purchase of this iPod included a code to download all of the Harry Potter audiobooks to date as well as J. K. Rowling's biography from the iTunes Music Store. A month later the "Harry Potter Collector's iPod" would be updated to match the release of the new fifth generation IPod.
Following the release of the sixth book in July 2005 it was forecasted that the Harry Potter brand is worth an estimated four billion dollars.
The Future
There are currently three more Harry Potter films yet to be released. On 5th April 2006 Warner Brothers announced that the fifth film, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, will be released in cinemas on 13 July 2007.
In December of 2005, Rowling declared on her website that "2006 will be the year when I write the final book in the Harry Potter series." Updates have since followed in her online diary chronicling the progress of this the seventh Harry Potter book, though a title, release date, or proclamation of completion have not accompanied them.
Rowling has, however, stated that the last chapter of the seventh book was written some time ago, before writing the third book. According to her, the last word in the book is currently "scar." In a July 2005 interview with fan sites Mugglenet and The Leaky Cauldron she cast doubt on this, saying "I wonder if it will remain that way".
Regarding the existence of Harry Potter novels beyond the seventh, Rowling has said that she might write an eighth book some day. If she does, she intends it to be a sort of encyclopædia of the wizarding world, containing concepts and snippets of information that were not relevant enough to the novels' plots to be included in them. She has also said that she will not write any sort of prequel to the novels, since by the time the series ends all the necessary back story will have been revealed.
See also
References
- "Biography". JKRowling.com. May 21, 2006.
- "J.K. Rowling interview transcript, The Connection". Quick Quote Quill. October 12, 1999.
- ""Spell Binder" People Magazine". Quick Quotes Quill. July 12, 1999.
- "Revealed: The eight-year-old girl who saved Harry Potter". New Zeland Herald. July 3, 2005.
- "Past winners". Nestle Smarties Prize. May 21, 2006.
- "OOTP is best seller in France - in English!". BBC. July 1, 2003.
- "J.K. Rowling Richer than the Queen". BBC. April 27, 2003.
- "Potter book sales top 300 million". BBC. October, 4 2005.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - "Mzimba, Lizo, moderator. Interview with Steve Kloves and J.K. Rowling". Quick Quotes Quill. February 2003.
- "Harry Potter and the Childish Adult". New York Times. July 7, 2003.
- "Rowling books 'for people with stunted imaginations'". The Guardian. July 11, 2003.
- "A.S. Byatt and the goblet of bile". Salon.com. July 8, 2003.
- ""Wild About Harry"". New York Times. July 23, 2000.
- "Stephen King takes a shining to J.K. Rowling". Jul 6, 2003.
{{cite news}}: Text "http://groups.google.com/group/alt.fan.harry-potter/msg/3f10808507ad7e51/.com" ignored (help) - ""Potter author zaps court rival"". CNN. September 19, 2002.
- ""Muggle Versus Wizard"". Washington Post. March 28, 2001.
- ""Stouffer v. Rowling"". eyrie.org. Accessed May 26, 2006.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ""Harry Potter expelled from school"". Denver Rocky Mountain News. November 6, 1999.
- "'Satanic' Harry Potter books burnt". BBC. December 31, 2001.
- ""The Nervous Witch."". Chic Publications. 2002.
- "Pope Opposes Harry Potter Novels". Life Site. July 13, 2005.
- "Speak Of The Devil..." Catholic Insider. July 14, 2005.
- "The 100 Most Frequently Challenged Books of 1990–20001". American Library Association. 2000.
- "Harry Potter casts spell at checkouts". Times Online. July 18, 2005.
- "Potter book smashes sales records". BBC. July 18, 2005.
- "Harry Potter and the ring of steel". The Telegraph. July 10, 2005).
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - "Potter books arrive under lock and key". CNN. July 11, 2005.
- "HBP Books Printed, Safe, and Ready to Go". The Leaky Cauldron. June 5, 2005.
- "The Harry Potter Injunction". Michael Geist. 2005.
- "Don't Buy Harry Potter Books". On July 13, 2005.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - "Harry Potter Brand Wizard". Buisness Week. July 21, 2005.
- "Order of the Phoenix film due out on July 13, 2007". Mugglenet. March 1, 2006.
- ""Talking With JK Rowling"". Book Links. July 1999.
- ""The Leaky Cauldron and MuggleNet interview Joanne Kathleen Rowling: Part Two,"". Quick Quotes Quill. July 16, 2005.
- ""The Leaky Cauldron and MuggleNet interview Joanne Kathleen Rowling: Part One"". Quick Quotes Quill. July 16, 2005.
- "Edinburgh Book Festival". JK Rowling.com. August 15, 2004.
- Rowling, J. K. (1998). Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Bloomsbury. ISBN 0747538492.
- Rowling, J. K. (2000). Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Bloomsbury. ISBN 074754624X.
Further reading
- Beahm, George W. Fact, Fiction, and Folklore in Harry Potter's World: An Unofficial Guide.
- Beahm, George W. Muggles and Magic: An Unofficial Guide to J.K. Rowling and the Harry Potter Phenomenon.
- Chippendale, Lisa A. Triumph of the Imagination: The Story of J.K. Rowling. 2002, 2003.
- Fraser, Lindsey. Conversations with J.K. Rowling. Arthur A. Levine Books, 2001.
- J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter Novels: A Reader's Guide. Continuum International Publishing Group, 2001.
- Lawrence, Daniel. The Ultimate Unofficial Harry Potter Trivia Book: Secrets, Mysteries and Fun Facts Including Half-Blood Prince Book 6.
- Rowling, J.K. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Sagebrush, 2001.
- --. Quidditch Through the Ages. Sagebrush, 2001.
- Shapiro, Marc. J.K. Rowling: The Wizard Behind Harry Potter. St. Martin's Press, 2000.
- Smith, Sean. J.K. Rowling: A Biography. Michael O'Mara Books, 1999.
- Ultimate Unofficial Guide to the Mysteries of Harry Potter (Analysis of Books 1-4). No location: Wizarding Press, 2003.
- David Colbert The Magical Worlds of Harry Potter. Penguin Books, 2001.
External links
Official sites:
- JK Rowling's personal website
- Official Harry Potter Movies Website (Warner Bros.)
- Harry Potter on Bloomsbury.com (International publisher)
- Harry Potter on Scholastic.com (U.S. publisher)
- Harry Potter on Raincoast.com (Canadian publisher)
Other resources:
For further fandom links, including "unofficial" websites, see Harry Potter fandom.
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