For the Love of Harry - Rowling’s formula

It would seem J.K. Rowling has tapped into some secret formula with the creation of her Harry Potter series.  Sitting comfortably in 7th position on the Sunday Times Rice List, Rowling has clearly outstripped any other children’s author of our generation. The films have added impressively to her success, with names such as Ralph Fiennes, Alan Rickman and Michael Gambon gracing our screens and drawing people to the cinema in their millions. But why?

I will confess myself to be a big Harry Potter geek; this series of books installed in me my love for reading. I consumed the books the day they arrived after being on pre-order weeks in advance. I cried when Dumbledore died, harboured a hatred for Snape and longed for Ron and Hermione to finally kiss. However, many people are cynical about the books and Rowling’s writing ability. True, each of the books follow the same format: Harry goes to Hogwarts, discovers a mystery, gets into danger and triumphs against it. Many also argue that Harry isn’t a believable hero character, going as far to declare him whiny or boring.

However, of course, I strongly disagree. These books don’t just contain a coming of age story within their pages, the writing style and content also grows up with the reader. J.K. Rowling has undoubtedly created a vivid world which engulfs readers: so much so that Harry Potter World has been created in co–ordination with Disney world, with readers desperate to experience a slice of that magical world for themselves. So vibrant is Rowling’s world that, as a reader, you feel like you could explore it yourself, in fact you find yourself wanting to, waiting for that letter from Hogwarts to come by Owl Post when you turn eleven.

I will admit that Harry isn’t the best character I have ever encountered in a novel. Saying this, I do understand why Rowling wanted a hero who wasn’t a stereotypical popular hunk: an anti-hero. Potter is a believable outcast, the underdog who we, the readers, are rooting for throughout. It’s almost as if we know a secret, we know that Harry is the true hero and yet few others in the novel understand. This allies the readers with Harry, we sympathise with him and we grow to respect him.

This is why Harry Potter is the children’s saga of our generation, whether you personally love him or hate him. Now we have to see if he can stand the test of time. I truly hope so.