Why Do So Many Children and Adults Like the Harry Potter Series?

Introduction


On September 1, 1998, the first Harry Potter book was published in the United States, aimed at children aged nine to eleven. It was well-received by young readers at the time, and as a result, it became even more successful among the older generation. Another explanation for its popularity, especially among the elderly, was its genre and theme, as it told a story that redefined adventure. Following the release of the second book, there was a noticeable increase in the number of adults who went to bookstores and libraries to purchase it. The second book was a continuation of the first, which had which gave birth to a fan base that kept growing. Subsequently Harry Potter movies begun to be produced based on the novels. Similar to the novels the movies adopted a mix of various genres including horror, fantasy, sports, pulp fiction and romance. These themes are part of the components that make the story attractive hence the wide fan base consisting of both the young and adults. The magical adventure in the movie is exciting and makes the audience want more. This paper will try and establish some of the factors that have and continue to make the Harry Porter story appealing to both the young and adult.

Reasons for Appeal


Availability and Popularity of Books


The first reason why the Harry Potter story has been received by a lot of people inclusive of children and adults is because the books are very popular and readily available in most book stores in the United States and the United Kingdom even though the series and the story keeps being continued. Various book stores in major cities have the complete sequence of the series, this way the new readers of the books do not need to struggle to find them hence the sustenance of the popularity.

Influence of Movies


Another possible reason for the story’s popularity and influence is the series of movies that are based on Harry Potter novels. When the first release was made, there was a growth in the fan base mostly from the adult section of the society. Most of the people became fans of the book after watching the movies, the first film was released in the year 2001.

Global Appeal through Translations


The second reason for the appeal is that the books have been translated into 67 different languages. Because of that, foreign readers also got the chance to indulge in the book and have gotten a chance to enjoy the adventure that it presents. The novel’s translations have made the story more popular among readers especially the young who have become faithful fans of the series reading it avidly and watching the movie versions. Children and adolescents are known to keep up with trends and since the story has become popular among them, it is possible that they influenced their peers who had not gotten the chance to read or watch the story (Trites 472-485).

Eternal Themes


The third and the main reason why Harry Potter series gained and retains its success and appeal are the eternal themes discussed in it; the battle of good and evil, power of love and family bonds, and the importance of friendship. “If you want to know what a man's like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals”(Rowling, Goblet of Fire 100).The themes are close to everyone regardless of age and hence the story appeals to the great number of readers all over the world.

Moral Values


Lastly, the fact that the book has moral values means that it is meant to be child-friendly and this has made parents see no reason of banning their children from reading the books. Furthermore, it also has child-friendly romantic content since everything is written without vulgarity. Harry dates Ginny in the book and their love story is very romantic and touching what appeals to the reader too. In tough times of war love is what supports the teenager wizards. Harry says to Ginny, “I think dating opportunities are going to be pretty thin on the ground, to be honest,” but still despite all the challenges, he keeps her love in his heart(Rowling, Deathly Hallows 116).The moral of good triumphing over evil makes it the perfect educational material. Most of the young adults and children get to read the best adventure and still learn a moral lesson at the end (Nel 23-40).

Conclusion


The Harry Porter movies and books have managed to become part of today’s pop culture. The adults and the young have enjoyed the alternate reality of magic presented in the story. The books and movies of today choose a pulling alternate reality such as magic or science fiction. Harry Porter took a magical reality along with themes such as love, good, and evil through which the great appeal is achieved. Since the story was released as a series, through time the world’s pop culture in a way shaped the journey of the story as the world continued to shape the imagination of fiction story writers.

Works Cited



Nel, Philip. JK Rowling's Harry Potter Novels: A Reader's Guide. A&C Black, 2001.

Rowling, Joanne K. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. London: Bloomsbury, 2014.

Rowling, Joanne K. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. London: Bloomsbury, 2007. 241.

Rowling, Joanne K. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. London: Bloomsbury, 2000. 100.

Rowling, Joanne K. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. London: Bloomsbury, 2007. 143-157.

Trites, Roberta Seelinger. "The Harry Potter Novels as a Test Case for Adolescent Literature." Style, vol. 35, no. 3, 2001, pp. 472-485.

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