It started out just as any normal Thursday morning would: a frantic blur of coffee-induced stress about creating a decent outfit, coupled with anxieties surrounding the very real possibilities of not getting to class on time, topped off with the depressing acknowledgment that my to-do list for the day was unending. I’m clearly succeeding at the whole “college” thing.
By the grace of the closet gods (and Pinterest) I was able to piece together clothing that had me looking just a step barely above “I-just-got-out-of-bed,” and it was thanks to an old lady driving a flashy red Prius who reluctantly let me cross the street in front of her that I arrived at my American Politics lecture with about half a minute to spare.
I walked in, trying to hide the fact that I was out of breath from simply jogging across the street, to see my professor standing at the front of the class just as he usually was, writing notable terms from our assigned reading on the chalkboard. Students were chatting idly, glancing over at our professor every now and then to ensure they weren’t interrupting the start of class.
As I took my seat, I overheard from a couple of seats behind me a delightful conversation about the beloved "Harry Potter" series. Immediately, my ears perked up in hopes of catching the latest news regarding the eighth movie (I know, I can hardly contain my excitement about it either).
Our professor also became aware of the "Harry Potter" conversation, and turned around to look at the students entertaining it. Setting down his chalk to briefly interject, he asked the class, “Do you think 'Harry Potter' is an appropriate series for an 8-year-old?” Some of us nodded, others muttered “yes,” reaching the conclusion that "Harry Potter" is indeed a wonderful story, especially for younger audiences.
He continued, saying, “My daughter is very enthusiastic about starting it, but I don’t know that it’s necessarily something I want her to read yet.” Murmurs escaped from his captive audience and were further silenced by a girl from the back of the class who conceded, “Well, I suppose it is a little violent, especially in the fourth book onward.”
“See, I don’t know that exposing her to frightening images that would give me nightmares is the smartest parenting move,” he asserted. Most of us thought the choice to shield his daughter from the instances of disturbing deaths and limb-severing was sensible; but he added onto his previous statement with, “Plus, I want her to be reading real literature,” which was more than enough to start a commotion among fanatical college students.
“What do you mean? 'Harry Potter' is great!” said a boy to my left.
“Yeah, the books are filled with valuable morals. You should read them,” my friend declared.
“'Harry Potter' was my childhood!”
The passionate energy buzzing through the air this Thursday morning contrasted the typically mundane atmosphere of our class; I have a hunch, however, that constitutional law just isn’t as interesting to sleep-deprived college students at 9:30 in the morning than is the infamous "Harry Potter" series.
As the clamor surrounding the issue softened, our professor continuously contended, “I don’t have much time as it is, and if I did, I probably wouldn’t spend it reading children’s fiction. There are many authors who write more meaningful literature than fairy tales about witchcraft.” With that, our professor curtly switched the topic of conversation to the material we came to learn.
Throughout the rest of the lecture, I contemplated my professor’s claims instead of paying attention to important judicial processes that would be on the exam. As someone who grew up living vicariously through the books, I was deeply offended; I refused to come to terms with the possibility that someone whom I admired didn’t approve of "Harry Potter"’s literary merits.
But as my thoughts on the subject expanded, I reasoned that "Harry Potter" is truly more than an adventure-packed teen saga. Lessons of friendship, loyalty, family and courage are all carefully interwoven in the lines of J.K. Rowling’s modern masterpiece; but listed below are even more reasons I find "Harry Potter" a compelling, eloquent and delightfully entertaining story line. At the risk of eliciting groans from the other side of the computer screen, I hope you don’t find them terribly “riddikulus."
1. The series is age-appropriate for all.
As a child, I remember being completely and totally enthralled by Harry Potter’s adventures; when I re-read the series throughout high school and into college, however, I realized that there was more to the story than a surface-level plot line.
In the first book, for example, J.K. Rowling creates the concept of the “Sorcerer’s Stone,” which mimics the Garden of Eden’s Forbidden Fruit. The Sorcerer’s Stone promises all that the human condition fails to: eternal existence and great power. Rowling effectively conveys the notion that access to what tempts humanity the most (the avoidance of death and immense authority) must be destroyed before someone malintentioned determines to attain the source of temptation.
Another illustration of Rowling’s deeper meaning manifests itself in Dumbledore’s advice to Harry during Voldemort’s possession of him. Throughout the book leading up to the possession, Harry repeatedly considers the similarities between him and Voldemort — the makeup of their wands, their shared knowledge of Parseltongue and the Sorting Hat’s serious suggestions that Harry would be highly successful as a member of Slytherin — and begins to think that he and the Dark Lord are more deeply connected than through the coincidences at present. While Voldemort strategically possesses Harry’s body in hopes of its eventual demise, Harry struggles to keep Voldemort out of his mind. Ultimately, Dumbledore’s encouragement is what gives Harry the strength to regain full control of himself: “Harry, it is not how you are alike. It is how you are not.” This very conflict parallels much of the messages conveyed in other well-respected literature, as humanity is redeemed by good qualities and simultaneously plagued with bad. We are not perfect beings, but it is how we choose to act on the good and bad within us that distinguishes our morality.
Harry’s marginalization for being truthful, Hermione’s exclusion for being a mudblood and Ron’s persistent complaints about being poor furthermore represent the struggles faced by minorities in present-day society. Rowling’s series promotes a positive view of depreciated groups, as most readers (I hope) are sympathetic to the main heroes and heroine.
2. "Harry Potter" makes kids excited about reading.
I remember a family friend of ours ecstatically expressing excitement about using the series as a tactic to make reading for his elementary students fun. Not only did he encourage reading "Harry Potter," but he also planned "Harry Potter"-themed parties and events (I’ll admit, I’m a little jealous) that solidified students’ vested interest in books.
As the number of technological distractions increases, children are gaining more and more access to entertainment (other than books) to spend their time. As Jeevan Vasagar, an education specialist, writes in The Guardian, “The proportion of children reading for pleasure has declined as their time is crowded with other activities, and more than a fifth never read in their own time … The research (also) found that young people were shunning books in favour of TV – 54% of those questioned said they preferred watching TV to reading.” Rachel Raczka for boston.com suggests that a series such as "Harry Potter" might offer a ground-breaking solution to waning literacy rates among children, stating, “The series shows the cultural impact books can have on a generation. If we want to be meta about it, we can look at how a book — not a movie, a TV show, or a comic book, but a book with paper pages, text, and a spine, has become a worldwide phenomenon.” European researchers who conducted studies examining the effect of "Harry Potter" on younger generations additionally further that “encouraging book reading and incorporating it in school curriculum may not only increase … students’ literacy levels, but also enhance their prosocial attitudes and behaviors.”
In short, "Harry Potter" can help address a lack of reading by infusing children with excitement and passion to pursue books independently.
3. "Harry Potter" teaches children valuable lessons.
OK, OK, so lessons on love and hardship are ever-present among J.K. Rowling’s text. But the benefits of reading Harry Potter at a young age are also scientifically proven. In a study released by Pacific Standard, researchers discovered that children’s perceptions of minority groups were more positive if they identified with Harry Potter. In the study, participants also came to understand that the marginalization of “mudbloods” corresponds with racism and bigotry in real life (reminiscent of the politics of the 2016 election, if you ask me). Which leads me to my next point.
4. "Harry Potter" is political.
While maybe not an ideal subject matter for all audiences, this point might appeal to those similar to my American Politics professor (who, in my opinion, is an excellent political scientist).
Probably one of the most obvious exhibitions of "Harry Potter"’s political nature is the concept of the Sorting Hat. At Hogwarts there exist four houses — Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw — all of which pertain to different core values. Gryffindor, for example, is the emblem of bravery, courage and chivalry, while Hufflepuff emulates discipline, patience and loyalty. At first, membership of these houses seems like nothing more than a petty rivalry between college campuses, but as the story progresses, the reader comes to realize that the Houses serve the same purpose that political parties do: to create an organized group of people with similar aims and opinions to influence policy decisions. While the governmental structure is a little different in Harry Potter’s universe, the concept of the different houses entrusting leaders with visions that clash with other houses’ visions (Umbridge, much?) mirrors the support we offer our respective politicians.
Speaking of Umbridge, the Ministry of Magic’s persistent reformation during "The Order Of The Phoenix" exemplifies the failings of standardized education. Instead of teaching useful defensive spells to students at Hogwarts, Professor Umbridge enforces strict adherence to rules and procedures. Harry’s detention, painfully tainted by the words “I must not tell lies,” is one instance in which Umbridge asserts her unquestionable authority over someone who expresses avid opposition to the newly-instituted status quo. Her negligence to incorporate meaningful lessons into her curriculum represents the suppression of free thought and speech to fulfill goals that increase the authority of a group. In the words of Hermione, who responds to Umbridge when she says that there will be no need to talk in her class, “No need to think is more like it.”
Hermione’s fight for elf rights symbolizes the concept of slavery; whereas advocates for their freedom resemble Civil Rights activists, for example, those who support their enslavement or otherwise remain neutral assume that they are created for a live of oppression and destitution. Her inspiring intelligence in general additionally probes at recent gravitation to a more feminist world.
Whether you are young or old, a reader or non-reader, "Harry Potter" fan or not, anyone can benefit from the prowess of J.K. Rowling’s ingenious creation. I wish you the best of luck in your endeavors to read such a series, especially if you’re like me and use the books as serious procrastination tools. As finals week is rapidly approaching, I must solemnly swear that I am up to no good, as reading the books for the 13th time is quickly replacing studying.
