When I first entered English 259, I was met with a seemingly simple task: design a collage of your biggest magical influences. My mind automatically went to Harry Potter. Not Lord of The Rings, not Alice in Wonderland, and definitely not Hocus Pocus. Is it because the name became a brand and a franchise due to its unending support from millions of readers? Yeah. Is it due to the author(and creator)'s vision that prevailed and triumphed over "selling out"? Hell yeah! But it is mostly due to the fact that Harry gave us someone to connect to. And by "us", I mean any reader of any age. It was an underdog story that culminated in a glorious and heart-wrenching finale. I found myself cheering (yes, literally cheering...like, out loud) when I read about Mrs. Weasley doing away with Bellatrix Lestrange. I was in awe at Nevil's newfound bravery. I was sobbing when I read about Dobby and how he met his end. This books series is written so well that it becomes one's definition of "magic" or "wizardry". Think about a wizard casting a spell on someone. Unless you're a diehard CCR fan (respect if you are), your first thoughts are most likely something that either has to do with Harry Potter, or something that was influenced/ can be compared to Harry Potter in a significant way. It doesn't hurt that the filmmakers have CGI on their side, which makes me associate almost any magical creature with one I saw in the Potter series (If it was the same creature/type of creature). Overall, the Harry potter series transcended not only age but genre. It was a sad, happy, angry, anxious, suspenseful, mysterious, scary, dramatic, masterpiece, and its influence is immeasurable.
Aww Sam, Harry Potter means a great deal to me as well.
ReplyDeleteI can completely relate to your love for Harry Potter. Ever since I my mom read the very first book to me, I will forever be hooked!
ReplyDelete