Through this paper, an analysis of Harry Potter fan forums will be executed. The analysis of this online audience will demonstrate how Harry Potter fans have used online communities, particularly those created through fan fiction and fan forums, as a means of self-expression. Concepts such as Gwenllian-Jones main text, subtext, and reading against the grain, Hill’s participatory culture, and Jenson’s fandom pathologies, and obsession, will demonstrate how Harry Potter fans, or Potterheads as they are referred to, have kept the magic of the books alive, well after the series ended.
According to Gwenllian-Jones, most media messages contain a main text, as well as a subtext. The main text pertains to the actual words, pictures or sounds contained
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This is similar to Xena and Gabrielle and how their lesbian love affair was also a preferred reading for fans (Brooker & Jermyn, 2003, p. 169). Just as encoding Xena as heterosexual would be reading against the grain, reading Grindledore as platonic friends is also reading against the grain. Gryffindorseeker says that “it makes so much sense now,” “I feel stupid for not picking up on the clues,” (HPFF, 2007). Gwenllian-Jones suggests that when the producers so blatantly encode a homosexual subtext, it becomes a preferred reading for audience members, (Brooker & Jermyn, 2003, p. 169). It’s only when Rowling admits Dumbledore’s sexual orientation that fans are able to take a step back and say this makes so much sense, and it “certainly could have resulted in love (HPFF, 2007). JLHufflepuff says, “when JKR said that he had been in love with Grindlewald everything clicked into place: that 's why he didn 't kill him when he defeated him. It really made me want to cry for Dumbledore and appreciate his strength of character even more,” (HPFF, 2007). What this shows about audience practices is that fans can perceive and read in to a certain extent, but when they are vindicated, they rejoice and they feel an emotional connection to these characters. These fans feel bad for Dumbledore and many feel sorry for his …show more content…
21). Fans have created conspiracy theories where Emma Watson, who plays Hermione Granger, and Tom Felton were dating, but since they presumably haven’t in real life, the next best thing is their fictional characters ( 'The Feltson and Dramione Controversy ', 2011). This particular blog has posted picture of the two individuals ever taken, and a forbidden love affair between the two has been concocted. The pair was spotted at an event together, a press tour for the Harry Potter films, and then there were wild conspiracy theories that this meant they were dating. During the third film, Watson is pictured wearing a green sweater, belonging to Tom Felton, if this isn’t evidence that they are dating, fans don’t know what is. Any interview prior to 2011, any encounter, and any photograph are outlined clearly on this blog. These well supported hard facts and evidence presented before fans on the Internet has convinced them that the two individuals were dating. This blurring between real and fiction is summed up in the final sentences of the blog when they state, “Dramione/Feltson shippers will stick with each other until the end,” (‘The Feltson and Dramione Controversy’, 2011), one ship cannot exist without the other. Both Watson and Felton have essentially become their on-screen characters and fans have projected the real people on to the fictional ones for their own
The Harry Potter book series has sold over 450 million copies and has been translated into almost every language on the face of the earth (“Harry Potter”). Millions have faithfully followed the story about this magical world and have fallen in love with the many enchanting characters. What most readers do not recognize is the prominence that classical Greek/Roman mythological allusions play in the beloved Harry Potter roles through their names and personality attributes. The importance of names is extremely significant to a person’s identity, especially in literature where words are meant to bring stories to life. J.K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter series, continues this concept through her characters by linking their names to classical
The Triwizard Tournament was held in Hoggwarts. This game amid the three biggest European magic schools was initiated about seven hundred years ago. One person should be assigned by one college and the Goblet of Fire used to designate three students for this competition. Three guys would compete in three categories of magic. The game was so serious that it stipulated the minimum age and the health conditions of the contestants.
Novels: the first form of social media. Jane Austen’s works continue to suggest how society should function. In her most highly lauded novel, Emma, Jane Austen creates a blueprint for the foundation of a well-matched, highly-mannered, and cohesive community. Consequently, contemporary authors and journalists reference well known characters in Emma to provide readers with a more grounded foundation to fully grasp the whole concept of the passage or article. Although Emma is a two century-old novel about a woman’s encounters with love, people continue to incorporate its message and plot into everyday life. (add a stronger thesis here)
Abanes, Richard. "Harry Potter: Harmless Christian Novel or Doorway to the Occult?" Interview. The Christian Broadcasting Network. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Sept. 2015. In this interview, Author Richard Abanes provides information to parents about Harry Potter and the concerns and dangers with modern day fantasy literature. Supplying a priest’s expert opinion, this interview discusses children’s susceptibleness to outside influences and the different types of fantasy literature. Its unyielding, yet respectable position, including references to other Christian fantasy series such as The Chronicles of Narnia, will be advantageous for my argument in that it provides an alternative viewpoint from my own. Being a counterargument, this source can be used to help shape an argument in rebuttal of the points made in this argument. Sources that argue that Harry Potter does indeed contain Christian aspects will be helpful in a rebuttal of this source.
Ever since J.K. Rowling first introduced Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone in 1997, children and adults have read and loved the series. It has gained such popularity that all of the books have been made into major motion pictures, and a Harry Potter attraction has been opened in Universal Studios, Florida. Though the readers love Rowling’s intricate and exciting story lines, many controversies have arisen from these stories, not only in the United States, but also in various countries around the world. Perhaps the biggest controversy is the religious implications perceived by some critics. Although these critics believe that the series promotes paganism and encourages evil actions, these theories should not be taken so seriously.
Joanne Rowling, better known as JK Rowling to her millions of fans worldwide, became famous off of her Harry Potter books. Many authors have tried to achieve the success she has, but none have come close. “When Rowling brought Harry Potter and his friends to life, she created a world in which children of all ages found themselves immersed…”(Andrews). By creating new words and including intriguing creatures in Harry Potter JK Rowling establishes an exciting world that helps engage her readers. It is truly these things that have set her work to a new level.
Soulliere, Danielle. "Much Ado about Harry: Harry Potter and the Creation of a Moral Panic." Journal of Religion and Popular Culture 22.1 (2011). Print.
The work of C.S. Lewis and J.K. Rowling is of grave vital on the grounds that their work portrays actuality as well as adds to it. Yes, their work is not just a portrayal of actuality; it is somewhat a quality expansion. Their meeting expectations are depictions of the reasoning examples and social standards pervasive commonly. They are a delineation of the diverse features of regular man's existence. Their works serves as a something worth mulling over and a tonic for creative energy and innovativeness. Lying open a single person to great artistic lives up to expectations, is proportional to giving him/her the finest of instructive chances.
In a world dominated by technology, reading novels has become dull. Instead of immersing into books, we choose to listen to Justin Bieber’s new songs and to scroll through Instagram posts. We have come to completely neglect the simple pleasures of flipping through pages and getting to finally finish a story. Sherman Alexie and Stephan King’s essays attempt to revive this interest in books that has long been lost. They remind us of the important role that reading plays in our daily lives. “The Joy of Reading and Writing: Superman and Me,” for instance, demonstrates how being literate saved the narrator from the oppressive nature of society. The author explains that even though he was capable of reading complex books at an astonishingly young
The portrayal of female characters in British literature has most often reflected the larger perception of women by society during the time of a work’s publication. In this regard, the immensely popular Harry Potter series written by author J.K. Rowling is certainly no exception. The circumstances for women in late 20th century Britain have improved and in many ways are nearing equality with men, yet a notable upper barrier to success still remains. Rowling captures this gender dynamic throughout the Harry Potter series by including a diverse cast of resilient female characters who are not allowed to take on the same leadership roles dominated by the men at Hogwarts, at the Ministry of Magic, in quidditch, and during the Triwizard tournament. The novels also center on an important theme of motherly love that Rowling uses to explore the sacrifices women must make in order to raise their children well. Such issues have been present in British literature for well over a century, with each generation seeing steps toward equality, both for the fictitious characters and the women of a given time period. The Harry Potter series, therefore, constitutes a reflection of female status in modern Britain that has advanced, but remains perpetually flawed.
The first Harry Potter book came out in 1997, and no one at the time could imagine that in the 10 years that followed, it would become the most read children’s book and a $6.4 billion worth film franchise. The aim of this essay is to try to explain the reason for the popularity of the Harry Potter books. The aim is also to show the changes that the series caused, how they influenced the people who read them, how they had an impact on literacy and overall, on British popular culture. In the first part of the essay I will briefly explain the beginning of the Harry Potter phenomenon and its growing popularity in the countries all over the world. In the second part I will deal with the character of Harry, explaining why he has such an appeal to the readers and how come people identify with him. In the third part, I will explain the impact Harry Potter books have on society, how they influence young adults and children. The fourth part will deal with the controversies about Harry Potter, the views and thoughts of religious people who see Harry Potter as a book that should be banned. In the fifth part, I will mention the difference the phenomenon caused when it comes to the book business and the film industry of Britain.
One of the most read series in all literature is Harry Potter. The seven-book succession has sold over 400 million copies and has been translated into over sixty languages. What is it that makes this series so wildly famous? What is it about the boy who lived that makes frenzied readers flock to their local bookstore at midnight on the day of the release to buy the latest installment? How is a story set in a world that doesn’t exist about wizards, witches, magic, and mystical creatures so popular? The series has been able to earn its spot on the New York Times Bestseller list and has granted author J.K. Rowling multiple awards because it is relatable. It is not the setting or the events in the plot of the story that we relate to. We relate to what Harry, his friends, mentors, teachers, caretakers, and even enemies feel. Harry is in a lot of ways exactly like us. He represents some of the good characteristics that all of us have as well as the bad. The series as a whole, is about one thing that is stressed over and over again in the novels, love. The Harry Potter series is one of the most read sequences of novels because the central theme is love and self-sacrifice, and readers are looking for a novel that shows them just that.
Mikhail Bakhtin has provided an intricate insight to what a novel entails. J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone fits into the form that Bakhtin has created. Using laughter, plot, setting, and character development, Harry Potter is able to connect with its audiences in the way that Bakhtin feels a novel should. Mikhail Bakhtin’s study of the novel’s form allows readers to better understand the world and characters that are constructed in J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.
Before reading Harry Potter, I very rarely read for pleasure. I found reading boring, almost old fashioned. My frame of mind more readily paralleled Danny Divito in the movie Matlida, who says that “[t]here's nothing you can get from a book that you can't get from a television faster.” While my view of reading as a child could be summed up in that quote, everything changed when I was introduced to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. I can remember to this day when my Dad began reading Harry Potter to me, and how I did not understand just how much this book would change me. Harry Potter and his world of wizardry became my own personal Shangri-La, my escape, my own world. Anytime I wanted, I could ascend to a world of fantasy and explore the depths of my own imagination in a way that I had never been capable of doing before. I became obsessed with the book, reading it before, during, and after sc...
Creator of the most famous and best loved character in contemporary fiction, J.K Rowling is also the author of her own escape from a depressing existence on the verge of destitution. On the one hand, there is J.K Rowling who wrote the ‘Harry Potter’ novels, ‘The Casual Vacancy’ and ‘The Cuckoo’s Calling’; the literary phenomenon of the nineties and present day. On the other, there is Joanne Rowling (the ‘J.K’ was her agent’s marketing notch), a dreamy, rather shy, but passionate woman whose brilliance in translating her dreams into prose changed her life. In January 1994, she was broke and jobless, struggling to bring up a young child in a small rented flat in Edinburgh. Just six years later, with her first book transformed into a major Hollywood film, she was reportedly worth £65 million (Smith 2001).