When I was a kid, the Harry Potter series sparked in me a love of reading that would stay with me well into adulthood. Although technically included in the young adult genre, Harry Potter shouldn’t be dismissed as a series that’s just for kids. When the pandemic broke out and I suddenly had a significant amount of free time on my hands, I decided to reread the entire Harry Potter saga, which was the best decision I could have made. Not only was it comforting being able to escape into the magical wizarding world filled with characters I’ve known and loved most of my life, it also reminded me of how truly great these books really are.
If you’re one of those people who has always thought Harry Potter was just for kids (or even worse, are one of those “only seen the movies” people), this blog post is for you. Here are a few reasons why you should drop what you’re doing (let’s be real, it’s quarantine and none of us are that busy) and dive into the Harry Potter series. Whether you’re 15 or 78, I promise you’re going to love it. You’re welcome in advance for changing your life.
It’s Relevant to Society Today
The books aren’t just about a boy wizard dealing with teen angst and the fact that a psychopathic villain has been trying to kill him since he was an infant. The wizarding world is a painful reflection of our own, and tackles serious issues like racism, classism and discrimination. The depiction of ‘mudbloods’ (wizards who are born of muggle parents) acts as a simple but profound mirror to every kind of prejudice in the modern world, and the agenda and actions of Voldemort and his Death Eaters directly speaks to racism, violence and power (and the ever-present connection between the three). Even the ‘fake news’ phenomenon was foreseen in Harry Potter – a persistent theme throughout the fifth book in the series is bias in the media and how the government can lean on news outlets to sway public opinion.
Ultimately, I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the millennial generation who grew up reading Harry Potter has also emerged as one of the most progressive generations in modern history. In fact, a 2016 study found that reading “Harry Potter” also lowers Americans’ opinions of Donald Trump. The more people in the study read the books, the less likely they were to agree with his political views, like the proposed ban on travel from Muslim-majority countries. Take that for what you will.
Strong Female Characters
Without forcing it down your throat, feminism is a huge theme throughout Harry Potter. Each of the female characters are women who thrive on education, friendship, and the betterment of the wizarding world. Hermione is constantly referred to as one of the best, most intelligent witches of their time, her brains and ambition being the most iconic part of her character. Professor McGonagall is powerful and intelligent. Not a word is uttered about her family life, as the focus is instead on her authoritative role, which instantly goes against the derogatory idea that a woman can only be useful in the home. The friendships between younger female characters like Ginny and Luna are also notable for being depicted as supportive and genuine instead of catty and competitive like most other female friendships in pop culture.
The Story and Writing
Harry Potter is simply a great story that keeps you hooked from start to finish. The plot is so intricate, well-planned and well-written that as it continues to unfold, you find yourself in awe of how JK Rowling was able to connect all of the events and characters together. Much of the genius of the series stems from Rowling’s subtle use of foreshadowing.
Books > Movies
This Barnes & Noble article said it best. We’ve all seen the movies about a million times and they are amazing. But the filmmakers had to drop a few details to fit 500, 600, even 700 pages into a single movie (or two movies, in the case of Deathly Hallows). Which means there are so many wonderful bits and pieces that only exist in the books. Like the full story of Sirius Black’s betrayal by Peter Pettigrew, or the fact that Ron and Hermione’s first kiss was actually brought on by Ron’s concern for the Hogwarts house-elves, or that it was Dobby (not Neville!) who gave Harry the gillyweed that allowed him to survive the second task in the Triwizard Tournament—to name just a very, very few.
