[stylist] Literary Merits in Harry Potter

[loristay at aol.com]

The one thing you can say about Rowling is that she keeps you reading.  That's what we all aspire to.  No, it's not great literature, but then I often quarrel with others opinions about what is great and what is not.
Lori





-----Original Message-----
From: Bridgit Pollpeter <bpollpeter at hotmail.com>
To: stylist at nfbnet.org
Sent: Tue, Aug 31, 2010 3:16 pm
Subject: [stylist] Literary Merits in Harry Potter


Hey gang,
 
To bring a discussion back around to writing and literature, I pose
something for contemplation.
 
I recently finished a class (and it was an upper level class) on Harry
Potter.  The instructor, who actually is not a fan of most fantasy,
designed the course after students complained about not having enough
special topic courses in literature.  The class has grown in popularity
since its inception and is now offered once a year.
 
The objective of the class is to bring literary awareness to the series
through reading and discussing the seven books, creating dialogues
between classmates involving examples from the text, reading critical
sources on Rowling and the series, and finally writing a character
analysis (mine was on Bellatrix Lestrange).
 
Now, I enjoy Harry Potter and was already a fan who had read many of the
books more than once before taking the class, but I did not fully
realize the historical and mythiclogical sources Rowling drew upon to
write her series.  Once I began to study the background of Rowling and
where she found many of her inspirations, I could not believe the
magnitutde of what she accomplished.  Her series is so intertwined with
historical and mythiclogical references, it is astounding how
intelligent Rowling is, and I am impressed by her level of research for
a young adult series.  From the meaning of names, to the use of real
historical figures, to the existence of imaginative creatures, Rowling
created a world with characters readers have to come to love and
identify with.
 
However, I still wonder if the writing itself suggest a literary genius.
Clearly it is a good story that millions love, but box office success
does not always mean writing has literary value.  As I read through the
books again, I found myself irrited with some inconsistencies, and the
writing at times felt immature.  Some of the books are better written
than others, in my opinion, such as the first book, The Sorceror's
Stone, and the last book, The Deathly Hallows.  Maybe this is because
less time is spent on teen-age romance, and more focus is placed on the
central plot.  I recently found a quote by Stephan King claiming that
the difference between Rowling and the author of the Twilight series, is
that Rowling can write.  This is funny to me, and I do agree with it,
but I still wonder just how great Rowling is.
 
I enjoy reading Rowling's work, but then I read other young adult
writers such as Donna Jo Napoli or even C. S. Lewis or Patrick Rothfuss
(whose book, The Name of the Wind, has been dubbed the adult Harry
Potter) and I notice a difference in the writing.  Rowling does
foreshadowing and metaphor very well, but I would not refer to her
writing as literary fiction.  Rowling's use of language is simple, and
many of the sub-plots are immature.  She does develop characters well,
and she provides an element of mystery in all the books.  Often, Rowling
has the ability to evoke emotions too.
 
So I wonder what others think on this matter.  Where do you stand on the
argument, and what are your feelings.  If you stand in favor of Rowling,
where do you find evidence of this?
 
Enjoy!  *smile*
 
Bridgit
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Writers Division web site:
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