And I want to go to Harry Potter world! I am desperate to see
Hogwarts and the talking portraits and go into Hogsmeade to get some butterbeer.
I’ve been there twice, but it’s never enough. Haha. I’m especially excited that
at the rumors that they’re expanding.
Since my daughter
first read Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone at the age of eight—she’s
twenty-two now—and convinced me I had to read it as well, I’ve been captivated
by the wizarding world. JK Rowling managed to accomplish something few other
authors ever have. Her characters affected the world in ways that people
wouldn’t have dreamt a book could. Who out there has heard of Wizard Rock? Can
you imagine writing a book that inspired a whole genre of music?
And think about Harry Potter World! They built a theme park
based around those books!
As writers, we all strive to create characters that will
have an impact on the world, so when we find a book like Harry Potter, we have
to ask ourselves--what is it about those characters that inspire such fervent
loyalty?
Harry himself is the reluctant hero—at theme we have seen
repeatedly in great stories. He is loyal and brave and—most importantly—just a
regular guy who often makes mistakes, despite
his wizard status. He has his gifts, but they aren’t so over the top
that we can’t believe in them. He muddles through a lot, sometimes by the skin
of his teeth (anyone remember the lake challenge during the tri-wizard
tournament?) He needs his friends to survive and his loyalty to them is his
strongest quality.
Hermione and Ron are the perfect sidekicks, one smart, one
funny, and both as fiercely loyal as Harry. The romance between them further adds to the story. Who out there wasn't rooting for them to realize their true feelings and get together? Who wasn't crushed when Ron stupidly chose Lavender Brown? One of my favorite scenes in the books was their first kiss, in the middle of the search for the final horcrux, because Ron thought to free the house-elves. It was awesome!! (Then again, I am a girl. I was also a huge fan of Harry and Ginny--although the Ginny in my head was way better than the one in the movie version)
Voldemort is an excellent villain
who has a believable agenda. We have a smaller villain as well though, so the story isn’t overwhelmed by Voldemort. Malfoy is the perfect foil to
Harry--and a character anyone who has ever attended school can relate to. Even
the characters without as much page time, such as Fred and George, Lupin,
Dobby, the horrible Dursleys— are all SO alive and layered.
The fantastic setting of the story plays a huge role as well.
What child since hasn’t secretly hoped for his Hogwarts letter? Who among us
Potterphiles has not wished for an invisibility cloak or longed to go have tea
in Hagrid’s hut and see his latest monsters?
So, my challenge to everyone is this--Using the HP books or any other books you’ve loved-- pick out the traits that make a character impossible
to walk away from. Tell us about a world
you are so immersed in that it becomes a real place to you. Give us the aspects of a great story that
draw you in and keep you reading. IE: Harry Potter--The underdog vs. the evil
overlord and how he triumphs.
In other words, what are your favorite books –but, more
importantly, why?