Jul 25, 2007 01:42 PM
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The whole world is divided into muggles and magicians.
When I picked up the first HP book at the roadside, it was not the phenomenon it is now. But I'm not surprised. Like Mimi says, you have to read it to know but let me start to answer the question - why is HP such a rage?
- To begin with HP is an orphan living his life with an uncle and aunt - watching them dote on their fat son and being treated worse then the hired help. So there he has your sympathy right away.
Then he doesn't waste his time whimpering or wishing - even when nobody is there to wish him his 7th B'day. He just gets even.
With this, Rowling says "Life may not be fair BUT There is poetic justice".
2. Then the turn of events when this great school of magic just has to have HP - not only that, he is famous. A parallel world opens up in Harry(and your) life. Is this better than Enid Blyton? - YESSS!
b'cos you don't just have little girls and picnics and parrots - in addition to that you have very real life things - like making the right friends. Which Harry does.
One of my fav parts - where Harry chooses a wand for himself - that basically says that you have inherent talents and you have tools but not till you have the will to exert both that the magic works. So true, again.
There are choices in life - and very early too - you decide what you are and what you want to be very early in life - You get sorted ostensibly into houses but actually making decisions that will stand by you all your life.
There is friendship that sees you through - Then the friendship that springs between the three very different characters - the know-it-all MissGranger, The Bumbling Ron and the Famous Harry - has its own shares of ups and downs, misunderstandings and snags - but holds through thick and thin.
HP is famous because his parents have been killed by Voldemort - he is the only person in the world to have survived the deadliest curse. So there are enemies. But what makes HP so special? – It is the fact that his mother died trying to save him. So there is the protection that love extends to a person even beyond the grave. Isn’t that true?
At the school of Magic, the Ministry of Education keeps trying to interfere and appoints their own people to meddle into the school’s affairs. Dumbledore, though not politically motivated is a great wizard who inspires loyalty in HP and his friends – The students adore him.(Sounds familiar?)
And in the end there is a great fight for the cause that is helped by speed, wits and sheer love from our trio of three. But finally Voldemort runs away – just to return in the next book. Tells you that a combination of talents and teamwork brings success. No news there!
There are many other things that we see every day. The centaurs are hated and feared by all because they are different. People are wrongly framed and imprisoned. The whatchamacallits can suck the happiness and spirit out of you but you can ward them away with a spell that only works if you can remember your happiest moments. I call that mighty practical magic.
Well, there are many more. Rowling’s world is Enid Blyton+ real world and Tolkien – grim and gore. It is addictive.
How much substance? Plenty.
How much hype? Plenty.
Fact remains that the later books were not as good as the earlier ones – donno if that changes later. Fact remains, it’s a sad thing the movies are being filmed bcos it just kills the characters in the book – which are much stronger. Fact remains, Rowling is the richest woman in the world! – But I’m not surprised.
