I will admit it and I don’t really care that I am 22 and read Harry Potter avidly and with pleasure. I am glad that there are people in this world that will stand by the weirdos and protest that Harry Potter brings people to books and it helps kids have an exciting imagination. One college in Maine wrote an article on how ‘Potter’ fans take pride in reading books and reading young adult books even if some aren’t young adults anymore.
This is an interesting article that focuses on why Universities are so hard pressed to not think of J.K. Rowling as a literary artist. And yet there will always be those professors that think that those who read Harry Potter are juvenile and don’t have any literary sense.
Because scholars believe Harry Potter has no literary depth, Harry Potter followers, who are deemed more juvenile and less apt to be taken seriously, are academically excommunicated, unjustly. We’re forced to practice our praise in relative secrecy, away from the ears of the literary canon.
Unfortunately there are those that think that Harry Potter is stupid and that people above the age of 12 shouldn’t read those books at all. I beg to differ. I read those books because they are interesting and it is fun to think that there could be witches and wizards in the world and we wouldn’t know anything about it. It is fun to imagine a world of magic and mystery, I kind of wish that I went to Hogwarts with Ron, Harry and Hermione. If I can imagine such a fun, interesting world, then all the children reading these books can imagine something more in depth and exciting.
This article also talks about how some Universities around the country have incorperated Harry Potter classes into their curriculua. The classes are examining how the books are connected to The French Connection. Another class also offered examines the scientific possibilities of Rowlings books.
”The Science of Harry Potter,” taught in Frostburg State University in western Maryland since 2003, investigates the scientific possibilities of Rowling’s novels. Most notably, the somewhat eccentric professor in his early 60s actually goes to every lecture dressed as none other than Albus Dumbledore.
Some may still think that I am a little weird for reading Harry Potter at the age of 22. But it has made me want to read all the more, including all the Lord of the Rings books and the Aragon series. Hopefully people will see that the Harry Potter books are an outlet for outcasted kids to read something interesting and fun.
‘Potter’ fans take pride in wizards, robes and literature
Book announcement inspires round of debate on literary value
Thomas St. Pierre
Issue date: 3/1/07
kristinacoffey said
You bring a good point to the table when you say that age doesn’t really matter when it comes to reading a good book. I think that if we can get our students to read not matter what the book is it is a good thing. If Harry Potter is something that interests them let them read it. I’ve always had problems with having to read certain books that were assigned to me for class to read. I have a hard time getting into them because its not something I would have chosen for myself. I think that if I were giving something that I would find myself reading I would have a easier time getting into that certain assigned book. I think its interesting that some classes around the world are incorporating these books into their classes by studying connections that it has with their culture. Another thing that you mention in your post is that the books spark you imagination. I think now days children are starting to loose their creative imagination because they are always inside sitting in front of the tv or computer. When I was a child i was outside playing in the woods and creating my own ideas. I think if we can get students to read these types of book that spark their imagination we might be able to help them explore more and come up with their own ideas.
Oreo said
I am 13 and I love Harry Potter. I am a Massive fan. I don’t care what age reads them they rule. It doesn’t matter what age you are. They are great books
hannah8 said
Way to go nicole! i am with you on my love of Harry Potter. And way to go…you got an outside comment! I think your argument brings up a lot of the stuff that we were talking about with Wilhelm. First of all, its obvious that Harry Potter bring students into another world and that can be used to have students think about where or how they picture themselves when they are reading….this is called creating engaged readers! (and schools should be more aware of this affect). Also, because its so engaging and ther are so many older people who read Harry Potter we should be looking at it as a savior of sorts. Just the othe week we were talking in class about how very few older people read…well they’re reading Harry Potter, so what does that tell you? instead of being literary snobs we should look at why Harry Potter is so popular and what it has to offer. But thats just my opinion, however i will be teaching the nation’s youth. hehe
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trishcabobb said
I often blame college for ruining my love of reading because often I have no time and no desire to read for pleasure… with a few exceptions (including Harry Potter). I don’t know if I am ever going to be too old to enjoy reading. I still read (and collect) picture books appropriate for second graders. I really want to read the text written by the keynote speaker from the Bright Ideas conference, which I am assuming is appropriate for a fourth-sixth grader. I am also very capable and enjoy reading classic texts that are appropriate for adults. I don’t see the damage in reading text that are below my reading level because as another blog written by Karen pointed out, newspapers are written at a seventh grade reading level.
However, I don’t think I would argue that books from the Harry Potter series have great potential of becoming “classics.” They will probably become as “classic” as the Boxcar Children and Nancy Drew series. I don’t know how well the writing could compare to Of Mice And Men. I could be wrong.
Dee said
Be proud! Many an adult is not so brave, and asks for the book in a plain brown paper bag:)