By Chelsea Fedora

My reason for choosing the topic of Harry Potter can be reduced to one quote from the chapter Kings Cross Station from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows:

Some people may not understand how a fantasy world can be so empowering, but the above quote voiced by Albus Dumbledore in the final book encompasses how something that isnt real can, in fact, be very real for its fans. Seven books, eight movies, a theme park, and a website are the bones that make the franchise, but it is the persistent fans make the Harry Potter universe singular. In the last book, Rowling writes part of the dedication to her fans: to you, if you have stuck with Harry until the very end. She also said in an interview with Meredith Vieira that it would have been humanly impossible to answer every single question that comes up. Because [shes] dealing with a level of obsession in some of [her] fans that will not rest until they know the middle names of Harry's great-great-grandparents. But then she does follow with saying, I'm delighted they feel that way.

What I know about the phenomenon is my own experience. I received the first book when I was nine years old and stood in line at age seventeen to receive the last book when it was released at midnight. I know that I feel a connection with Harry because I grew up with him and the other characters. I cant remember how many times I have read the books, but they havent lost their charm. I am not alone in that sentiment. Every time I hear someone reference Harry Potter in everyday conversation, it brings a smile to my face. My grandfather is just finishing up reading the series for the first time after having collected each book for his library as the books came out. My mother, however, struggled to get through the first ten pages of the first book and hardly knows anything about the series. People I asked to take the survey seemed generally embarrassed to admit when they hadnt read the books or seen the movies, and, I must admit, I was surprised to encounter a few people around my age who didnt have a clue about it. For the many who did have experience with Harry Potter, the response was massive. Most of it was positive, but a small portion was negative. As a huge fan of Harry Potter, it is difficult to come to terms with the franchises imperfections though the enthusiasm of other fans more than makes up for any negatives to be encountered. What became clearly apparent is how there is never just one thing that makes Harry Potter magical.

October 1999

She walked slowly along the tall bookshelves. Dad had brought them to Barnes & Noble. For good grades she and her brother could each pick out a book. Dad was only a few rows away, but she might as well have been in another world since he was busy with her brother, only six. Since she was nine she didnt need help. Nothing seemed right. Nothing jumped out saying, Read me, but wait. On the end of one shelf, a display was set up with large, hardcover books: Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone. She thought she heard about that book. Did someone mention Harry Potter in class? Or maybe it was overheard on the news? Chelsea, did you find one? Dad asked. She picked up the book, looking at the dark-haired boy on a broomstick reaching out to grab a flying something out of the air. A few weeks later, she devoured the book on the way back to Duluth from Grandmas house. She didnt quite finish when they arrived home so she ran into the house and took a seat on the bottom of the stairs. She didnt move until the book closed. Already, she wanted to read it again.

Christmas 1999

At Auntie Jeannes house they opened gifts on Christmas Eve. Grandma had come up to visit. Everyone was together. She picked up her gift from Grandma Julie, wondering what such a heavy package could be. She ripped off the red wrapping paper and found two books inside: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. She thanked Grandma

Julie and gave her a hug. Finally, the story continues. A few months later, she talked to Grandma Sharon about

Chamber of Secrets. She explained that the book is scary and she
didnt like it as much as the first one. Then why do you read it? Grandma Sharon asked. Well, its not that scary, she argued, unable to form the thoughts yet that theyre just too good to give up.

Pottermania: Is it Safe for Children? By Tammy Turner-Vorbeck

Potterma
nia has become a cultural phenome non. There are seven books, eight, movies, a theme park, and an endless number of websites both official and fan-based. This cultural phenomenon reaches far beyond its seductive surface appearance of good, clean fun into a darker place where the psyche of American children is made vulnerable.

children to make them believe what is culturally shown in the Harry Potter novels to a correct representation of reality. Those minorities not represented in the text, those not living the good life, those being oppressed, persecuted, abused, neglected, or simply left behind by mainstream society must be somehow to blame.

Where does the media come into effect? The problem does not lie solely within the books themselves. Due to the massive interest the Harry Potter books have created worldwide, corporate mass marketing schemes strive to create a higher level of consumerism in children facilitated by popular literature. Jack Zipes warns Phenomena such as the Harry Potter books are driven by commodity consumption

Are the books to blame? Our children are living in a state called hyperreality in which simulation and appearance come to be more real and meaningful to children than substance and reality. Because the books and related products themselves are viewed as good, clean, capitalist fun, the more sinister nature of the phenomenon is ignored. The books are filled with social normative messages that involve social class, peer group affiliations, race, culture, and nationality. There is a clear lack of diversity in both family life and culture, and when it is represented, it is shown in a hierarchical order in which difference creates ones social place. The roles of women are also subjugated to secondary positions of power and authority. The books consistently show an exclusivity that can endanger the lives of our

that at the same time sets the parameters of reading and aesthetic taste. Whether or not the books themselves are good reading becomes a moot point due to the mass medias focus on the product versus the writing. In order to hold back the dangerous tendencies of Pottermania, we must create room for resistance, awareness must be raised, and critical thought be utilized in analyzing the safety of the Harry Potter phenomenon. Developing a critical understanding of the media is crucial for teachers, parents, and children and that it needs to go beyond interpreting the meaning found in media messages. This kind of critical thinking is capable of beginning to create the necessary space between the people and their real artifacts of culture and the artificially manufactured phenomena.

1. How many Harry Potter books have you read? None 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

2. How many Harry Potter movies have you seen? None 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

3. Which is your favorite book? Sorcerers Stone Chamber of Secrets Prisoner of Azkaban Goblet of Fire Dont have a favorite

Order of the Phoenix

Half-Blood Prince

Deathly Hallows

4. Which is your favorite movie? Sorcerers Stone Chamber of Secrets Prisoner of Azkaban Goblet of Fire

Order of the Phoenix Deathly Hallows: Part 2

Half-Blood Prince

Deathly Hallows: Part 1

Dont have a favorite

5. Who is your favorite character? _______________________________________ 6. Have you been on Pottermore? Yes No I dont know what that is

7. Have you been to the Magical World of Harry Potter? Yes No I dont know what that is

8. On a scale of 1-10, how much has Harry Potter affected you? I quote HP on a daily basis.
8 9 10

Doesn't affect me

Affects me a little

Affects me a lot

9. Why do you think Harry Potter is still so popular today?

July 2000

In Maple Grove, they stood outside Olive Garden, waiting for their table to become available. Mom was fanning herself, talking to Grandma Julie. Jordan ran around in the grass. She stood beside Mom. She pursed her lips, not wanting to complain even though its so hot and shes so bored. A group of people leave. Perhaps theyll be called next. She saw a girl her age. Under her arm was a thick volume. She eyed it hungrily. Thats book four. Mom, she has the new Harry Potter book, she said, pointing to the girl as her family walked away. Jealousy ate at her along with hunger. She wanted the book desperately. The first three books had been read at least half a dozen each and she wanted more. She wanted to go back to Hogwarts. All day she saw kids with the book walking around, but not her. The next day they arrived home and on the bottom of the stairs was a package addressed to Dad. She wondered aloud what he could have received. Mom told her to open it, even though it was addressed to Dad. She folded back the cardboard. Nestled beneath it was Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. It was twice as big as any of the other books, and it was hers.

She wanted to finish the book in a day, but three days later, she sat alone at a family barbecue with her nose in the book. Dad asked her to tell everyone how many times shes read the first three books. She rattled off the number hanging somewhere in the double digits before diving back in. She didnt join everyone until the finished book was tucked neatly under a bench.

Hedwig 2%

Remus Lupin 2%

Favorite Characters
Draco Malfoy 1%

Ginny Weasley 1%

Alastor (Mad-Eye) Sirius Black Moody 5% 2% Albus Dumbledore 3% Severus Snape 5% Rubeus Hagrid 5% Neville Longbottom 5% Fred & George Weasley 6%

Harry Potter 18%

Ron Weasley 15%

Dobby Luna 6% Lovegood 9%

Hermione Granger 15%

November 2001

They stood outside the theater in a line going almost halfway around the building waiting to get a ticket for the first Harry Potter movie. She wondered if she should have brought a book with, because it seemed like they would never reach ten oclock when the doors would open to sell tickets for that nights showing. Dad looked at the people in front and behind them in camp chairs. Do you want to sit down for a while, Princess? he asked. No, Im fine, she replied. They left it at that. Soon enough, the theater opened and they got three tickets for the seven oclock showing. One for her, one for Dad, and one for Jordan. Holding the tickets in her hands, she felt her excitement already bubbling over from the anticipation. Months later, Mom bought her the first movie on VHS. She watched it every single day for at least two weeks. She absorbed everything, feeling like she could almost be there herself.

Sorcerer's Stone Chamber of Secrets Prisoner of Azkaban Goblet of Fire Order of the Phoenix Half-Blood Prince Deathly Hallows: Part 1 Deathly Hallows: Part 2 none 0 5 10 15 20 25 30

Favorite Movie

June 2003

She knew Dad ordered it, because he had told Mom not to buy it for her. He forbade her to go to the bookstore herself the day it came out. When the day finally came, she was met with a morning of disappointment. Maybe he was lying, she thought dejectedly. But afternoon came with the arrival of the mail. Dad called and asked her to come up to the house. Can we go now? she begged Mom, jumping up and down. She already knew what the cover looked like. Shed seen it all over the internet. The book was Harry Potter

and the Order of the Phoenix. She had to know what that
was, and she had to finish the book in a day this time. They arrived at Dads house, and she took the stairs two at a time. Dad smiled, holding out the dark blue book. She immediately opened the front cover to find an inscription: To my sweetest little Princess on her latest adventure Enjoy, and love you always,

Daddy

He will indeed stand time's test and wind up on a shelf where only the best are kept; I think Harry will take his place with Alice, Huck,

Frodo, and Dorothy, and this is one

series not just for the decade, but for the ages. Stephen King from his review of Order of the Phoenix

Q: Everyone has heard the story about how you came up with the idea for Harry Potter on a train. Did you ever think that idea would go this far? J.K. Rowling: When I started the Potter series I was aiming to please nobody but myself. Q: Did you ever go online to see what was happening? What people were thinking? J.K. Rowling: I kept myself as ignorant as possible about the degree of fan activity that was taking place both on the Internet and off it. Occasionally friends or journalists would impart some startling piece of information about what was going on out there. It tended to harden my resolve not to know. Q: So there was a lot out there tempting you to change things? J.K. Rowling: The letters I received daily made it perfectly clear how invested in the characters futures my readers had become. The fans begged me not to kill certain characters or ask me why I didnt go in a certain direction. It could get overwhelming. Q: But you did eventually look? J.K. Rowling: Not until some time in 2002 did I finally crack and do the thing people assumed I did daily. I googled Harry Potter. Q: What were your first thoughts? J.K. Rowling: I thought the fan sites were so professional-looking. And they had tens of thousands of visitors. At long last I understood what was going on while I was holed up writing, trying to filter my exposure to Potter hysteria. Q: Did anything surprise you? J.K. Rowling: I saw and read editorials, predictions, theories that ranged from strange to wild to perfectly accurate. I was stunnedand I remain stunned. A great chunk of my life has been explained to me. Q: What is the most satisfying thing about the entire Harry Potter phenomenon? J.K. Rowling: Talking to people like you about the books definitely I mean, I loved the writing. But aside of the writing-- it staggers me that so many people have loved them and what's better than that? Nothing's better than that.

July 2005

She told herself it wasnt a big deal. She followed everything online. She knew the name of the book. She knew the day it was coming out. But she decided it wasnt going to be a big deal. Aunt Lynn was in town. She wasnt going to have her nose in a book the whole time she was visiting from Florida, even if she would understand, being the big reader in the family like her. She also didnt want to seem like one of those obsessive dorks, and her friends werent making a big deal out of it either. She wasnt going to do it. They got home late that evening from Auntie Jeannes house. Mom turned on CNN, and the first thing on the news was Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. She watched the program, showing the first American child to receive the book at the midnight release. They went on to talk about how many books have already been sold. Her stomach rolled and took a nose-dive. She had been lying to herself. Why didnt she already have that book open in front of her? Aunt Lynn took one look at her and smiled. Do you want it? Yes, she answered wistfully. Well, lets go get it then. She picked up the first copy she saw at Walmart, and they went straight to the register. She thanked Aunt Lynn over and over as they walked back to the car. She clutched the book to her chest all the way, forcing herself to keep it closed until they get home.

Because it has an amazing plot line! Its a typical Hero story, but it also relays much more than that. It relates to everyone: with friendship, love, and that there is not just black and white with good and evil. Its a powerful story. It's a powerful story with well-grounded characters and it just makes you think. It is definitely more popular among women. The story seems to resonate much more with them then guys, maybe because they read more and truly understand how great it is? lol... It reminds me a lot like the Firefly effect: the girls like it and the guys watch it because they arent too opposed to it. I've never h ad a guy friend say lets get together and watch Harry Potter, Firefly, or the Lion King... I think it's still popular, just not in the way it used to be. It's no longer on a par of its own and shares the lime light with other chick flickish movies, and series. It is a well written series that appeals to all ages full of action, adventure, romance, humor, and contains many life lessons Because it is a place everyone wishes would be true. It is probably they are the most successful books and movies ever! It was part of our daily lives for so many years I think it's popular because it is so universal. I started reading them the year they came out and I was like seven, yet my dad loved them just as much and he was in his late twenties. And I'm sure having such a huge movie franchise doesn't hurt either. Books are a good read! I think that kids like the fantasy of Harry Potter and the way it was written, made the characters come to life! And my daughter loves these books! Teachers and parents push kids to read the first book in a series, because the kids are then more likely to read the rest of the books, so this promotes literacy in children and teenagers. It's sci-fi/fantasy, which is more interesting than non-fiction. It's relatively easy to read; the plot and vocabulary are never too complicated It is a fun and exciting read. Because the books (and kind of the movies) have a lot of good life lessons in them. Never be ashamed of who you are, it's okay for women to be smart. Loyalty and bravery are a common theme. It taught me the value of friendship and fighting for what you believe in. The books were such an easy and great read that it got me into reading other books and now I love to read. Its a childhood story that is still applicable to every child in every generation; it teaches about morals, and the meaning of love, life, death, friendship and relationships in everyday life. The themes are things found in everyday life- friendship, family, love, courage, etc. Those things don't really change even as the world does. They still resonate in our daily life. Hasn't been around that long, and it's an interesting story. It provides an alternate reality with magic, love, excitement, and adventure that everyone longs for and wishes they had. I think Harry Potter is so popular because of the creativity that is involved in the stories. The imagination the readers have really made the books enjoyable. It is like being in a whole different world, and I think people enjoy that in a book to be able to be away from the world they live in. Because people love this book. everyone loves a fantasy world It is a well written series that appeals to all ages full of action, adventure, romance, humor, and contains many life lessons. It was part of most of the current generation's childhood Because throughout the last 15 years the story has caught many different readers from many generations. The characters are also very easy to relate to minus the magic part. It has been a worldwide phenomenon. It made a whole other world for kids to grow up in and it affected them still today Good Movies It is something that almost everyone can relate to and really creates a community where weirdness and craziness is accepted. It appeals to a wide audience Because it enchants the minds of kids and lets them believe that magic can really exist. It is a series about young teens using magic so I think that gives people the opportunity to pretend that they are in another world for a day. It's an easy read for the younger group, and sophisticated for the older group. I think it resonates with people who don't fit in. They read about Harry, who is a weirdo in the muggle world. He is redeemed by being a wizard and finding his calling. He not only becomes ordinary, he becomes extraordinary. Every single person I know who has read the books hoped to get their Hogwarts letter. The books are about great friendships and adventures. What person wouldn't want both? Because it is just that awesome! Because every age, from children to adult, and both males and females can enjoy both the movies and the books together. Beyond being purely entertaining, books present themes which not only evolve throughout the series along with the child reading them, but remain relevant and meaningful-- friendship, loyalty, morality in the face of hardship, etc., will never stop being important. For the returning reader, the experience is rich enough to yield some new insight every time. I think it is popular because it is easy for people of all ages to relate to and it allows people to act out their inner child. Kids free up with him and learned valuable lessons. Also great writing and catches your attention For me it was a huge part of my childhood. When I was done with one book I had to wait for the next one and it was a huge deal for me. The movies I always went with my mom to see, it was one of our traditions. I think something that was such a big part of my life growing up will continue to be a big part of my life; it's ingrained in my life. Because it appeals to boys and girls on multiple levels. Anyone wishing to escape reality for at least a little bit could find it easy to fall in love with the story. It gives everyone a little magic in their lives. Harry Potter touched a lot of lives in both its creativity and its incredible depth of plot and character. The added benefit of HP though is that one would actually WANT to live in one of the books It's so different from any of the other books that were well known during that time. It wasn't anything "normal" and I think that's what excited people. There were so many books, and then the movies came, so it lasted so long, which makes it hard to forget. It reaches thousands of people and whether they are young or old they can enjoy the magic. I think it is a book that affected every generation. I think it will be something that people in our generation share with their kids. For people in college this series was a part of our childhood. It teaches you about friendship and loyalty. It teaches kids right from wrong and to stand up for your friends and your beliefs. It is a timeless story that took the country by storm and involved families in its magic not just children. A whole generation grew up reading the books and going to the movies with their friends and family. Something that affects the world as strongly has Harry Potter is not going to die out! Because it tells a story of friendship, courage and so many other things. Its relatable, a nd it can teach you something about yourself. Its a whole other world, like Doctor Who or Narnia. And maybe its just me, but it teaches us that even in light times there is dark and in dark times there is light. Always. Not every story does that, can do that. Its growing up and figuring out who you are and where you stand in the world, weather the world is at war or not. I think even 20, 30, 40 years from now Harry Potter will still be popular because the theme is always relevant. Harry potter is still popular today because its appealing to all ages. For me it was something my whole family and most of my extended family got together for. Great works of fiction last forever.

Release
The news would race Around an electronic ribbon In Times Square, Billboards In London, New tickers all over The world. This felt real. A flourish of giddiness. No announcement Of any kind Except one. What had started Seventeen years ago Would now end in Six months. The journey, It had changed me. Now it was time To say Goodbye. The words I had been waiting for All these years: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Will be published on July 21, 2007. What happens After the last Harry? The reporters asking What we planned on doing after, How we planned to Gather up the fragments of Our lives, whether We even existed before. I wasnt sure. Everything turning into A sappy nostalgia-fest. Its really, Finally, Wildly, Gloriously, Heartbreakingly Coming To the end.

Sorcerer's Stone

Chamber of Secrets

Favorite Book

Prisoner of Azkaban

Goblet of Fire

Order of the Phoenix

Half-Blood Prince

Deathly Hallows

none 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

July 2007

They walked aimlessly around The Depot. Some of her friends were dressed up, but she didnt have a decent costume so she didnt bother. Only some people were dressed up though, so she didnt feel too bad about it. Northern Lights Bookstore did a wonderful job. Coldstone Creamery was in the lobby handing out free ice cream samples. A scavenger hunt was set up around the trains. People could tour the museum or watch the movies until midnight. Eventually, the time drew near and she got in line with her friends. They were quite a ways back from the beginning of the line, but she was just happy to be there to get the last book at midnight. This will never happen again, she thought. Anyone who starts the books after this point will never have this sort of anticipation. She didnt know what to expect when the clock struck midnight, but then they could see that a train was pulling into the museum. Excited cries rang out to see Dumbledore waving from the front of the train as it pulled in. The line moved quickly, and soon enough Dumbledore shook her hand, took her ticket, and handed her a book. She managed a glance into the car before descending. One of her classmates was within, helping to hand out books from the huge stacks along the sides. She gave her classmate a wave before jumping off the train, leaving The Depot, and parting ways with her friends. The whole way home, the book sat in the passenger seat. She wished someone else had driven so she could start reading, but then she decided not to start the book that night and not to try to finish it in a day. She wanted to savor every minute. It was one-fifteen a.m. on July 22, 2012, slightly over twenty-four hours since she received the final Harry Potter book. She wiped away tears from her eyes as she read the epilogue. She hadnt been able to stop reading all day. It was the hardest thing in the world to close it. All was well. It was over. Her chest ached as she tried not to sob aloud. It was perfect. She placed the book on the floor beside the bed and lay down, tears still streaming from her eyes even as she grinned. It was magic.

Notes: 1, 3, 6, 8, 10, 14, 20: These narratives are my memories of Harry Potter from the time I read the first book to when I experienced the last. 2: As soon as I made the decision to write a research paper on Harry Potter, I posted it to Facebook. I had overwhelming support and jealousy expressed to me regarding the topic. 4: The article was inspired by an essay done by Tammy Turner-Vorbeck 5: Using SurveyMonkey.com, I created this survey to get some basic information regarding Harry Potter. I received 78 responses online and 22 on paper. 7: Taken from the survey, this chart shows the amount of variety in peoples favorite characters. This only had 87 responses because people who didnt answer the question or said they didnt have a favorite were left out. 9, 18: Both of these charts are also from the survey. 11: This is a quote from Stephen King supporting J.K. Rowlings books done in a review for Entertainment Weekly. 12: This interview was created primarily using J.K. Rowlings foreword to Harry, A History but the last question comes directly from an interview with Meredith Vieira shortly after the final book was released. 13: From the final survey question, these words were the ones most frequently used to describe why Harry Potter is still relevant. 15: Also from the final survey question, this is a selection of the word-for-word answers ranging from good movies to paragraph-long answers though it does not include every response I received. 16: Pulling from the internet craze of memes, Conspiracy Keanu questions if the Harry Potter universe does, in fact, exist. 17: This is a found poem with words borrowed from Harry, A History by Melissa Anelli, mebmistress to The Leaky Cauldron fan website.

Anelli, Melissa. Harry, A History: The True Story of a Boy Wizard, His Fans, and Life Outside the Harry Potter Phenomenon. New York: Pocket Books, 2008. Print. King, Stephen. Rev. of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, by J.K. Rowling. Entertainment Weekly July 2003. Rowling, Joanne. Interview by Meredith Vieira. Harry Potter: The final chapter 29 Jul 2007. Dateline NBC. Web. 30 Sep 2012. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20001720/ns/dateline_nbc-harry_potter/t/harry-potter-finalchapter/ Turner-Vorbeck, Tammy. "Pottermania: Good, Clean Fun or Cultural Hegemony?." Trans. Array Harry Potter's World: Multidisciplinary Critical Perspectives. Elizabeth E. Heilman. New York, NY: RoutledgeFalmer, 2003. 13-24. Print. Wimborne, Tim. Harry Potter Fans. 2005. http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20431232_1085130,00.html. Web. 17 Dec 2012. Photo.