Pottermania should be named Rowlingitis!

Why Potter?

A Prolific Analysis of Rowling's Thematic Magic in Harry Potter

(includes an exclusive additonal information that was not revealed in the book at the end)

by Professor Haz Wayne, Order of Merlin (First Class)

Upon completing the entire Harry Potter series, being a phenomenon of global proportions, one always fail to ask why it is as successful as it is. One never stop to wonder what is it in Rowling's writing that makes it such an alluring piece of work. Pottermania - should rightfully be called "Rowlingitis", for it's popularity and craze spreads thoughout the Muggle lands like a virus that infects one to another. There is no stopping it, and like most viruses, we do not know how it came about. Here I attempt to answer this precarious formula, which is truly complicated, much like trying to decide the many sites possible for a Quidditch World Cup finals.

Of Rowling's Values and Philosophy

Rowling's Harry Potter, started as a children's book that gradually increases in its dark content, which beffittingly acknowledges the adult following of the book with its Adult Cover versions. The last book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows confirms Rowling's ingenuity in terms of her character and plot development and twists, but more importantly the values that is imparted throughout the series. Do I think that the book is primarily about magic? I do not think so. Being a children's book, what makes it an acceptable classic is the essence of values it illustatrates in the characters.

The relationship between Harry, Ron and Hermione seem so natural that its conversations can almost be imagined happening right infront of your eyes, facilitated of course by the dramatic portrayals in the films. Though I cannot really remember any specific examples, Rowling's use of Harry's side thoughts in a third person perspective almost usually reflect the values she hold. Such values are the precise things that makes the reader able to relate to what was going on among the characters. Adding to that, her philosophy of life also creates a "hmm that's true" moment for the reader. In Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Professor Dumbledore explained to Harry that the Sorting Hat chose him to be Gryffindor precisely because he asked him to.

"It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities" - Albus Dumbledore (Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets"

This kind of insights make Harry Potter a worthy literary work. Many do not realise this, but it is this small philosophical moments that makes such an enlightening read.

Of Two Worlds Co-Existing Side-By-Side

One must also understand that though I do not feel the book is about magic per se, the use of magic as the medium helps in the book's drawing quality because people are still very fascinated with magic. Rowling's magic is her own brand of magic that makes it especially unique with easy-to-remember day-to-day spells. Rowling's magical understanding, as demonstrated by the scope of the magic in the books and wand qualities, is second only to her real innovation - the two worlds of Muggle and Magic. Unlike most fantasy worlds which exist separately from the real one, Rowling's magical world co-exist side-by-side with the real one, only unbeknownst to the Muggle folks. The inter-relation between the two worlds and communities makes Harry Potter one of Rowling's most creative and interesting creations.

Of Rowling's Own Brand of Fantasy

Many Potter-cynic reader has claimed that Rowling's work is nothing more than a re-creation of already existing fantasy stories. However one has to understand that this is because of the archetypal nature of fantasy genres, meaning to say there bound to be similarites but it is truly up to the writer to distance himself from cliche. In this case Rowling has succeeded extensively. Despite following a 'Hero With a Thousand Faces' formula, one of which a hero is created out of obscurity (the hero not knowing who he is, and after being told he is dramatically plunged into a heroic journey) which is evident in the case of Luke Skywalker in Star Wars or even Frodo in The Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter pulled off as a fresh fiction because Rowling makes it so. Befitting a fantasy genre she employs the use of elves, goblins, giants, centaurs and such but they strictly follow her own brand of interpretation, which makes it a colourful new creation. House-elves as the slaves of wizarding families, who else has ever thought of that?

Of course Rowling's other thematic issues like blood purity, the arrogance of wizards and how they treat other magical creatures, the politicking of the ministry and such adds to the sense of realism in Harry Potter. This could also be tied to Rowling's values and philosophy that is reflected in this themes, seen by how Harry Potter and friends suffered from this issues and thus fought to correct them.

Book 7 the Deathly Hallows - the Cherry on top of the Ice-Cream

I do not pretend that Rowling do not have her shortcomings. There are many irregularities especially in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, but the last book makes up for it and caps all the loose ends rather well. There are a few special mentions in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows that I'd like to highlight.

Kreacher's Tale: I especially enjoy the chapter Kreacher's Tale. This chapter gives such immense satisfaction to me, for it sums up and illustrates the correcting of the wrongs Harry, Ron and Hermione sought to achieve in the wizarding community (which they later did later in their lives, though not mentioned in the book).

Deathly Hallows and Holy Grail: The ultimate twist of Harry's death and he being an accidental Horcrux is also a true highlight of the series. The Deathly Hallows is befitting like the quest for the Holy Grail. Harry, the one must be truly pure in order to achieve it, which he eventually did after Voldemort destroyed his part of the soul that reside in him, making Harry pure, with Christ-like return from death.

Snape's Softer Side: Severus Snape stays to become Rowling's richest creations. Just when all thought him the ultimate Death Eater in the Half-Blood Prince, the next book proves this very wrong indeed. An amazing twist that I feel only Rowling could create. How could any dispute the originality of such complex ambiguity that reside in a character? It echoes what happened during the first book Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone where Snape was thought to be the bad guy but eventually proven to be the one protecting Harry.

Holistic Dumbledore: Lastly, who would have thought of the darker side to Albus Dumbledore? He who was the epitome of pureness and greatness of heart in the past books becomes a more holistic person with the last book. Some would have noticed that not much is known of Dumbledore's past or family prior to the Deathly Hallows, and thus befitting that more is revealed of him in the final installment. The fact that he has a darker side to him, of ambition and quest for greatness and power, proves that he is ultimately only human. I truly loved the fact that revealing Dumbledore's background makes him a true character, whole and not without faults. This too, reflects the ingenuity of Rowling's work, one who sees beyond the convention of wisdom as it is resided in a character.

Last but not least, I'd include the additional information as to what happened to the characters in their later lives, not revealed in the book.

• Harry became an Auror and later head of the Aurors' department, under Kingsley's recommendation. He owns Sirius's bike, which Arthur Weasley fixed up for him. He is married to Ginny. Due to the destruction of the piece of Voldemort's soul that resided in him, Harry can no longer speak Parseltongue.
  
• Ron worked for a time with George at their store, Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, and eventually became an Auror. He is married to Hermione.


• Hermione began a career at the Ministry of Magic at the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, and greatly improved life for house-elves and their ilk, but later moved to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement; she helped ensure the eradication of oppressive, pro-pureblood laws. She is married to Ron. She also found her parents and removed the memory modification charm she put on them.
  
• Luna Lovegood has become a naturalist of sorts, searching the world for odd and unique creatures. She eventually marries Rolf, the grandson of Newt Scamander.


• Ginny Weasley played for the Holyhead Harpies Quidditch team for a time, then left her athletic career behind for marriage and family with Harry. She eventually becomes the lead Quidditch correspondent for the Daily Prophet.


• George Weasley names his first child Fred.


• Slytherin has become more diluted, and is no longer the pureblood bastion it once was. Nevertheless, its dark reputation lingers.


• Voldemort's jinx on the Defence Against the Dark Arts position was broken with his death. Aberforth Dumbledore became the permanent Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher and successor to Minerva McGonagall as Head of Gryffindor House.


• Firenze was welcomed back into his herd, who acknowledge that Firenze’s pro-human leanings were not shameful, but honourable.


• Kingsley Shacklebolt became Minister for Magic, with Percy Weasley working under him as a high official.
  Azkaban no longer uses Dementors, as part of the changes introduced by Kingsley. As a result, England is now a "much sunnier place."
  
• Dolores Umbridge was arrested, interrogated, and imprisoned for crimes against Muggleborns.


• The Quibbler has returned to its usual condition of "advanced lunacy", and is appreciated for its unintentional humour.

“Harry and Ron utterly revolutionized the Auror Department,” Rowling said. Meanwhile, Hermione, Ron’s wife, is “pretty high up” in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, despite laughing at the idea of becoming a lawyer in Deathly Hallows.
Harry, Ron and Hermione don’t join the same Ministry of Magic they had been at odds with for years; they revolutionize it and the Ministry evolves into a “really good place to be.”
“They made a new world,” Rowling said.

There is of course no wonder that the three of them did, given how they have evolved in the 7 years of their lives in the series. :)