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Is Harry arbitraty?
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From: Ann Bouricius <ABOURICIUS>
Date: Tue, 09 Nov 1999 16:29:00 -0500
Maia talked about Harry's character. This may be true-- but remember, Rowling said, in her interview on 60 Minutes, she saw Harry's story as one big book-- broken into seven chunks to make it easier for the reader. Seems to me she's leaving great room for his internal growth. When the first book opens he's just turning 11. He's a child. He's not perfect. He's grown up with the Dursleys' for pete's sake! If he *did* have all the ideals that are traditional in high fantasy, I, for one, wouldn't have believed it. However-- I do believe he will grow into at least some of them.
What I, as a writer, find so completely fascinating about Harry's world is that it's so very complete. I think Rowling has done a terrific job of world building.
Ann Bouricius/Annie Kimberlin-- in Ohio writer, librarian, rubber stamp artist, dog mom
Well, I didn't make the comment about arbitrariness (hey, Roger?), but I'll give it a shot. .... Harry lives in the 90's western world - he is, as one member of child_lit astutely pointed out, very subject to the whims of materialism, cynicism and greed. What I find fascinating is that he is such an expression of the Something-for-Nothing ideology of today's society; Harry has essentially won the Lottery of life. Through no work of his own, he is magically rich, talented and famous - adults crave contact with him, idealize him, and yes, even hate him, just for his existence. In High Fantasy, this would come matched with an incredible responsibility, and the protagonist would spend a great deal of the story searching for the resolution to their inner need to contribute to the cosmic good. (Whew!) Harry gets off the hook -- his confrontations with the evil one are more random events than elsewise. What Harry really wants, it seems, is to succeed at school with little work, win the Cup, eat candy, fly owls and play with magic creatures, and perhaps date a pretty girl. Even his conscience is largely externalized, in the person of Hermione. Harry would not be the protagonist in a High Fantasy novel; Hermione might be.
Maia
p.s. You mentioned franchise - well , see ACHUKA - stationary, stickers and action figures are on the way!
"
Received on Tue 09 Nov 1999 03:29:00 PM CST
Date: Tue, 09 Nov 1999 16:29:00 -0500
Maia talked about Harry's character. This may be true-- but remember, Rowling said, in her interview on 60 Minutes, she saw Harry's story as one big book-- broken into seven chunks to make it easier for the reader. Seems to me she's leaving great room for his internal growth. When the first book opens he's just turning 11. He's a child. He's not perfect. He's grown up with the Dursleys' for pete's sake! If he *did* have all the ideals that are traditional in high fantasy, I, for one, wouldn't have believed it. However-- I do believe he will grow into at least some of them.
What I, as a writer, find so completely fascinating about Harry's world is that it's so very complete. I think Rowling has done a terrific job of world building.
Ann Bouricius/Annie Kimberlin-- in Ohio writer, librarian, rubber stamp artist, dog mom
Well, I didn't make the comment about arbitrariness (hey, Roger?), but I'll give it a shot. .... Harry lives in the 90's western world - he is, as one member of child_lit astutely pointed out, very subject to the whims of materialism, cynicism and greed. What I find fascinating is that he is such an expression of the Something-for-Nothing ideology of today's society; Harry has essentially won the Lottery of life. Through no work of his own, he is magically rich, talented and famous - adults crave contact with him, idealize him, and yes, even hate him, just for his existence. In High Fantasy, this would come matched with an incredible responsibility, and the protagonist would spend a great deal of the story searching for the resolution to their inner need to contribute to the cosmic good. (Whew!) Harry gets off the hook -- his confrontations with the evil one are more random events than elsewise. What Harry really wants, it seems, is to succeed at school with little work, win the Cup, eat candy, fly owls and play with magic creatures, and perhaps date a pretty girl. Even his conscience is largely externalized, in the person of Hermione. Harry would not be the protagonist in a High Fantasy novel; Hermione might be.
Maia
p.s. You mentioned franchise - well , see ACHUKA - stationary, stickers and action figures are on the way!
"
Received on Tue 09 Nov 1999 03:29:00 PM CST
