Harry Potter

From ArticleWorld

The Harry Potter series of novels is written by, British author, JK Rowling. Seven novels encompass the series, six of which have been published as of February 2006. The novels revolve around a world of witchcraft and wizardry and the main character for which the novels are titled, Harry Potter. Harry is a mere eleven years old when he is first invited to join his peers at the infamous Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Each novel covers one year of schooling and one year of new adventure. Rowling allows the reader to “grow up “ with Harry as he tackles one obstacle after another. Not only does he have to deal with the usual teenage issues socially and emotionally but he also has to deal with the responsibility of magic.

Marketing

There seem to be two worlds in which Harry Potter lives. One, Harry is a young wizard in a series of novels. Second, Harry Potter is one of the biggest brand names in recent history. It seems, anything having to do with the novels will sell. In the beginning, publishers marketed the series to children and teens aged 8-15. More recently, however, the novels have been published with two different covers. In one, the artwork is geared towards the younger audience but the second focuses on the adult reader. In addition, a favorite candy of the fictional characters has made it to the mainstream. The Jelly Belly Company has recently introduced a new line of jelly beans named for the ones found in the novels. Bertie Bott’s Beans include twenty different flavors of jellybeans that mimic the flavors found in the novels. Tasty flavors such as tooty-fruity, dirt, snot, grass, bubblegum and vomit have been made into tiny treats. For those a little craftier, one can knit Quidditch Sweaters and Elf Socks from purchased patterns. In September of 2005, Apple introduced the limited edition “Harry Potter Collector’s iPod” which included a code that would enable people to download Harry Potter audio books. The books, the films, videogames and other merchandise have made Harry Potter a hot commodity for retailers.

Controversy

One of the major controversies surrounding the Harry Potter is that the novels promote the occult. Many religious groups have denounced the novels because they promote Satanism, violence and witchcraft. Some conservative Christian groups believe that the Harry Potter novels encourage children to believe in magic rather than God. Father Gabriel Amorth, the official exorcist of Rome has expressed that the Harry Potter novels are an evil influence on some and encourages belief in the occult. Because of these conservatives, the books are among the most challenged in United States libraries. In response to these accusations, a series of comic books entitled ‘The Nervous Witch” have been published. They follow two teenage girls who delve into the world of witchcraft and become possessed by demons as a result of reading the Harry Potter books.