Harry Potter for children and adults - Essay Example

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, written by Joanne Rowling (better known as J.K Rowling), was first published in London by Bloomsbury on 30 June 1997. The book became an overwhelming success almost immediately. So much so that along with its six sequels, it has now become a significant part of global popular culture. Pottermania, the term coined to describe the unprecedented popularity of the Harry Potter books, took over the imaginations of children and adults everywhere. In fact, it has often been doubted that the series is even meant for children; a pertinent question, since the books touch upon topics that are generally considered “adult” or at least meant for more mature readers. What then, do we mean by “Children’s Literature” and does it include the world of Hogwarts? As in every search, it is best to start at the beginning: in this case, the first book in the series. Children’s literature usually reminds us of writers like Enid Blyton, Roald Dahl, L.M Montgomery, C.S. Lewis, to name just a few. Sustaining their popularity over the decades, books by these authors have acquired the status of “classics” in children’s fiction. To me personally, children’s literature is synonymous with certain elements. For instance, writing that revolves around fairies, elves, mermaids and other fantasy creatures, or includes plots with high-spirited adventure, or reveals a frank, humorous and critical view of the world of “adults” in general, or manages to touch upon the realizations that come with growing up - all come under the category of children’s literature. But these boundaries are very fluid; and in my opinion, it is very difficult to place works of literature in such black-and-white categories. For instance, a book like Exupéry’s The Little Prince is very clearly written in a childlike fashion, addressed primarily to young readers. But is it meant solely for children? May not an adult derive the same pleasure from the book, perhaps on an even more profound level owing to her greater experiences of life? To define it as strictly “for children” would be discrediting the author and his work. The reasons I include the above elements in distinguishing between literature meant for children and adults are several. The use of fantasy depends on a child’s ability to suspend disbelief more easily than an adult. If the reader makes to herself statements like, “But there’s no such thing as a Bread-and-Butterfly”, Lewis Carroll’s Through the Looking Glass is stripped of almost all its charm. The child’s willingness, even eagerness, to believe in the magical, the unreal is what makes fantasy devices so very effective in children’s literature. High-spirited adventure, usually associated with books aimed at boy-readers, again need a lot of active participation from the reader. The child, looking for an escape from the humdrum routine of school, the rules of home, will gladly join in with the band of merry boys sailing away to unknown lands or girls who drop through rabbit-holes for hours at an end. Running away to foreign lands, living behind waterfalls or in ditches, getting kidnapped: may all be ideas that no longer appeal to the realist adult. But to a child, they are what make life worth looking forward to; the possibility of an adventure! Children’s books often contain a subtle, tongue-in-cheek critique of the adult world. It is widely accepted that grown-ups “know better”, sometimes only because they are older, a logic that fails to satisfy most children. Books like Peter Pan and Alice in Wonderland have a wonderful, light satiric way of revealing adult idiosyncrasies and pretenses, often making them out to be nothing more than oversized babies! Mr. Darling, the Duchess, the King of Hearts, are all characters, who despite having grown old, do not quite seem to have grown up. Somehow, books written primarily for adults cannot portray the same ironic view without resorting to more harsh measures. I include growing up as one of the key themes in children’s literature also because all children’s books seem to be a progress towards a threshold, beyond which lies the vast, frightening world of adulthood. To cite Carroll and Barrie again, both Peter Pan and Through the Looking Glass have nostalgic endings where the children have grown up or are on the verge of growing up. Acceptance of the inevitable is a major part of a child’s life and I think, the transience of childhood, as shown in these books and others, makes it all the more poignant. Therefore, even with the grey areas, children’s literature has more or less recognisable features that separate it from literature aimed specifically at adults. I mention fantasy and fairy-tales as one of these features, but the origins of fairytales are not rooted in children’s literature at all. What we read out as bedtime stories today have exceptionally diverse origins, as Jack Zipes reveals: “[…] wonder tales were told in Europe by all social classes of people for various purposes: wish fulfillment, improvement of social status, compensation for misery, preservation and celebration of rituals within a community, and the celebration of power.” (Zipes, “Origins: Fairy Tales and Folk Tales”) The fact then, that Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone uses magic and witchcraft, or fantasy devices, in other words, does not necessarily place it in children’s fiction. In fact, it contains ideas and scenes that even adults on serious contemplation may find disturbing. Voldemort taking possession of Professor Quirrell’s body; the chess-game that involves real killings; the giant-three headed dog, ironically titled “Fluffy” – are the stuff nightmares are made of, adult nightmares not excluded. Read in the context of the story however, these scenes hardly appear gory or macabre. The humorous, light presentation of the plot undermines most of the horror involved. Children are also not likely to take them as literally as an adult, with an adult worldview, would. A child is more likely to keep fantasy as fantastical as it was meant to be; it is the maturity of age that brings in reality. As far as themes, visual descriptions and scenes are concerned, I did not find anything overtly adult about this book. Yes, an adult would read it in a very different way, perhaps get the humour on a more ironic level, interpret layers in the story that a child wouldn’t. But none of this takes away from the child’s enjoyment of the book, in fact not having the perspective of a critic is often a boon when it comes to reading for the sheer pleasure of it! The characters are presented humorously but not revealed to be as complex as in the later books. Although not “flat characters”, they are not psychologically difficult creations. I don’t think Professor Dumbledore, or Harry himself or even Lord Voldemort, the most evil character in the book, brings in any perversity or unsavoury connotations. Perhaps I should try and define here what would constitute “unsavoury” in children’s literature for me. I find the use of violence, abusive language, sleaze, sensationalism, dangerous habits like drug addiction and a disregard for life, when unwarranted or superfluous to the story, best done away with. Presenting children with an unrealistic, idyllic world is not a sensible idea at all, especially considering all the information they are exposed to in today’s media-crazed world. But to look for cheap publicity by incorporating any of the above, when they do not serve to explain anything significant in the plot, is wrong to me. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone has humour, wildly imaginative places and people, very rich scenic descriptions and a gripping plotline. All elements that would work perfectly in any book: may it be for a child or an adult. Several sects of people have protested against the Harry Potter books based on religious grounds, accusing it of having satanic messages and anti-Christian sentiments. (Source: “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, Wikipedia). I do not believe that meaning can be read into any piece of text without the person’s intention in finding it. A child looking for an escape in to a magical world that is exotic and familiar at the same time, while find a route to do so. A person looking to find examples of “heretic” sentiment will probably find a few also. Bigoted writing should never be condoned, but creative liberty should not be forgotten either. It is true that Professor Quirrell’s devotion to the mass murderer Lord Voldemort, Voldemort’s own obsession with eternal life, dangerous magic or the “dark arts”, can be read as being anti-Christian or blasphemous. But children rarely ever look for politically (or otherwise) subversive content in the books they read. Peter Hunt contends that an adult can hardly know what a child filters out and what she doesn’t. True as this may be, I still hold that a child, unless her curiosity has been previously aroused specifically to do so, while rarely ever read a book just to find what it says on religion. In this context, I find, Rowling’s form and content are not sufficiently dogmatic or defamatory to prove any hidden agenda in her writing. One reason this book is so popular with adults is the varied use Rowling makes of mythological and other literary allusions. The spells, for instance, are almost always derived from Latin or Greek and often contain puns that would appeal to adults only. “Lumos!” for instance, which lights up the tips of wands; or “Wingardium Leviosa” which makes things fly. In making so much that is adult appealing to children, J. K. Rowling is actually achieving what all parents and most children’s authors hope to: pack together “instruction and delight” (Hunt, “Instruction and Delight). Peter Hunt states that since adults are doing the writing, and children the reading almost all children’s books are “inevitably didactic”. This unfortunately is true in most cases. However, this power can be used to help children grow more open-minded, teach them to question things instead of restricting them. J.K. Rowling, by addressing children directly, manages to unfold to them a world as adult as the real, without making it drab and uninteresting. Hunt concludes that children’s literature is actually more complex to study than literature meant for adults, because “their responses more obviously unknowable”. This does make the task of studying and classifying children’s literature difficult, but as Hunt himself suggests, it is perhaps best to not try segregating this genre. Children’s literature is after all literature, and belongs in the huge corpus of written work as every other kind of literature. It may have certain defining features, certain exceptions, certain identifications, but none of these take away from the quality or the significance of this body of literature. In analyzing Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, I find myself running into these seemingly contradictory conclusions. Inclusive of quintessentially children’s fiction elements and yet not completely exclusive of adult themes either; containing an underlying moral of Good wins over Evil, and yet not quite so simplistic either; a seemingly simple enough story but with possible sub-texts that could subconsciously create controversial responses. To ignore the harsher implications of the text would be being naïve, and yet to ascribe to it more meaning for the sake of critical theories would be being pedantic. But its very ambiguity is the cause of its success. And although, for the reasons cited above, it appeals to men and women, there is no reason for it to be ousted from the genre of “children’s literature.” Its plot, its characters, its incredibly rich world, all belong firmly in the mind of the child’s imagination, where even adults are allowed to venture into once in a while. 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