A Personal Editorial
The road to fame and fortune has been as bumpy as a broomstick ride for Harry Potter. In its infancy, the series had very little attention from the general public. The first to read it were the curious browsers of book displays, the people who were willing to take a risk, and start a new adventure. And, oh the adventure they received. They were its first followers, the catalyst for a new phenomenon. A whisper swept between the dusty shelves of libraries and weaved through the chairs at book clubs; the rumor ran that Harry Potter was “a book to be read.” As more and more people began to read the series, this whisper grew into a glorious shout. Harry Potter was saved from the dusty shelf of has-been books written by new authors with potential, and went on to become the [Britney Spears] of the literary world.
As with all things innocent and strong in moral fiber, Harry Potter was immediately attacked by the Religious Right. The accusations went flying: “Harry Potter brainwashes young children,” “Harry Potter encourages the practice of Wicca,” and “Harry Potter worships the devil”. Even after His Holiness Pope John Paul II sanctified the work as morally sound and deemed it an endorser of Christian values, the crowds of extremist illiterates continued to clamor for the spotlight. But Harry Potter shone on. Even after overcoming this childhood trauma, and climbing to new heights (Each book of the series has spent generous amounts of time at the top of the New York Times Best Seller’s List), the books continue to be scoffed at by adult readers, and are banished away to the “children section” of bookstores.
Unfortunately, as with all works of art, people have taken their own interpretation. The profit seeking, cigar-chompers of Warner Brothers have taken the liberties to chop up the beautiful story telling skills of J.K. Rowling to fit into the limitations of ninety minutes and the silver screen. There are some who observe the mass mania of Harry Potter and believe that the millions strong fame has blemished its luster. These people will never read Harry Potter because their own pride, and not for a true appreciation for the author’s work.