FAQ -- The Universal Appeal of Harry Potter

[meboriqua at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 23570

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., Penny & Bryce Linsenmayer <pennylin at s...> 
wrote:
  
*Why* are they so successful, among children and adults alike? >

I am surprised to hear that this has not been discussed in detail 
here.  That is a question I have wanted to ask myself.  But alas!  I 
have the answer!

To me, it is quite simple:  I WANT TO LIVE IN HARRY'S WORLD.  Adults, 
just as much as children, want a little magic in their lives.  We all 
wish at times that we could be invisible (and listen in on our bosses' 
private meetings - bwahaha!), or fly anywhere without a plane.  We all 
want the option of becoming an animal at will and to be able to have 
discussions with paintings and to see out favorite photos wave at us 
and move around.  Every day life can be so blah, but in Harry's world, 
there is every day life plus more.

I also adore JKR's humor.  Writers occasionally get lost in detailed 
descriptions and complicated plots and can't find their way back 
because they forgot to have fun with it.  I laughed out loud many 
times in all four books (can't we all picture Percy dancing naked in 
Dobby's tea cozy? <g>).  JKR must be a hoot in real life.

Last, and this is what others have mentioned, JKR has spun a web of 
characters, places and mystery that just keeps us all hanging on.  

But really, I want to live in that world.  When I was a kid, we had a 
big front hall closet in the house where I grew up.  I used to crawl 
in and hit the back wall, disappointed that it was still there.  I 
wanted to be able to go to Narnia, see.  I feel the same way with HP: 
I want to find the way in and I do, every time I read the series.

--jenny from ravenclaw, who has dreamed many times that she is at 
Hogwarts and has always been disappointed to wake up 
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