Harry Potter: a great representation of our time?

[ellejir]

No: HPFGUIDX 77183

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "feetmadeofclay" wrote:
> Only time will tell if people still connect with HP in a 100 
years.  
> Of course many books are good and still go unremembered. HP may be 
> unable to do what the Xmen has been able to do - Its ongoing 
format, 
> allows its world to remain relevant by reshaping itself for every 
> generation. Its basic themes are relevant but it still needs an 
> updated ever so often.  
> 
> Given the odd way HP is written (with every book being set for the 
> age Harry is) and the prose like warm flat beer (as someone other 
> than I noted), I suspect HP is not destined to be a classic.  
> 
> 
Me:
I disagree.  To my mind, the HP series is in a class by itself--
particularly if one is viewing it as "children's literature".  It is 
easily as well-written as the LOTR and the Narnia series (at least 50 
year "classics", I would argue.)  The best parts of the series are as 
cleverly written as parts of Jane Austin's work.  I think that the 
series will be popular 50 years from now.  As to whether it will be 
deemed a "classic" by the academic-powers-that-be on the order of a 
Shakespeare play, I suspect that its very popularity and 
accessibility will work against it on that front.  
Elle (who *strongly* disagrees that JKR's prose is like "warm flat 
beer" but has not had time to read all the ranting back and forth on 
that particular thread)