Why do you like Harry Potter?

[cubfanbudwoman]

No: HPFGUIDX 85625

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "gmail11220" <grossl at k...> 
wrote:
> I am a senior at Kenyon College and I am doing a research paper for 
> my senior project on the role of fantasy and magic in our society. 
> I am sure this question has come up many, many times. I am new to 
> this group so I do not know what has been said. Why do you like the 
> Harry Potter Books? I have read all the books myself but I am 
> interested in what other people think. This would greatly help my 
> project. Thank you.

Now Siriusly Snapey Susan:

Three reasons pop to mind immediately.  Simply put, they are:

1)  JKR manages to create characters which, even though magical and 
thus "unreal", come across as incredibly real.  When I first read SS, 
I was *hooked* because I felt JKR truly captured what it felt like to 
be 11:  the behaviors, the feelings, what *matters* to an 11-year-
old.  This has continued through all five books.

2)  The layers.  The story is so incredibly fully-thought-out.  All 
kinds of clues, hints, statements and characterizations have been 
planted and then come back to *mean* something even if they didn't 
seem to matter much at the time of first encounter.  It's such FUN to 
dig!

3)  JKR's humor.  Yes, the books have darkness and are becoming 
increasingly dark as they progress, but her humor shines through.  
Not just in the words her characters speak or the situations in which 
they find themselves, but also in her choice of names for people, 
spells & other magical "things" [Diagon Alley, Bellatrix LeSTRANGE, 
MunDUNGus Fletcher, Sirius becoming a black DOG, etc.].  Again, they 
often have hidden [or obvious!] meanings or Latin roots or are plays 
on words that just make it FUN.

To be more succinct, the books are great fun and JKR has made me CARE 
deeply about her characters.

Siriusly Snapey Susan...who graduated from Earlham College, not so 
very far from Kenyon. :-)