Conspiracy Theories

[Meredith]

No: HPFGUIDX 96649

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "potioncat" <willsonkmom at m...> 
wrote:
> Kneasy wrote:
> > 
> > What if when it was written she expected her (small select) fan 
> > base to grow at the same rate as Harry?
> > If fans started the books aged 11, by the end of the series they 
> would 
> > be 20 or so.
> > 
> > Definitely not children. 
> > I wonder....
> > 
> 
> Potioncat:
> And that is what has happened.  My oldest started reading it at 10 
> (I think) and now he's 15. He's right up there with Harry. He 
> certainly wouldn't be interested any more if Harry was still 11. 
> When I decided to re-read the series after OoP, I was very 
surprised 
> at how different SS was written compared to OoP. Even the style 
> grows up.
> 

Luckie's response:

I agree HP is made to change as children grow. Perhaps intentionally, 
but perhaps not. JKR started out simply, remember, and writes 
everything from Harry's perspective. It's expected a 15 year old 
would be a little more worldly than an 11-year-old. SS/PS and CoS are 
easy enough for probably an 8-10 year old to tackle (I'm guess on 
this, since I don't have children). The SS/PS American paperback 
version is 308 pages I believe - definitely not the shortest 
children's book, but manageable. I would think OoP, at over 800 
pages, would be more appropriate for at least a twelve year old, both 
sheer volume wise and subject-matter wise. The first books show Harry 
learning about himself and going up against an evil entity and 
succeeding. However, I find SS/PS and CoS to be very similar, and 
therefore like CoS the least of the 5 books so far. If JKR had 
continued in the same vein - making each book a different adventure 
at Hogwarts, with a clean, neat defeat of Voldy at the end - they 
would have become boring and tedious. Now look at books 3, 4 and 5 - 
betrayal of friends, the deaths of two characters, an overbearing 
governmental structure, attempted plots against Harry's life, and 
questions of life, death, fate and choice. Hardly on the same level.

I was discussing with friends today that I believe some of the best 
children's literature appeals to adults as well as children. For 
example, the Chronicles of Narnia, which I read when I was 12 and 
again last summer, obviously picking up more meaning upon a second, 
adult examination. To put it more simply, shows like the Simpson, or 
the Muppet Show also appeal on several levels, hence their popularity.

~ Luckie Starr (whose real name is Meredith, obviously, but will go 
by her radio name here.)