Why Do You Read the HP Books?

[mercurybluesmng]

No: HPFGUIDX 142759

Ibchawz:

> The first issue I would like to address is JKR's writing ability and 
> style. I have seen comments regarding the contrived nature of some of 
> the plot elements used.  I have also seen comments that JKR 
> sacrifices character development to move the plot along.  At the 
> other end of the spectrum, I have read that some feel that the plot 
> follows the standard fantasy / hero's quest storyline too closely and 
> that she should be more original.  My question is:  If you feel these 
> books are so poorly written from a character, plot, and storyline 
> development perspective, why do you read them?


MercuryBlue:
Actually, we see plenty of character development, I've yet to see a more intricately interwoven plot, and this isn't a fantasy/hero's quest storyline, it's a series of school stories. Book Seven looks as if it'll turn that last bit on its head, but oh well. We'll deal with that when we get there.

If this series was poorly written, I would have given up after the first fifty pages. I usually do.


Ibchawz:
> I have seen criticism of Harry Potter's character and moral fiber.  
> Comments I have seen include him being arrogant, lazy, rebellious, 
> amoral, immoral, plagiaristic, disrespectful, incompetent, etc.  If 
> Harry, as the main character, is really this bad a person, why do you 
> read the books?


Harry is not a bad person. He is simply flawed. Human. As are we all. That's part of the attraction of these books, really. The protagonist is an ordinary person who finds himself in extraordinary situations. It gives us the idea that if this kid, this ordinary kid who's just like us, can do these great things, maybe we can too.

And I read these books because they're the kind of book I like to read. Granted, I've been known to read the dictionary if there's nothing else around, but still. And these aren't the ordinary killing-some-time books, either. They do make me think.

MercuryBlue