Whether Harry Potter books are children literature again WAS: RE: Strange DD...

[dumbledore11214]

No: HPFGUIDX 141989

> 
> bboyminn:
<SNIP>
> As to people's continued references to this as a children's series,
> that is simply not true. JKR never wrote this with a target audience,
> or if there was a target audience, it was 'General' not children. The
> publishers marketed the books to children, but that was a purely
> commercial decision, thought admittedly a wise one, but JKR herself
> said that she wrote these books for herself. If other people liked
> them that was fine, but she was telling the story that had to be 
told,
> and telling it the way it had to be told, and let the chips fall 
where
> they may. So, the series is written for 'general' audiences which
> includes kids, but doesn't necessarily target them.
<SNIP>

Alla:

I disagree, Steve, I think. I mean, of course JKR wrote this story for 
herself, BUT I am quite sure that she had kids ( I don't know ten - 
twelve year olds, maybe teens as her primary audiences in mind)

This had been debated many times and I absolutely agree that her work 
has universal appeal, but I think that kids in the beginning were  the 
main audience.


As one of the pieces of evidence ( sure not the main one, but the one 
which strengthens my belief that I interpret her intentions correctly) 
is her answer on the website about her seeing herself as children 
writer.


" Rowling is 'riled' by being seen as a children's author

JKR:
Absolute garbage! I have said many times that if I remain a children's 
author forever (which I may well do) I will never see this as being a 
lesser, easier or less 'serious' career than writing for adults. 
Whenever I have discussed the possibility of writing adult fiction, it 
has nearly always been because an interviewer has asked 'might you one 
day write a book for adults?'"



>From this quote, if from nothing else it is clear to me that she sees 
herself as children writer.

Children and young adult literature does not have to be simplistic or 
uninteresting, it can have universal appeal, as JKR books certainly 
do, but IMO it IS  first and foremost children literature.


What are the evidence from the books? Well, going back to the " 
dynamic characters thread" IMO the strongest evidence that HP are 
books for children or young adults is the portrayal of adults, which 
are portrayed  as either incompetent or dead and children or now 
teenagers are taking the center stage. 


Again, some adults ARE interesting  characters,BUT those who could 
guide the young hero, or help him in ANY kind of way are now dead and 
he is forced to rely on his friends only.


So, to sum up I am not sure if JKR intended to TARGET kids as her main 
audience, but I think she had them in mind , IMO.

I also think that JKR may have thought of adult audience, but only 
when she saw how popular her books became among  the adults.

JMO of course,

Alla