Literary value and fan interaction - please help with my research!

[horridporrid03]

No: HPFGUIDX 162681

> >>klotjohan:
> Hi all,
> I'm working on a college paper (about 25 pages) in literature about 
> the Harry Potter books. The purpose is to establish if and how     
> these books can be evaluated on a literary basis and, more         
> importantly, if and how these values are affected by the           
> communities surrounding J.K. Rowling and the Harry Potter series.
> <snip>

Betsy Hp:
Ooh, this should be interesting! <g>

> >>klotjohan:
> So, without further ado, here are the questions:
> 1. What do you think of the Harry Potter books and why? (I realise
> nearly all of the members are likely great fans, but I'm aiming for
> objectivity here. Don't hesitate to offer literary criticism if you 
> have any.)

Betsy Hp:
Hmm... The Potter books have never struck me as particularly gifted 
when it comes to language.  I've read prettier books, IOWs, that 
really illustrate the beauty and poetry of the English language.  JKR 
isn't a sensual writer at all, IMO.  (I don't know what Hogwarts' 
smells like, what Harry's dorm bed feels like, the sounds and smells 
and visuals of a Scottish fall, etc.)  But I don't think that's what 
JKR was going for, so it's not something I fault her for.  Just, I 
wouldn't use the Potter books as an example of great English 
literature.

JKR has formed an interesting plot, and created an interesting 
(though far from fully fleshed) world.  She's also created some 
interesting characters.  And though many of her plot lines and 
characters are derivative, she pulls them together in an interesting 
way. 

But I honestly think a complete judgment of the Potter series as a 
whole will have to wait until the last book it out.  Once the last 
word is read, will the urge to reread remain?  Personally, I've been 
troubled by some of the actions of the main characters, and have 
gotten to a point where I don't like some of them.  At this point I 
can't see wanting to spend time with them again.  But book 7 may well 
change that.

> >>klotjohan:
> 2. How would you say the series compare to similar books in the    
> genre (e.g. works by J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Natalie Babbitt,   
> Diana Wynne Jones, Philip Pullman, Roald Dahl etc.) on a literary   
> level?

Betsy Hp:
Since I've only read Lewis, Tolkien, and Dahl, I can only comment on 
them. <g>  At this point, I think JKR isn't at their level.  She's 
not quite as funny as Dahl, as magical as Lewis, nor as genre 
expanding as Tolkien.  (Though to be fair, I've really only read 
Tolkien as an adult.  Perhaps the lack of innocence on my part makes 
me a harsher critic.  Both Dahl and Lewis benefit from the nostalgic 
glow of my childhood.)

> >>klotjohan:
> 3. Do you have any experience, personal or otherwise, of interaction
> with J.K. Rowling? If so, what was the nature of the interaction?

Betsy Hp:
I haven't. (Going quickly to your follow up question, given to 
zgirnius...)

> >>klotjohan:
> OK, just a follow-up question: would you say that Rowling is more or
> less open to her readers compared with the average author? From what
> I've seen her webpage is unusually active and maybe interactive as 
> well. Unfortunately I haven't had the time to look into this        
> properly, but I'd like to hear your thoughts on this.

Betsy Hp:
Actually, I think she's probably a bit less open than today's average 
author because of her fame.  (Though probably about equal to authors 
of her level of popularity.)  I've run across other authors who 
maintain blogs where readers can post questions and comments, and 
they respond fairly regularly.

I doubt JKR could do something like that, because of the amount of 
her fans.  However, I think she's done her best to be available with 
her website.  She does a question answer thing based on votes (vote 
for your favorite question), and she'll post about her writing 
progress every once in a while.

> >>klotjohan:
> 4. Have you had any indications that Rowling changed something in   
> her books because of outside influence? If so, what kind of         
> influence and by whom?

Betsy Hp:
Oh, fandom is *full* of suggestions that one thing or another in the 
books was directly influenced by fan input.  I tend to take such 
claims with a whopping big pinch of salt.  IIRC, however, I think JKR 
said something about her personal experience with the press 
influencing the Rita Skeeter stuff in GoF.  (I've no idea where that 
interview is located -- if it even exists. <g>)

> >>klotjohan:
> Most of you have probably encountered some form of criticism       
> against Rowling and/or her books, more or less constructive and    
> sensible. I've recently read parts of a book by Jack Zipes (Sticks 
> and Stones: The Troublesome Success of Children's Literature from   
> Slovenly Peter to Harry Potter) where he argues that children's    
> literature represents one of the most significant sources of       
> commercial homogenization. He has some strong points though I
> sometimes feel that he's too broad in his statements; what         
> interests me is his labeling of the Harry Potter series as sexist, 
> conventional, and too mainstream.
> <snip>

Betsy Hp:
Does "mainstream" mean popular?  Because the books are popular.  Or 
does it mean there's no interesting bits of culture in them.  Which, 
I suppose if you're British, it could all seem ho-hum.  But I think 
JKR did a good job fixing Harry into a specific place.  He and his 
fellow characters act like British children, IMO. 

"Sexist"... Yeah, I cringe at that label.  I certainly wouldn't say 
Hermione represents a typical girl.  Honestly, Ron is more likely to 
fit into the old-fashioned "girl figure" mold.  Ron is much more 
stand by his man, go Harry go, help I need a rescue, than Hermione 
is.  (There was (is?) a particularly icky trend where if a female 
character showed the slightest bit of weakness someone would scream 
sexism.  I rather dislike JKR's views of women, but I don't think I'd 
go so far as to call her sexist.)

"Conventional" is a bit too pat, IMO.  I mean, JKR depends on a great 
many "conventions", but she brings them together in an interesting 
fashion, with combinations not usually seen together. 

> >>klotjohan:
> So, what I'd like to hear is what you think of Zipes assessments   
> and also whether you think Rowling's less conventional stories     
> (i.e. in OotP and HBP) is an improvement or not.
> <snip>

Betsy Hp:
I've been thinking about this ever since Mike Smith finished his PoA 
read through and expressed surprise and dismay that *this* was the 
fans' favorite book.  

(Quick background info: Mike read HBP to see what the fuss was about, 
posting his (hilarious!) impressions on his LJ, and ended HBP still 
wondering what the fuss was about.  
http://pages.prodigy.net/mike_p_smith/hbp/intro.html
Fans suggested he check out PoA.
http://mike-smith.livejournal.com/tag/prisonerofazkaban  )

So I've been wondering to myself, what's *my* favorite Potter book, 
and I've narrowed it down to either PS/SS (which pulled me in but 
good) or CoS which, without the benefit of having an entirely new 
world to explore, set up what I think is a juicy little mystery, and 
ended with an interesting face off between Harry and Tom Riddle.

Um... I'm not sure this really answers your question, klotjohan, but 
there it is. <g>

Betsy Hp