by Jerri Rivers

Created on: October 18, 2007

Though known to many as a kids' fairytale, Harry Potter is, without a doubt, a series that transcends the genre of children's literature. J.K. Rowling creates a new world of her own that children and adults can explore with their imaginations. The events and settings are vividly described, and the characters are well developed. The story peaks the interest of the readers, making them ever eager to turn the page. But the series is more than a fantastical plot, falling in the footsteps of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. In fact, the book is worthy of examination by students of literature and history, and it contains moral values and other attributes that any adult can enjoy.

Rowling's books are very complex and have multiple avenues of discovery for learned readers. Rowling did a vast amount of research for her books, borrowing character names, creatures, and plots from classical mythology as well as other classic literary works. Adults have the capacity to understand the full implications of the terms and character names and see allusions that are beyond the grasp of a lot of young readers. They can also better understand the books' underlying themes such as class, race, ethics, and human rights.

Secondly Adults who are interested in history can analyze characters and events in terms of how they mirror history. For example, Voldemort wants to exterminate the half-bloods whom he feels are unworthy of being wizards. He is very similar to Adolf Hitler who wanted to destroy the Jews and other undesirables so that he could create an Aryan nation. Voldemort himself is a half-blood, and Hitler's lineage has also been questioned. Interestingly Voldemort's minions are willing to sacrifice themselves for him and serve him at any cost, even though Voldemort is incapable of caring for them. This relationship mirrors the relationship Hitler had with his cronies. Corrupt government and its control over the media and Hogwarts School are also reminiscent of Nazi Germany and of Stalin's Russia. These are just a few examples of historical allusions in the books.

Also, I think you can always measure the popularity of a work by the amount of criticism it receives. The Harry Potter Series has been scorned by ultra-Conservatives and by liberals alike. I believe this point is evidence that the Harry Potter books are much more than fairytales, and anyone who actually takes the time to read the books can find something that they admire about them, whether it be Rowling's style,

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