In order to fully
understand a text, it is crucial to know the author's
intention. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone,
a popular children literature appropriated by adults,
is written by J. K. Rowling, a British writer. With each
plot that she created, the author had various messages
that she wished to convey to readers. What are the messages?
How does she define her moral responsibility while writing
the story? Where does her inspiration come from?
"The idea that we could
have a child who escapes from the confines of the adult
world and goes somewhere where he has power, both literally
and metaphorically, really appealed to me" stated
Rowling in an interview. This was the basis of Rowling's
belief when she started writing a story of a young hero.
She explained that she was not thinking of writing children's
literature in the first place but children's literature
chose her. She was actually motivated to write the stories
for herself. Since she had vivid memories of her own childhood,
this may be the reason as to why children seem to easily
identify with Harry and his friends while they read the
books. She also figured that her humour and feelings might
be the reason why adults could find her stories appealing
(Kidsreads.com.).
Rowling acknowledges that some
of her characters were initially inspired by real people
but eventually became unique in her own imagination. For
example, she had originally thought of Hermione Granger
as herself at eleven years old, but as the character matured,
it gradually changed. In addition, the characters' feelings
sometimes are based on her own experiences. When Rowling
was writing the scene where Harry was looking at the mirror
and saw his family, she was thinking of her own mother's
death (amazon.com).
The underline theme which runs through all the series
is the battle between good and evil. Some critics contend
that the story is too dark for children to accept. However,
Rowling has a different point of view. She believes that
by facing their fears, children can learn to understand
and over come their fears. She argues that human life
is very precious and should be treated with respect. The
villain in the story held little regard for human life
and that was what evil really represents (CBC
News World).
The evil people in the book are racist against the mudbloods
(children who have nonmagical parents). Rowling explains
that since Voldemort, the villain, is not of "pure
blood", he suffers from self-hatred and he compensates
for his inferiority complex by murdering the mudbloods
(CBC
News World).
When there is evil, there is loss as well. Dealing with
bereavement is a strong part of the story. Rowling talks
about the loss of her mother which had significant impact
in the story. "After all, to the well-organized mind,
death is but the next great adventure" (Rowling,
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone 215). Rowling
adapted this attitude in order to deal with death (CBC
News World).
Rowling describes several psychological feelings and behaviours
which children normally have during the growing process.
It is common for children to think that there is no one
who can fully understand their true feelings. While they
are growing up, they do not recognize reality in its full
context. Therefore, children cannot except that they do
not have quite as much power as they think they have (CBC
News World).
If you are interested to see some of Rowling's intriguing
interviews, visit the following websites:
The
Not Especially Fascinating Life So Far of J. K. Rowling
Meet
J. K. Rowling
Rowling's
Interview from Gigglepotz
"Harry
Potter": J. K. Rowling Interview Video
January
Magazine
Magic,
Mystery, and Mayhem: An Interview with J.K. Rowling
Quick
Quotes: Interviews with J. K. Rowling
If you are not familiar with the story, click on Story
Analysis
Why would Rowling want the film to adapt to the original
story line? Click the Film Adaptation to see the answer.
If you are interested in knowing
Rowling's personal story, visit the following sites:
J.
K. Rowling and Harry Potter PART I
J.
K. Rowling and Harry Potter PART II
J.
K. Rowling and Harry Potter PART III
Story Analysis
Reference