How Has the Harry Potter Phenomenon Changed American Culture?
The Harry Potter phenomenon has swept the American and British nations ever since author J.K. Rowling came out with the famed and popular serious several years ago. The Harry Potter serious is much more than a book on the best selling list. The Harry Potter series while it has sold millions of copies and shattered numerous publish records. However the greater extent that one can examine the Harry Potter phenomenon is by looking at its impact on the American culture.
When the latest Harry Potter book comes out, what comes to mind when you are looking at schools that have just finished class for the day? You actually see children outside the school, sitting on the steps and reading the Harry Potter books. Those Harry Potter books are not easy to read at all. The thickness of the book alone and its 500 pages is intimidating enough not to read. But the question is why children would go through such agony to read so many pages. The answer lies in the riveting material and imagination that lies in the Harry Potter books.
American and British children and adults want to escape the hardships of their daily lives. For many adults who read the Harry Potter books, the stories in the book transports them away from their boring and tedious lives of going to work each day. For children the books represent a haven away from problems with their parents or friends. The mind is transported to the magical world of Hogwarts and the magic community.
In the U.S. and in England, the Harry Potter series has created the movies which are block bust hits. So far there have been 5 Harry Potter films and each one has gotten great reviews by the public. Literacy rates in the U.S. and in England have grown tremendously and now more children than ever before have learned how to read.
The Harry Potter series has also taught children the values of hard work, caring for one another, kindness and friendship. For example, in the fifth book, Harry rescues one of theTri-Wizard contestants’ siblings who are trapped underwater even though he himself is trying to win the competition. Harry Potter also teaches the good vs. evil battle.
In the United States teachers have also begun assigned readings of the Harry Potter books because they know how much children love these books and want to take advantage of the opportunity to promote literacy in schools. In colleges courses are also being taught on Harry Potter. Courses have opening such as children’s literature or the Harry Potter books are being read under the category of British literature.
