Blog: A Tribute to Harry Potter

I’m kicking off Harry Potter Week – the countdown to the opening of Part One of Harry
Potter and the Deathly Hallows, with a tribute to the series that I have enjoyed for more
than ten years.
Beginning in first grade, my father would read Harry Potter to me every night before I
went to sleep. “ Dad. Dad. DAD! Read it OUT LOUD!” my first-grade self would yell
as my father would get caught up in the story and forget that he was supposed to be
speaking. Because Harry Potter literally makes people speechless. These books got me
interested in reading and to this day are the only books that I can read even after I have
been bombarded with so much schoolwork that I feel as if I have been confunded.
I just love it.
I love the intense debates the world of Harry Potter causes – from theology, to
philosophy, to an argument I had with an 11 year-old at the Midnight release of the last
book about how many columns are on the wizarding bank, Gringots.
I love that the books are based on a completely made-up world, but that it is a world that
has strong emotional ties to my own life. It’ s fantasy and it’ s fantastic. I love the magic
and adventure, but most of all I love the characters who have, essentially, made me who
I am today. I have been molded by Arthur Weasley’ s open-mindedness, Severus Snape’ s
lesson on not judging something based on what it may seem, and by Dobby’ s admirable
loyalty.
I love the fan base. If anyone ever lets on that they are a fan, I immediately hold respect
and admiration for that person, no matter if they are an uber-fan and own a replica of
Victor Krum’ s wand, or if they have just read the books and like them a lot.
I love the variety of the people that read and enjoy these books and movies. I have a
friend with a photographic memory who has every one of the books memorized and yet
another who has just discovered the awesomeness of the series in the last month! Today
someone tried to argue that the Harry Potter series is just for little kids. I must refute that.
The books are so excellently written that anyone – from a first grader who is listening to
her dad reading them aloud, to a literature professor, can comprehend and enjoy them.
To a young kid the Harry Potter series is an amazing story, but to a high-school student
who has read the books too many times to count, they are revolutionary creations
designed to teach, entertain, amaze and inspire.

Leave a Reply