GT #23 - The True Harry Potter Legacy

[Rayjo]

Discussion for Gryffindor Tower #23 - The True Harry Potter Legacy by Dan Hoppel Jr.

[cakesoccer]

Great editorial. I definitely agree with every word you said. The HP books may be a great business franchise, but they're also marvelous books that affect the readers and give us a better outlook on life.

[jaedi]

Welcome back, Dan!

Dan, I want to thank you a million times over for writing that editorial. It echoes the sentiment of thousands of Harry Potter fans across the globe. Although the publishers' goal might be just to make some money, there will always be us devoted fans to carry on the legacy of Harry Potter long after the last page of Book Seven is read.

[Ammoniel]

The books are a franchise in the same way that Dickens' books were. When they were writen, people had to wait for the magazine to release the next part of the story. Suspense draws readers. The HP story has been done before. I love the story and some of the characters. It is the newest way to tell a great story. The reason its so popular now, partly though, is that we don't know the end. Rowling is good at clife hangers. We wait desperately for the end. That's why we've grown up with them. Because we've had to. In the future, kids can read the books in one go and be done. They may enjoy it and love it but it will be over fast and they will move on to other things. We have only just moved into this new age of technology and franchises. HP is the first in what will be a long line of popular and anticipated series, nothing quiete like HP, but all anticipated like HP.

[Aerie]

Bravo. I really think you made some terrific points all around. It was a great read, and made me even MORE anxious (sp?) for this upcoming weekend. I predict a great writing career in your future!

[Czechmetz]

Extremely well said, Dan! It gave me chills. It was nice to finally hear someone say (in much better form, I must admit) what I've been trying to tell people for ages.

[The_Doctor]

Good editorial. I agree with you, Harry Potter will still remain a part of society even ten or twenty years from now, it won't just fade away.

[Lilac Evans]

This is an amazing editorial, and I too agreed with every word you said. Right now there are two faces to the Harry Potter craze: there is merchandising and there is pure love of the stories. After the seventh book, the merchandising will die. Theorizing sites like MuggleNet, (although I love it!), will close. The books will no longer sell like crazy, but they will instead sit on the shelves, forgotten by the majority; one will sell here and there. But the stories themselves will never be forgotten. Fans who picked up their first Harry Potter novel as a 10 year old and enjoyed the finale while in college will then introduce the series to their own children years later. The merchandising craze will end, but the love of the books will be passed down through the generation. I don't think it's far-fetched of me to claim that we have another classic on our hands, ladies and gentlemen. Years from now, although the media surrounding it will be non-exsistant the Harry Potter series will still be loved.

[jennifer_au]

That was a fantastic article - the most enjoyable I've read in - well, ages, anyway. It helps, of course, that the book is so soon to be released, but you've really summed up what the series is about (as far as I'm concerned, anyway), and I think you're absolutely right (about everything).
You can't tell me that the line about having to choose between what's right and what's easy is not the best challenge you've ever been issued - and that it doesn't make everyone who reads it want to meet it.
Fantastic article.

[lily313]

Nice Editorial. I don't believe that future generations will have quite the fanaticism(sp?) that we all have because of the suspense for us in waiting for the next installment and eventual end. They may know the ending before ever picking up the books and in that way Harry Potter may not have the same effect on future generations (such as inspiring the record number non readers to read) as it is having now. One of my daughters is an avid reader and has been since day 1, the other would squirm on my lap after one book. Harry Potter got her reading. She was introduced to it her first year of High School by a guy friend who was carrying it around with him everyday and going on and on about what great books they were. This was not some "geek" but a cool guy. He kept bugging her to read it and she finally relented. She went from an essential reader, meaning only books assigned in class, to reading all the Harry Potter Books, then Lotr (all three books) and the Hobit to going to the library. That's what Harry Potter does for kids.

I believe it will continue to do so as long as the word of mouth grapevine continues to flourish and teachers understand its value in getting kids to read, but I don't think we will ever see anything like what we've seen over the last 6 to 8 years.

You never know though. Look at how long Lotr has sustained a loyal, almost cult like following. If present day Harry Potter fanatics (myself included ) continue to introduce Harry Potter to our children and grand children whose to say how far this will go.

[Colleen1]

Another comment about the wonders of HP that I'd like to point out is how it gives everyone in the world-no matter your age, religion, or country,-common ground. With all of the turmoil in the world it is nice to know that people can be united and have a common bond with each other. That it what HP is to me. It unites people and reminds us that there is still good in the world. HP gave each and every one of us in the whole world the opportunity to put our differences aside and discuss something positive with eachother!

Peace and Love and may God Bless!
Colleen

[sheatswitch]

This should be sent to CNN as an editorial rebuttal on the item you mentioned. You nailed it!

Originally Posted by lily313

Nice Editorial. I don't believe that future generations will have quite the fanaticism(sp?) that we all have because of the suspense for us in waiting for the next installment and eventual end. They may know the ending before ever picking up the books and in that way Harry Potter may not have the same effect on future generations (such as inspiring the record number non readers to read) as it is having now.

I agree with you...I don't think the rabid fanatacism will definitely be passed on to future generations. As far as it being a staple in society...think about people you know who have never seen Star Wars. They know who Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader are, and they know Vader is Luke's and Leia's father, even if they've never seen the movies. I think that the HP staple will be the same...people who never read HP or saw the movies still know he's an orphan, have heard of Quidditch, and know what a Muggle is.

[Cho_Chang1]

That was terrific. I agree with all of your points. Further to my point, that was the best written editorial I think I've read ever since I've been reading them. (And believe me, I've read dozens of editorials.) You're going to make one hell of a writer, if this editorial is any clue of things to come.

[PhoenixFire]

What a great editorial. I don't know what else to say. It was just wonderful. You really are a great writer. As a parent and teacher I agree with you on all points and have seen exactly the things you have described, it is just amazing - and this may sound silly - it made me shed a tear or two to really sit and think about the points brought up in the beautifually written editorial...

Thanks JK! We love you and the wonderful world of Harry Potter.

[grape_2010]

hey i am very new to this forum (having just signed up) and to this website in general....but i just read the #23 Gryffindor Tower thingy and i must say it is very moving... it sounds like a speech Dumbledore would make

[nippy23]

WOW!!!!!!! that editoral deserves a standing ovation!

dan, thank you so much for writing that editorial and i can only hope that Mr. Lindstorm gets a chance to read that. i completely agree with what you said about Harry Potter being more than a business franchise and that the reader hype for Harry Potter will live on for much longer than the media hype. I too have been truly inspired by JKR and her magnificent stories. I have also, however, been in inspired by ur editorial ( i guess that sounds kinda cheesy, but its true). It was very well written and the perfect way for me to transition into the sixth book. I am in awe! Once again, thank you for writing this wonderful editorial and i cant wait to read more from you! I hope u enjoy the 6th book too!!!!

[rotes_haar]

Bravo! That was excellently written and I wholeheartedly agree.

For the people involved in distributing, making and marketing HP products, this is a great benefit to them. Great business deal indeed. However, what does the regular fan have to gain from all of that? You are the one shelling out in the end probably $200 for the books alone, and then going to see the movies, merchendise, etc. So it can't be said that this is just some marketing scheme.

We are what has created this huge franchise. Without avid readership from the fans, there would be no huge book releases or astounding sales. It is because these books touched us that the franchise exists.

What the fan gets out of the stories is an escape, and learning opportunity, an adventure. Lord of the Rings may have become even more popular than ever because of the films, but you cannot claim that they didn't endure past even the death of Tolkien as popular pieces. The reason the movies exist is because of this "marketing machine".

To us, it doesn't matter whether HP sells a lot or not. It matters that we have the quality of the stories, and the means with which to acquire the books and the essence of Harry Potter.

[Diabolus]

I loved it, and i fully concur. The series is so much more than a huge advertisement for the merchandise, and while merchandise is a part of the HP world, if that is all you see you most obivously have not read and understood the books.

[dramaqueenVG]

this was such a good article. i read that same absurd news articel today and could not believe the audacity of it. any critic only needs to look at the vast communities that have formed becuase of harry potter to see the legacy. do they really think that all these fan sites will shut down after the 7th book? that all the fan fiction will stop? that the fans will simply move on to the next "best seller"? the lord of the rings series and the chronicles of narnia (to name just a few) are examples of "finished" series - have they lost appeal because there is no new book around the corner? i think not. this article brilliantly expressed everyhting i have believed about the series. just yesterday i read an article on a teacher who uses harry potter to get kids interested in physics and chemistry. this is in addition to the fact that harry potter made reading cool again. i am a senior in high school, and as recently as my grade school years, i was made fun of for loving to read. harry potter has impacted the world for the better, and it will continue to do so long after we know the end to the story.