What will HP be like in 20 years?

[UselessCharmMaster]

I think it will be still a popular book. Of course, the times of high fever will be gone...

[Celedor]

Originally Posted by xFluerDelacourx

The Lord of the Ring books were written over 50 years ago and there still pretty popular. I thinking that 10-15 years from now the movies will probaly be remade and the fandom will start all over again. I'm trying to collect some Harry Potter merchandise now cause it may not be around in a couple of years.

The interesting thing is that The Lord of the Rings didn't start off that popular - unlike The Hobbit - but in the 1960s a copyright controversy put it in the news and sales took off. Then in the 80s and 90s the popularity dipped, and it wasn't really part of the popular culture anymore until the films came along. (And thank goodness for those films, because my LOTR expertness was suddenly in demand in 2002.)

Harry Potter, on the other hand, has had the double whammy of hit books and hit films the last couple decades and will always be a classic, like Star Wars.

[7spideyboy7]

Obviously, there are millions of Harry Potter fans, but there are also a lot of Harry Haters, at least in the academic world. Why are so many scholars determined to keep Harry Potter from joining the classic ranks along with books like Huck Fin, Wizard of Oz, LOTR, and the Narnia series? Will HP be a classic? What do you think?

[Pearl_Took]

Originally Posted by 7spideyboy7

Obviously, there are millions of Harry Potter fans, but there are also a lot of Harry Haters, at least in the academic world. Why are so many scholars determined to keep Harry Potter from joining the classic ranks along with books like Huck Fin, Wizard of Oz, LOTR, and the Narnia series?

But LotR has been despised by the trendy intellectual elite in Britain for decades. Despite it being a seminal work of imaginative British literature. Things have changed slightly in recent years, fortunately ... certainly in the way LotR is perceived by mainstream culture. It's no longer consigned to a geeky ghetto. Or at least, not so much.

Popularity never goes down well with the critics.

Will HP be a classic? What do you think?

I'm not sure. I regard HP as a thoroughly entertaining series of popular fiction which I've enjoyed tremendously. But I don't regard it as more classic than the great children's authors whose works I devoured as a child.

The HP books are fantastic page-turners, and I adore JKR's characters (well, most of them anyway ) but I don't see the series as particularly ground-breaking, except in the way it caught adults' imaginations as well as childrens'. JKR's plots are sophisticated and she has a gift for creating characters who are quite Dickensian in their eccentricity and vividness. But I don't regard the themes in the HP books as particularly ground-breaking ... whilst not denying JKR's own original blend of magic and politics.

[chorsonn]

I assumed that even many years past the famous novel of J.K. Rowling will remain alive. The supporters of the book and more importantly the movie is enough proof to make it live. Just look at the collectibles items the fan is buying, surely those things will introduce HP to the next offspring.

[Wab]

Originally Posted by Pearl_Took

But LotR has been despised by the trendy intellectual elite in Britain for decades. Despite it being a seminal work of imaginative British literature.

Actually the book received a warm reception from the intellectual elite including WH Auden, Iris Murdoch, Naomi Mitchison, Richard Hughes and C.S. Lewis (given that JRR was a member of the intellectual elite of his day, it's hardly surprising).

Plus the revival in the 1960s was led by the trendy elite with the first group to latch on to the book when it was released in paperback being trendy intellectual elitists (who by that stage had morphed into hippies).

[abl385]

I think what will be interesting to see as we examine the popularity and intrigue of Harry Potter in the future, is the effect the J.K. Rowling's new books will have on Harry Potter. Her next book debuts in September. Although her future books may be of a different genre her work will provide insight into her thoughts through a new light. Will this effect the way we look at Harry Potter? Will this effect the way we look at J.K. Rowling?

[dmeagher101]

I think JK Rowling will rewrite the Harry Potter books with better special effects, but there will be some subtle changes that will enrage the fans, like Voldemort not shooting first. Then she'll go and write prequels that have amazing special effects but terrible dialogue and annoying creatures based on racial stereotypes.

[ajna]

Originally Posted by Celedor

The interesting thing is that The Lord of the Rings didn't start off that popular - unlike The Hobbit - but in the 1960s a copyright controversy put it in the news and sales took off. Then in the 80s and 90s the popularity dipped, and it wasn't really part of the popular culture anymore until the films came along. (And thank goodness for those films, because my LOTR expertness was suddenly in demand in 2002.)

Harry Potter, on the other hand, has had the double whammy of hit books and hit films the last couple decades and will always be a classic, like Star Wars.

I'm not interested in hijacking the thread, Celedor, so, do you think you could post some links/references to your comments about LotR? I am not sure I agree with that assessment.

As for HP, I think it will stand as a classic. Original? in many ways yes. High literature? I don't think so, but I don't think that will affect it's status as a classic. I don't think JK will ever update it or substantially change it, nor should she. What I do think is interesting is where it stands in time (muggle time). It stands on the cusp of the new wave of information technology. She makes mention of computers and nintendo, phones yet not cell phones or internet. I think in some ways it will mark it or date it, but not in a bad way.

[leah49]

I don't think not mention cell phones or the internet will date it, because it is mostly set in the Wizarding World where those things wouldn't be mentioned anyway.

[RiverNight]

I think it really depends on the fandom and the franchise giving us new material. One of the reasons Star Wars has been so big since 1977 is because the fandom has kept it alive and the franchise has given us an expanded universe with a number of novels that continued the story, prequel films, and TV series.

If the Potter franchise can keep the fans active, it will easily last 20 more years. So far, they're off to a good start. Pottermore and the possibility of an encyclopedia. But we will need more.

[merrymarge]

No encyclopedia will be forthcoming. Instead, Pottermore will receive the new info. this was posted on Jo's web-site.
As for HP being classic, yes, I think it will be classic. "To Kill a Mockingbird" is classic. HP is already being discussed in classrooms for the way it is written.

[xhanax315]

I would hope that it's still gowing strong in twenty years. Those of us who were here from the beginning will pass it on to others like fandoms before us. Potter will live through us if we keep it alive.

[Wab]

Originally Posted by RiverNight

I think it really depends on the fandom and the franchise giving us new material. One of the reasons Star Wars has been so big since 1977 is because the fandom has kept it alive and the franchise has given us an expanded universe with a number of novels that continued the story, prequel films, and TV series.

If the Potter franchise can keep the fans active, it will easily last 20 more years. So far, they're off to a good start. Pottermore and the possibility of an encyclopedia. But we will need more.

Originally Posted by xhanax315

I would hope that it's still gowing strong in twenty years. Those of us who were here from the beginning will pass it on to others like fandoms before us. Potter will live through us if we keep it alive.

A genuine classic endures on its own merits; not fandom or an ongoing franchise.

[ajna]

I think the book will endure as a classic in children's literature and in fantasy. Whether the fandom continues, well that's another "what if". How's Lotr Fandom doing? Of course they have new movies coming out. But, I was a huge Lotr fan before the movies and before the internet. I just loved it for its own brilliance and still do. I grew up pre internet. We didn't need a "Fandom" to have a great love of great books. Narnia is a good example. LotR is also. The Chronicles of Prydain were favorites of mine. Fandoms weren't necessary to keep the pure base alive and relevant. That being the thing that started it all: Books. I've never seen anything like the Potter phenomenon. I've never seen book sellouts, lines around the block, midnight parties and pre orderings months in advance of publication. It was a very unique phenomenon and I appreciate getting to see it, but Potter isn't alone. It is unique, but not alone. It is in very good company in the literary world. Potter also did something that I havn't ever seen before on that level: Getting kids to read and want to read and be waiting on tenterhooks to read more. That part might change, now that the movies are out, but there will always be an audience for books that are too good to put down, no matter what the present age or when they were written. That's what makes them "classics".

[Peakes]

Originally Posted by dmeagher101

I think JK Rowling will rewrite the Harry Potter books with better special effects, but there will be some subtle changes that will enrage the fans, like Voldemort not shooting first. Then she'll go and write prequels that have amazing special effects but terrible dialogue and annoying creatures based on racial stereotypes.

Coffee all over my keyboard, you owe me Mister!

The movies, good as they are, will become dated. The books will never die.

[tomriddlemethis]

Originally Posted by Peakes

Coffee all over my keyboard, you owe me Mister!

The movies, good as they are, will become dated. The books will never die.

I agree with this. Although JK may decide to write more books from other perspectives, I don't think she'll ever write anything else from Harry's point of view. She doesn't need to. The books will always be cherished with or without new releases.

Film-wise, I'm almost certain they will be remade at some point. Let's face it, the majority of films are now remakes and sequels anyway, it makes sense.