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Fantasy in Fiction: Harry Potter at Center of Controversy

By KRISTEN STERNBERG
NIE EDUCATIONAL CONSULTANT

The fictional star of the famous series is so popular among kids that librarians are scrambling to keep Harry Potter volumes on their shelves, according to a recent News-Journal article. What's so special about Harry-and why is he the subject of controversy?

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Harry Potter is a lot like many 11-year-olds. He goes to school and deals with day-to-day issues in the usual way. Unlike ordinary kids, though, when trouble pops up Harry battles it with special powers. Author J.K. Rowling, creator of the Harry Potter series, vividly writes Harry into, and out of, various crises.

Her skill in describing Harry's adventures has inspired a whole generation of kids to read. Fans who read the first six book in the series are eagerly awaiting the seventh--and final--installment." Kids (and adults, too) are devouring Rowling's words in well over a hundred countries around the world, in over 30 different languages.

Most people are delighted with the books' popularity, saying that anything that gets kids excited about reading is welcome. According to experts, TV and video games (other popular pastimes among kids) are passive intellectual activities-in other words, they don't require kids to use their imaginations.

Reading requires an active imagination, especially when the story's a fantasy. It's commonly believed that kids who read a lot do better in other subjects, too.

Why, then, are some parents and religious leaders trying to get the Harry Potter books banned in schools? One argument is that the character doesn't teach kids proper values.

Parents in favor of pulling the books from schools and libraries cite that Harry has been known to disobey adults. Some conservative Christian leaders agree that Rowling's books should be banned, saying that the topic of magic undermines goes against their religious beliefs because it encourages the acceptance of magic, magical beings and other dark arts.

Their objections are not aimed at Harry Potter alone. Rowling's stories have aroused a new interest in many other books, too-including some that have been around for a long time.

Madeleine L'Engle's book "A Wrinkle in Time" and T.H. White's "The Once and Future King" are experiencing a new popularity among kids. Book series like J.R.R. Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings", "The Dark Is Rising" by Susan Cooper, and author C.S. Lewis's "The Chronicles of Narnia" are also sought after by those who enjoy fantasy adventures. All of these have been challenged by potential censors.

What kind of message do adults send to kids when they try to censor kids' reading? How should children deal with books that create such controversies?

Does exposure to Harry Potter and other fantastical stories harm young people? What is fantasy, and what is real-and do kids know the difference? These are some important questions for you to ponder as you go on to the newspaper activities and web links provided below.

Try these interesting activities using The News-Journal

One way film creators and investors rate a movie's success according to how much money it makes from ticket sales, and "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" broke box-office records upon its debut. Your newspaper routinely lists the current highest moneymaking movies. Record any data about them you find and create a chart showing box-office results for a month or more. Which of the movies listed made the most money during that time? Where did "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" rank? Save your chart and, from time to time, compare it with money made by other "blockbuster" films upon their release. (Sunshine State Standards: LA.A.2.2.5, LA.A.2.2.8, LA.B.2.2.2, MA.A.1.2.2, MA.B.2.2.1)

What do you like to read? Think of your favorite book and make notes about one of its characters. Then, search recent newspapers to find a story about someone who is like the character in the book you chose. Identify any traits your storybook character has in common with the person described in your newspaper. Ask others to help you make comparisons between other book characters and real-life people. (Sunshine State Standards: LA.A.2.2.1, LA.A.2.2.5, LA.A.2.2.7, LA.E.1.2.3)

Where do authors get their inspiration? One way is through reading. Use your newspaper to find a story you believe would make a good plot for a book. Design a book jacket for the story that might be developed from the plot you chose. For inspiration, check out the web site showing Harry Potter book covers around the world. (Sunshine State Standards: LA.A.1.2.1, LA.A.2.2.4, LA.A.2.2.5, VA.A.1.2.1, VA.A.1.2.3, VA.B.1.2.1)

J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter fantasies use elements of the real world in their plots. For instance, Harry goes to school, and he rides trains, although he boards them from a special platform for wizards only. Imagine you are writing a fantasy story. Search your newspaper and clip at least 5 stories or photos you might use in your story. Next to each, write a few sentences about how you would work it into your fantasy. (Sunshine State Standards: LA.A.1.2.1, LA.A.2.2.4, LA.A.2.2.5)

Use your newspaper and other available resources to collect factual information about J.K. Rowling, the celebrated author of the Harry Potter series. Using the facts you found, write a newspaper article about the author. Ask a teacher or parent to allow time for you to read your article out loud. (Sunshine State Standards: LA.A.1.2.1, LA.A.1.2.2, LA.A.2.2.1, LA.A.2.2.5, LA.A.2.2.6, LA.B.2.2.3, LA.B.2.2.6, LA.C.3.2.3)

The Harry Potter books are filled with unusual items such as Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans, the Nimbus 2000 flying broom, wizard chess and chocolate frog candies. Select one of these items and create a newspaper ad for it. Study the display (not classified) ads in The News-Journal for inspiration. Send your creation to www.nieworld.com for possible publication on the web site. (Sunshine State Standards: VA.A.1.2.3, VA.B.1.2.2, VA.E.1.2.2)

A copy of Florida's Sunshine State Standards can be found at intech2000.miamisci.org.

Check out these links to learn more

(Editorial cartoon: News-Journal/Bruce Beattie)

Editorial cartoons in newspapers and other media frequently deal with controversial topics. Take a look at this collection of editorial cartoons the Harry Potter series has generated. cagle.slate.msn.com/news/harrypotter/

Can you judge a book by its cover? If you've enjoyed Harry Potter cover art in the United States, you might appreciate cover art from J.K. Rowling's books as published in other countries. www.factmonster.com/spot/ harrygallery.html

The Learning Network has a vast collection of Harry Potter offerings including news stories, a biography of the author, trivia quizzes, word games and links to information about other fantasy books. www.factmonster.com/spot/harrypage1.html

Check out titles and descriptions of many books you might find interesting. www.cesnur.org/recens/potter_021.htm

What did kids in one school district do to fight censorship of Harry Potter books? Learn more about the challenges they faced. www.wired.com/news/culture/0,1284,48396,00.html

The Newspaper Association of America's web site contains links to many newspapers in the U.S. and around the world. Visit the site and check some of them out, to see if they have recently published any articles on the Harry Potter controversy or on censorship in general. To access the newspapers at the site, select a state. Click on the "Internationals" button to view choices from other countries.

Fantasy in Fiction: Harry Potter at Center of Controversy

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