First and foremost, when I read a really good book or series I become all consumed. I eat, sleep and breathe that book. I will constantly be thinking about it when I’m not reading it and it is pointless to say that the entire Harry Potter Series had me in an almost obsessive behavior while reading it the first time. So I think there is a certain truth to Iser’s quote – at least for me, the book/text/etc was no longer an object for me, but an extension of my conscious self. I think that in the first two Harry Potter books specifically they are so consuming because you have just been introduced to an entirely new world where just about anything is possible.
I know that I personally always believed in magic as a little kid and in this series Rowling makes it seem real. I’ve always been extremely imaginative and open to new experiences and ideas so I let Rowling’s books sweep me up and captivate me. However, I grew up with a lot of friends who came from extremely conservative and religious backgrounds, most of them absolutely hated the series and some of them were even forbidden to read it in the first place. This of course was upsetting to me because as we progress through each book, the series is about so much more than just magic (which was popularly viewed as demonic and a sin rather than miraculous), but most of them couldn’t see that. That closed mindset definitely stems from the different life experiences they had versus my own.
As I read these books I was able to identify with Harry, Ron and Hermione because I could see parts of myself in them. While I’ve never been as courageous as Harry – I’m usually the one is trying to do the right thing and it backfires to get me into a sticky situation. Like Ron, I’ve always felt overshadowed by one person or another, I’ve never felt like the best at anything. And like Hermione I’ve always been pretty painfully intelligent, if I can use that analogy. There is definitely a connection formed between reader and character when they share similar thoughts, feelings or experiences.
My childhood also probably most greatly influenced my opinion of Professor Snape throughout the entire series. I won’t say too entirely much in this post so as not to spoil anything, but even in the first two books I could not stand how Snape kept holding Harry accountable for his father’s actions when they were children. He is constantly accusing Harry of being pompous even when he has zero reason to. He can’t grow-up and let go of his long-time grudge with James. As the series goes on and we find out more about Snape, I never really let him off the hook. Even at the end of the series I still have my own personal grudge against Snape whereas most people have different feelings. Honestly it probably just stems from the fact that due to things in my past, I don’t forgive easily and so I don’t ever forgive him for being so terrible to Harry.
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