The Boy Who Lived. (Media Meditation #2)

Hi, I’m Kate, and I am a Harry Potter fanatic.

Me at Harry Potter World over spring break.

I know that millions would say that they suffer from this same affliction, but my obsession may just be on a whole new level. It isn’t even a sort of love for a fictional character but more a longing to BE him. I was just another ten year old who dressed as Harry Potter for Halloween. No, not Hermione, not Ginny, Harry. Going to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter this spring break really made my dreams come true and brought this world from my head into reality.

It also made me think long and hard about this story, this world, that JK Rowling has created. I never really thought about how this one woman had changed an entire generation. Sure, she didn’t save lives or cure diseases but she did change the lives of millions of people. She taught an entire generation how to read. She created an entire magical world full of people out of nothing. She truly changed the world.

It also astounds me how one napkin with the makings of a story on it turned into the empire that it is today. The books went through so many shifts to keep up with society, as it became more media oriented. It went through all sorts of shifts and changes, while still maintaining the core values the books instilled. The story contained value messages that inspired an entire generation to be brave like Harry. He stayed true to his friends and his heart, even through great challenges. The words on the page have the power to truly appeal to reader’s emotions.

                                                                                 The movie trailer for the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

The story has gone from words to movies to a theme park. It went from words on a page to costumes and objects and real life. It has become consumerism but in a way that keeps the younger generations innocent and the older generations young. Harry Potter and JK Rowling have, and will continue to, change the world.