"Sometimes Fairy Tales May Say

Best What’s to Be Said.“

CS Lewis
J K Rowling’s
 THE HARRY POTTER SAGA
• Story of a young boy who
discovers he is a wizard, destined
to fight evil, covering the seven
years (age 11-18) that he spends
at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft
and Wizardry.

• Seven books published to date by

Bloomsbury .
(1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2003,
2005, 2007)
 THE AUTHOR
JOANNE MURRAY ROWLING, OBE
Born : 1965
Gloucestershire, England
Degree in Classics and French

Worked with Amnesty International

Unemployed while writing Harry Potter

1st ever US$ Billionaire writer

French Legion d’honneur
 CONTINUING SAGA

• Sold more than 450 million

copies.
• Last four books were
consecutively the fastest selling
books in history.
• Countless awards and prizes.
• Six books have been made into
movies, seventh to follow.
• Translated into 67 languages.
• Brand worth of £15 Billion.
 THE ORIGIN
• The idea came to Rowling while in a train.
• The first book ‘Harry Potter and the philosopher’s stone’
was completed in 1995.

• Eight publishers rejected it before

Bloomsbury.

• The last book sold 15 Million copies

in the first 24 hours of release.
 STUCTURE AND GENRE

• Fantasy literature

• Buildungsromans or Coming of age

• Old British boarding school style

• Shrewd mystery tales

• Third person-limited point of view

 THE PLOT AND THE GAME
‘You are born a wizard, you can’t become one.
But you need to train to hone your skills.’

• Orphan boy with insensitive relatives.

• Unknown Wizarding background.
• Unknown well-wishers in the wizard world
• Joins Hogwarts at the age of 11
• Destined to fight evil

Adventures……………
 CHARACTERS AND SETTING
• Harry Potter
• Lord Voldemort
• Hermione Granger
• Ron Weasley
• Albus Dumbledore
• Severus Snape
• Sirius Black
• Ginny Weasley • Present day Britain.
• Draco Malfoy • An invisible world juxtaposed with
the real world.
• British boarding school atmosphere
Harry potter and the philosopher’s (sorcerer’s) stone
• Harry discovers he’s a wizard.
• His parents were killed by dark wizard Lord Voldemort.
• Goes to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
• Makes friends and enemies.
• Learns that the Philosopher’s stone is hidden in
Hogwarts.
• Voldemort tries to regain power and body by
using the philosopher’s stone.
• Encounter with Voldemort.
 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
• Harry returns to Hogwarts.
• Chamber of Secrets is opened.
• Students are attacked.
• Ginny Weasley is taken hostage.
• Lord Voldemort appears as Tom Riddle in spirit.
• Harry reaches the chamber with the help of Ron
and Hermione.
• Battles Tom Riddle/Voldemort, again and the
Basilisk.
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
• Does not feature Lord Voldemort.
• Sirius Black escapes from Azkaban.
• Hunts Harry.
• Turns out to be a friend.
• Dementors hunt Black (and Harry).
• The traitor who betrayed Harry’s parents is
revealed.
• Saves Sirius.
 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

• Voldemort has returned.

• Death Eaters grow in power.
• TriWizard Tournament.
• Harry shows extraordinary valour and strong
moral fibre.
• Voldemort regains his body.
• Battles Voldemort in a graveyard.
• Saved by echoes/ghosts of parents.
 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

“….….and either must die at the hand of the other

for neither can live while the other survives………..”
• Lord Voldemort and the Death Eaters grow in
power.
• Ministry refuses to acknowledge the return of
Voldemort.
• Dumbledore restores the Order of the Phoenix to
resist Lord Voldemort.
• Harry’s telepathic connection with Voldemort
him into trap trying to save Sirius.
• Battles Death eaters and Voldemort.
• Sirius is killed.
• Dumbledore reveals a Prophecy.
 Harry Potter and the Half-blood Prince

• Harry Potter excels at potions using the textbook of ‘ the

Half blood prince’.
• Harry’s love interest.
• Voldemort has split his soul into seven pieces and hidden
in ‘Horcruxes’.
• Works with Dumbledore to retrieve Horcruxes.
• Retrieves one Horcrux which proves to be fake.
• Dumbledore is killed.
• Harry commits to leave school to pursue the quest after
Dumbledore’s fall.
 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
• Directly follows the events of the sixth book.
• Voldemort takes control of the Ministry of Magic.
• Harry, Ron & Hermione must flee. Drop out of Hogwarts.
• Find the Horcruxes in which Voldemort has hidden his soul.
• Showdown at the battle of Hogwarts.
• Epilogue
 THE WRITING
• Symbolisms
• Not overly simplistic
• Clever plot
• Intertwined storylines
• Foreshadowing
• Does not differentiate children and adults
• Style improves and matures
• Portrays Pre-teen and adolescent minds well
• Addresses social and ethical issues
 THEMES
• Power of Mother’s Love.
• Good vs evil, sacrificial love.
• Trial by fire (purification of the soul).
• Inevitable and irreversible Death.
• Demonic possession.
• Dangers of doing/using evil for “good” purposes.
• Spiritual defense against “demons” of hopelessness, despair…
• Prophecy, predestination.
• Free will and choice.
• Faith, friendship.
 WIZARDING WORLD

• Hogwarts
• Forbidden forest
• London and suburbs
• Magic transport
• Quidditch
• Magical creatures
• Magical objects
 CRITIQUE
• Superiorly imaginative and witty
• Brilliantly inventive
• Very strong story line
• Clarity of vision
• Convincing setting

• Not a literary marvel in the classic sense

• Dilemma about target readership
• Rushed towards the end
• Graphic Violence
 CONTROVERSY

• Mainly Religious issues.

• Promotes witchcraft and Occultism.
• How will it influence children?
• How does it affect faith?
• Orthodox Churches staunchly against.
• Mixed reaction from the Catholic Church.
• Commercial interest clashes.
 OPINION
• Strong proponent of virtues
• Consistent as a series
• Parental guidance
• Eminently readable

‘It’s magic’
"I wouldn't be surprised if today was known as
Harry Potter day in the future – there will be books
written about Harry – every child in our world will
know his name."

Professor Minerva McGonagall,

in the first chapter titled "The Boy Who Lived"