is azkaban the magical equivalent of alcatraz?
2006-08-15 03:17:22 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Arts & Humanities ➔ Books & Authors
Prisons are often put on islands because escape is made more difficult. It has been often suggested that Azkaban is based on Alcatraz Island in San Francisco, as one of the most famous island prisons. Similarities include:
The names are similar
They are both located on an island
Both were believed escape-proof, until it was proved otherwise (though it is still believed that no one has escaped from Alcatraz and lived)
Both are/were for high offenders, such as those who have committed murder
Phonetically, the name Azkaban might be a conflation of Alcatraz and Baskerville. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban contains echoes of Conan Doyle's The Hound of the Baskervilles. Both feature escaped convicts (Sirius and Selden) and sinister hounds supposedly portending death. J.K. Rowling's hound is named "the Grim"; Conan Doyle's marshy location is "Grimpen Mire".
The place may also be inspired partially by Angband, the fortress of Morgoth found in the works of J.R.R. Tolkien, as well as Devil's Island, the horrendous French prison. (Alcatraz has been called "America's Devil's Island").
2006-08-15 04:31:15 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Good thought, the names are sort of similar and they're both on islands.
Tho' at least Alcatraz didn't have Dementors.
2006-08-15 10:44:16 · answer #2 · answered by UKJess 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Maybe that's where J.K. Rowling got the name Azkaban from.
2006-08-18 16:09:03 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sort-of
2006-08-15 10:29:50 · answer #4 · answered by Patchouli Pammy 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yes only its way worse cos of the dementors
amy
xxx
2006-08-15 10:20:38 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
yup
2006-08-15 10:22:35 · answer #6 · answered by saphires77 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't think so. That would be "Zartacla".
2006-08-15 10:48:34 · answer #7 · answered by correrafan 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋