'm not maligning her or anything but i've read some not so old fantasy books that have harry potter elements in them. example is brothers of the dragon published 1993. in that book the dragon wailed a river when her master died. in book 6 of harry potter, the phoenix wailed unconsolably too when dumbledore died. in that same book, ghosts can interact with people.jk rowling's books have ghost interacting with people on a daily basis. is this coincidence? i love the style of jk rowling. but i think she borrows extensively from already published materials. what do u think?
2006-08-22 06:33:11 · 14 answers · asked by john_petrosian523 1 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Books & Authors
All stories have a thread in common with others. There's other boys named Harry. There's other books with mazes. This is not plagerism by definition. Many of the aspects of her story are taken from mythology. Phoenix tears is a very old story dated long before 1993. Stories with ghosts date back hundred and hundreds of years. In order for us to relate to the story it has to have something we recognize and understand. That's why many books seem to have the same elements.
2006-08-22 06:44:34 · answer #1 · answered by MEL T 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
In a way it is a "copycat." They both have the same ideas, and story line. I have read a few books that are just like this, i guess that is just normal. She probably thinks that it was a gret idea. If not it is just a coincidence. I write stories for the fun of it, and sometimes I will be reading a book that I have never read before, and our parts are almost the same. Or it could just be that JK was writing under a different author at the time, either way the books are gret, and I cant wait until the 7th one comes out.
2006-08-22 08:42:15 · answer #2 · answered by aimeemay 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I know your not trying to offend anyone but seriously how can you even think that she is a copycat? If your talking about having some things that are similar to other books go to Barnes and noble and look at the 5,000 books in the fantasy section alone. If all of the books had nothing in common then nobody would know what to read or what they like to read. All books have things in common with other books and although you can occasionally find close similarities they are not stolen ideas but more of the realization that authors are very similar to each other. Sorry if I came off harsh but I work at a library and have to listen to this stuff all the time.
2006-08-22 19:46:20 · answer #3 · answered by ryan o 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Lots of book have wizards, magic, dragons and good battling evil.
I admire JK ,she single-handedly got millions of kids and yes, adults to READ. It's better than to sit in front of the television or video games. So what if some of her books have elements common to other books. I really enjoy HP.
Some years ago, someone suggested that JK had copied Harry Potter from Lemony Snikett, not true. Harry Potter and the Philosopher Stone was published before. Just so you know.
Thanks.
2006-08-22 14:47:52 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't think so because the elements in the magic are common to many traditions, miths all over the centuries.
Many books are similar but JK did mention that the use of some words and locations aren't casual as well the mithological animals cannot be different from their usual role> I think the setting is original and the good people are dying, too.....
The originality in a story is how you use the elements already common heritage,
2006-08-22 06:51:04 · answer #5 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yup. Everything she writes about has been written about before, but she knows how to sell an idea. Enjoy the link... http://www.answers.com/topic/list-of-books-similar-to-harry-potter
If you think about it, writing those books must have just been a matter of taking different elements of past fantasy stories (dragons, wands, wizards etc) and making a clever story out of them. Whereas some writers truly come up with an idea all their own, then execute it.
2006-08-22 06:44:59 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Just because somebody gets ideas from others work doesn't make them a copycat. Look how many rap artists cover songs everyday. There really is no such thing as an original idea anymore, everything is blended.
2006-08-22 09:13:26 · answer #7 · answered by Kim D 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Like any creative endeavor bits of our own influence and experience creep in. It happens in music, art , prose, etc. If I sat down to write a fantasy novel I wouldn't be able to rid myself of the influence that comic books, Tolkein, C.S. Lewis, Disney, etc have had on my creative mind.
I think that she has done a good job of making her story more unique than most.
2006-08-22 07:36:45 · answer #8 · answered by HendryDoso 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I haven't read Harry Potter but a case was made for her having stolen her idea from another author years ago. She was sued because of that, I think. Ever since then I was suspicious of her but since I don't read her novel I can't say for sure.
2006-08-22 10:18:48 · answer #9 · answered by sp_isme 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yeah I think so to. I mean Aunt Marge blowing up? Sounds to me like Violet Beauregarde from Charlie and the chocolate Factory. Dementors/Nazgul-hooded figures that can kill you. The Order of the Phoenix/White council-a group that plans to bring down evil.
Dumbledore's Army/The Fellowship-To fight for good?
2006-08-22 06:45:21 · answer #10 · answered by zombiepirate_13 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋