Harry Potter is badly written plagiaristic commercial nonsense, do you agree?

Answer 1

I'd go for commercial nonsense, but well written commercial nonsense. But, hey, it's a kid's book and I'm a grown-up. Kids like nonsense!

Answer 2

It is not great art, if that's what you mean. What it is, is a very entertaining story that is woven out of a pastiche of the many other sword and sorcery stories that have gone before it. It is artful in creating an absorbing fantasy world where the hero is a child/adolescent with special powers. As such, it has great appeal to people of the same age group. The hook is that like many video games, especially on-line games such as World of Warcraft, the reader can project his or herself into this world and assume powers and social status that they do not enjoy in real life. It is an alternate reality. In addition to it's ability to entertain, the book also provides, to a certain degree, a service to society. In these days of wide screen home TV's, computer games, hand-held games, ipods, etc., it has become more and more difficult to interest children in reading. The Harry Potter books, however, have gotten a lot of young people interested in reading. My 15 year old is one of them. Is the book commercial? Certainly. Name me an author who has not wanted to actually sell his or her work. "Commercial" merely indicates degree of success, not desire for same. Is it nonsense? Only in the sense that it depicts a world and events that don't exist. Of course, all fiction depicts events that don't exist and if you are worried about the world it describes, then Tolkein is nonsense and Jonathan Swift and Jules Verne and Robert Heinlein. Is it plagarism? Not unless you can show word for word excerpts from other authors' works. It certainly uses motifs that have been presented before - elves, giants, witches, trolls, etc., but that does not sink to plagiarism. If it does, then you have to say all authors plagiarize. Isn't just about every story you have ever read about a plot or situation or character type that has already been written about? It was Alexander Pope who said something to the effect that there was nothing new to write about that the Greeks had not already presented to the world - the only thing current day writers could hope to do was to improve on what others had done before them.

Answer 3

Even if I did agree, I severely doubt that you could write anything nearly as enjoyable.

As it happens, I don't think that Harry Potter is exactly great writing, but neither do I care. It may not be original, it may not be Diana Wynne Jones (who did the same wizard-school thing much better years ago), it may not be wonderfully clever, but it's reasonably fun, it's neither stupid nor offensive, and it doesn't discourage kids from reading more stuff. I find it a bit over-written and for that reason sometimes boring, but it doesn't spoil my life when I pass a couple of hours reading it. I suspect that, whether you are or aren't actually English, you suffer from that English affliction of mistaking a class structure for a culture. Go and feel strongly about something that matters.

Answer 4

I have to say I totally Disagree. If your thought is true then why have millions of her books sold? Why do millions all over the world go to bookstores worldwide staying up there for hours awaiting for the clock to strike Midnight to get the latest book? Why have all the Harry Potter Movies based on the book been hits with it getting four stars(highest rating you can get) each time it comes out? I personally am a Harry Potter fan and it is just an extremely good book that is full of goodness that will keep you reading not wanting to miss a beat and anticipating the next book. Now that is my input. Thank you for allowing me to express my opinion. I truly appreciate it.

Answer 5

I agree with you actually, i loved the Harry Potter books when i read them but then i read the Lord of the Rings and i was horrified by the similarities!! No one seems to take any notice though. They are certainly enjoyable to read, and the films are appalling to say the least (compared to the epic of LOTR) but i do feel that she lacked substance and imagination in my iopinion once i realised that most, if not all of JKR influence and ideas comes from LOTR, which is a shame really, as the books in their own right could have been quite spectacular if theyu weren't such an adolescent rip off.

On the commercial side of the arguement, of course they are. But then again isn't that what makes them exciting? i find it a joy to read a book that is so popular, i mean all the greats, Shakespeare, Bronte, Austen, Dickens, they're all comercialised in their own right, othersiwse we would know them would be? Don't always be so judgemental of commerialisation

Answer 6

Never read them. Don't plan to. Don't agree with your accusation of plagiarism, but definitely a commercial vehicle. And for anyone who disagrees by saying that the books have sold millions -- so what? Britney Spears sells millions of albums. Doesn't make her any more talented. Sometimes the best books are diamonds in the rough, found in cold, damp places; untouched by the masses, therefore untainted of commercialism.

Answer 7

I definitely do not agree; there are references throughout to Kohlberg's theory of moral reasoning (possibly a base for the characters given Rowlings degree) and there is conformity to such a theory within all novels but, and this is perhaps of greatest relevance, these novels have induced a greater desire to read in young people than any other novels for years - witness the rise in recent years of a plethora of authors producing similar material. As a teacher of English I can only be delighted that young people actually show the desire to read and, therefore, recommend such books wholeheartedly.

Answer 8

No. HP is imaginative, lively... everything a good book of its genre should be. There are some commercial and plagiaristic parts, but nothing's perfect! And anyway, talking about plagiarism, there are loads of books that use ideas from others, its inherent. After all, authors read too!

Answer 9

J.ok. Rowling became eco-friendly on the time. I reread them also, and placed an same element. the first few books were written for a youthful target market, and also they are 1000's of pages shorter than the later books, that are throughout 600 pages lengthy. In maximum libraries they are categorized as youthful grownup. i in my opinion nevertheless love them, for the tale, specifically because Rowling had in basic terms began writing, so i do not imagine she turned right into a foul author then.

Answer 10

No, I dont. Obviously, there are some similarities to other fantasy stories told in the past, but I have enjoyed the books as much as my children and found "The Half Blood Prince" on of the most exciting books I've read. Cannot wait for the conclusion.

Answer 11

No, I do not agree, I think that Harry Potter is a creative and imaginative work of art. I am eagerly awaiting for the 21 of July.