Is Harry Potter so popular because of the religious controversy over it?

Question

I don't like Harry Potter mostly because of the obsession over it. And I was thinking, would it be so popular if there hadn't been so much controversy when the first book came out? What do you think?

It is violent but it's really not all that romantic and Harry is too impulsive. In the 5th book it got someone killed he acted before he thought. That was what really made me not like those books. The 5th one just drove me nuts I couldn't stand it.

So if people aren't obsessed with Harry because of controversy the why the hell are they obsessed? I mean seriously. People stand in line for hours just to get the last book. It drives me crazy. And to be honest I don't think it's a very original idea.

Athee: I don't read them. But it's kind of hard to ignore when people are always talking about them, and it's on the news, the internet, in magazines, etc. It's not the books that bug me so much, it's the obsession.

I've read them and used to love them but I started hating them after the 4th and stopped reading completely after the 5th. It was like JK Rowling couldn't think of any ideas so she was stretching and trying to think of something and grabbed the first thing she could. The obsession bugs me because I don't see why people like them so much and dress up as Harry Potter for Halloween. It's really not all that different from other books. So I guess the obsession of something is what bugs me not the obsession of Harry Potter. I decided I don't like Harry Potter on my own because of the books. Like I said I used to love them too but now I hate them. There's always a new twist to keep it going like the Lost tv series.

Answer 1

Harry Potter is so popular because it appeals to both children and adults. It is a series of books that is filled with adventure, magick, drama and real life situations. The only ones who read it due to controversy would be adults, most kids probably do not care. It was popular before the religious right started to debate about it.

When Harry acts impulsively without thinking and there are consequences, it shows that the story is true to life and teaches the lesson to the reader that hey, maybe you should think before you act or someone could get killed.

The twists are the reason people love the books, they keep you interested. When you lock into characters and they become familiar it makes it easier to want to keep reading and you look forward to reading more in that series.

The question now is - why are you so obsessed about people who love Harry Potter? Seriously, it sounds like you have given this all WAY TOO MUCH THOUGHT!

Answer 2

No, I really don't think that's relevant to the people who read the stories, although it may be to the people who do not. You seem to be one of those people my old friend called a "contrarian." If most people are doing it, that's sufficient reason for you to avoid it. Unfortunately, you may miss out on some really fine things that way. Harry Potter is one such example. The books more than the movies, although the movies are good, too, as movies.

I understand that hype can turn a person off, but consider: young people, old crones like me, lots of people of very different sorts are all finding these stories captivating. Are you really so different from everyone else that you couldn't possibly enjoy them?

Answer 3

It soy-ten-ly doesn't hoyt... as a New York cabbie might say it. LOL. The controversy only stirs people into lining up to read and/or watch it, even more so, out of sheer curiosity.

But let's give credit where credit is due. It is a well-written book [series of books now, by J.K. Rawling] that is meant to be read by pre-teens... in the same thread that "The Hobbit" and "Lord of the Rings" were written and movies were eventually made.

The mere fact that it contains folkloric witchcraft and spells is a pathetic excuse for insecure, religious fanatics/fundies to be up in arms about it. Where were they when the game 'Dungeons and Dragons' was among the hottest selling items a few Christmases ago? What about the hundreds of computer games out in the shelves right now?

They simply pick and choose which ones to protest against. Perhaps they should begin to protest against the guy they put in the White House for starters... But I digress.

Peace be with you!

Answer 4

I doubt it. Its popularity was well on its way before the controversy.

I can speak for myself when I say, not in my case. I am a 34 year old mom of two boys, and I love the books (and the movies) as much as they do. Maybe even more. I love JK's writing style, the plots, the character development, and of course the fantasy. Plus, as Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter in the films) is about the same age as my oldest son, he has "grown up" with us. That, I think, adds to the series' appeal.

It was I who wanted to go to the midnight release of the book, not my kids :) And I can assure you, my interest in the books has absolutely nothing to do with the controversy. In fact, most of the time, when I am reminded of the controversy, I am almost shocked because I'd forgotten all about it. It really is such a ridiculous thing to be upset about :)

Answer 5

Take it from what used to be popular in the 80's, Dungeons & Dragons, that immense popularity comes from inherent fine entertainment qualities, and the mewlings of a tiny fringe of Christians is not enough to float the whole boat. Oh how they howled and called fans Satanic! For a time there was even a mental ward for Dungeons & Dragons-players (and other, lesser Satanists), the Center for the Treatment of Ritualistic Deviance, in the Hartgrove Hospital in Chicago. But as you could imagine they couldn't go on justifying their inherently Christian ideology as if it mattered to psychoanalysis, and it tanked.

These Christians will attack anything new and big and popular, and if something wanes they lose interest. They can not create themselves. Innovation is not the strong suit of the Christian. No best-selling children's books come from the Christian quarter because they are set, their ideas are FIXED, unimaginative, and that is not the trappings of great literature. The Bible myths are shop-worn and in fact too gory for children but some people force these stories religiously onto children anyway. I don't think you can sell kids on the "great adventure" of Christianity: you will live by tons of rules and restrictions and if you obey your elders and follow the rules closely -- why, you will NEVER get to see God, your leaders haven't seen God lately, nobody has seen God for hundreds of years. Can you even SELL something like that to kids now?

The appeal of Harry Potter is the usual thing for kids: powerless people become more capable and powerful, they take control over their environment. Whether it's the farm-boy on Tatooine or the clumsy Hobbit in the Shire, kids eat up that stuff. For Dungeons & Dragons it was way more complicated: the beginning character could die of a paper-cut and eventually wind up scouring continents with his Windbreath spell or something, progressions were very meticulously recorded. It took a lot of story-writing preparation for a game; I don't think today's zombified Nintendo kids can handle the effort any more. Even I vedge out and go for the quick fix of vivid color and action and pre-programmed bliss.

--Pierre S., who wants to remind you that the two worst character names in the whole history of D&D were 1) Sailbad the Sinner and 2) Elvish Parsley.

http://atheism.about.com/b/a/025781.htm
http://atheism.about.com/b/a/189126.htm

Answer 6

No it's popular because it's a good story. Harry Potter follows the epic saga story line (like Star Wars and Jesus's life story) to a T. Plus, the books are fun.

Answer 7

no.
it was popular fist.
then the fundies got hold of it.
it is not wholly original, but then what plot for a book or film is??
it follows the same thread as star wars/lord of the rings/etc.

but it has developed a new breed or book readers who were obsessed with computer games.
so thats another plus.
our whole family loves harry potter.
my eldest has 'grown out' of him, but still enjoys reading it.

each to their own i believe they say

blessed be!

Answer 8

I never read anything about Harry Potter.Don't like that kind of books.
I like gardening books,sewing,craft, decorating,
medical and world information books, and cook books.
Any way Harry Potter isn't popular with me. It could possible be , because of religion.
Queen Bee

Answer 9

NO, I do not believe that Harry Potter's popularity has anything to do with religious conflict. It's about popular fantasy and drama and highly likable characters. And, it's NOT just for kids--there are plenty of adult fans of Harry Potter, and I happen to be one.

Answer 10

No it is popular because it is well written and the best series for children to come out since Judy Blume was writing her books when I was a kid.

People didn't like Judy Blume books back then because they touched on social issues people didn't want to discuss like religion, weight, death, being sick, divorce...