I've heard people say she copied the idea and blah blah blah. Personally, I think the Harry Potter series is brilliant. But a lot of people disagree and say it's a ripoff. What is your view on the matter? Discuss.
2007-08-31 15:15:40 · 19 answers · asked by !vonne 2 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Books & Authors
Plagiarism means taking someone else's work, word for word, and claiming it as your own work. Therefore, by definition, J.K. Rowling did not plagiarize anyone else's work. There would have been a huge hue-and-cry long before now if she had.
As for being unoriginal, that is untrue, as well. Yes, there have been books, stories, and/or series about child witches/wizards before, but the plot-lines are totally dissimilar. Of the other works I've read, they have been intended for young children, and are pretty much fluff. J.K. Rowling's works, however, are much more serious, confronting important themes like intolerance and prejudice, personal sacrifice, love, and team-work. I would also mention that Ms. Rowling did a lot of research into medieval witchcraft beliefs, and a lot of it is accurately portrayed in her books. Examples include the basilisk and mandrake.
Ergo, anyone who claims that Ms. Rowling is a plagiarist or a copycat hasn't really read the books.
2007-08-31 15:27:52 · answer #1 · answered by JelliclePat 4 · 6⤊ 1⤋
This is an old debate that causes a lot confusion.
There is a huge difference between Plagiarism and Creative License. Sure, you could find a lot of details in the HP books in a lot of other books like Lord of the Ring or even The Wizard of Oz. However, that suggests every fantasy novel out there is a work of plagiarism.
It's not plagiarism to use a wizard in a novel. It is plagiarism to use a knight in a novel, call him Arthur and say he pulled a big sword out of a stone. It's called Creative license to use a wizard in a story with a unique perspective.
The ideas of wizardry, mythological creatures, magic are very old. But the way they are used in the HP series is unique to Rowling.
You don't have to like the books, in fact you can hate them if you want, but it would be completely untrue and a big lie to say they've been plagiarized.
2007-08-31 15:45:47 · answer #2 · answered by lilykdesign 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
There are no truly new, original ideas, and in that sense we are all plagiarists. But to the extent that new ideas are born, the Harry Potter series is one of them and Jo Rowling deserves full credit.
There is no end to the inspiration from which Jo Rowling drew to create Harry Potter. Some include: Greek mythology, Roman mythology, Norse mythology, British mythology (King Arthur and Merlin), world histories, pagan religions, JRR Tolkein, C.S. Lewis, Roald Dahl, many other classic authors, et cetera, et cetera.
But what is key is that JK Rowling took the amalgamation of all these ideas and blended from them something new and original of her own creation. And that is the best that any of us writers can do.
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2007-08-31 15:31:04 · answer #3 · answered by Sarah 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I've never heard any real claims that she was was guilty of plagiarism. Some claims I did hear were vague and really so generalized that any book with a wizard in it would have been plagiarism.
Anyone who claims it's a ripoff is likely a bitter, failed writer. Or they haven't read, or don't like the books, and are lashing out against the hype.
2007-08-31 16:08:32 · answer #4 · answered by rohak1212 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Harry Potter is written amazingly!! i like Hermione and Luna and quite of having a weigh down on Edward or Jacob, who has a weigh down on Harry Potter? responsible! The plots are amazingzingzing and there is in no way a lifeless 2d, PLUS there is a few romance thrown in alongside the way.
2016-10-17 08:41:05 · answer #5 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the harry potter series is very long and i hardly doubt that jk. rowling took so many years coming up with stories that had already been written. if she plagerizd from a combination of books then its not really plagerising cuz ur using stories to come up with a new and different story
JK Rowling is an original
Harry potter is da best
2007-08-31 15:24:20 · answer #6 · answered by bisma101 2 · 4⤊ 1⤋
no.
Jo has taken things that she has writen amazing novels.
the are amazing books and are brilliant like you said.
but when people keep bringing up things like this,
they are simply ruining these books.
they are simply books.
not books of the devil and what not.
people get crazy about the stuff they make up about Jo and the books.
&& if she really did plagarise, i think that it would be bigger news in the media.
it is nice to know there are still alot of people out there who love the series.
2007-08-31 15:56:07 · answer #7 · answered by c8 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No i don't believe that jk would copy any ideas for her series. I agree with you that hp series is a brilliant. I think she said that she read alot of folklore and based her character's actions around it (but made it her own) like goblins and various names of spells.
2007-08-31 15:39:15 · answer #8 · answered by stargirl 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
no she may have taken legends and incorporated them into the series but most of the peeps who insult her don't read and/or understand the series btw rock on Mkerrigan.uk.
2007-08-31 15:41:48 · answer #9 · answered by justme 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
She also ripped off Neil Gaiman. in 1991, Neil Gaiman wrote a graphic novel called Book of Magic. It featuring a kid with glasses who had a pet owl who learned to do magic. It sounds way similar to harry potter in my opinion.
2007-08-31 21:13:37 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 3⤋