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Harry Potter: The Pop Culture Phenomenon
20 years later, he is still relevant
Harry Potter is a major player in popular culture, that fact is undeniable. The novels by J.K. Rowling, the movies, the merchandise associated with both, clothing, housewares, unauthorized books making speculations of the how and why, websites, message boards and even a genre of music have brought Harry Potter to the cultural forefront. When you say Harry Potter or J.K. Rowling everyone will have some idea what you are talking about, it is culturally understood throughout the world. Harry Potter has gotten kids away from video games and the television, it has gotten adults reading again as well, but mostly it has made a huge cultural impact around the world. The story of the boy who lived, and his trials and tribulations through school has been able to reach out and touch all ages, despite having a lot of the determining factors of success working against it, Harry Potter was able to become more than a success, but a phenomenon in the literary world. This phenomenon spread outside the literary world and has had an amazing effect on popular culture as well, creating a Harry Potter phenomenon world wide.
Reading has not been wildly popular since the introduction of video games. Children have been more interested in what is on cable television, or the video game they are currently playing than in picking up a book. Thanks to Harry Potter and J.K. Rowling, children are interested in reading again, and parents are reading the books along with their children. This has been the biggest cultural impact caused by these novels. It is an amazing impact for a single mother turned writer to have. J.K. Rowling set out to write a story that she loved, and on a train ride managed to come up with Harry Potter. A fantasy children’s novel with substantial length and being part of a series of seven was a huge challenge for her to overcome, but due to her belief in her product and finding an agent who also believed in her product she was able to overcome this obstacle. Her novels defied the plan for success in children’s novels, but again because of her faith and belief and love of her brand, she was able to overcome and succeed. The Harry Potter brand, thanks to J.K. Rowling was able to be kept in tact as she believed in it and as she imagined it, because even though she gained fame and success quickly, she did…
