Why Harry Potter Is Popular: 10 Reasons Why It's Loved

When J.K. Rowling had written “He’ll be famous - a legend - I wouldn’t be surprised if today were known as Harry Potter day in the future - there will be books written about Harry - every child in our world will know his name.” she probably didn’t expect it to come true in our world as well. The Harry Potter series is the most sold book series of all time with seven huge spectacular books that contain the original story and lately an additional book that carries on the story for Harry's children. 

There were eight movies made covering the original story with the last movie, the Deathly Hallows being split into two parts. Recently two more movies were made  that reside in the Harry Potter universe that follow the story of Newt Scamander, an author of one of the school books required for certain classes at Hogwarts. There are also several smaller spin-offs of the series as well in one form or the other. So even if you aren’t a die hard fan, you’ve definitely been exposed to some form of Harry Potter and you might be wondering what the big deal is. Continue forward for a list of ten reasons on why Harry Potter is so popular and so beloved. 

 

10. Realistic Fantasy

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Rowling changed the world of fantasy fiction with the release of her magical series. She puts a spin on the fantasy genre by scattering many realistic elements throughout. For example, it takes place in an actual country that fans can look on a map and find. With this and other small added details, Rowling accidentally convinced some of the younger fans that her story was real. 

Every piece of the story had been detailed to fit the real world - while also containing another entire world right underneath. It makes the stories incredibly relatable and super interesting. Trains are very real, but magical trains that can take you to a secret far off castle, where you have magical treats along the way? That was sure to grab any childs (or adults) attention easily. 

 

9. The Magical World

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Yale and Harvard are fantastic schools, but even the best schools would be beat out by Hogwarts - for any Potterhead anyway. Most fans will tell you that they’ve dreamed of getting to go to the magical school of witchcraft and wizardry and would do almost anything to window shop down Diagon Alley. Rowling's writing really enveloped the readers and made them feel like this magical world was as real as theirs. J.K. Rowling didn’t just create a story, she created a fully realized world.

From the supermassive events like the Triwizard Tournament and the Quidditch World Cup, down to the staircases in Hogwarts with the missing steps that students had to remember to jump. The moment you open the pages of a Harry Potter book you are sucked into the immersive world of magic and wonder, some readers may have even found a home there and decided to stay.   

 

8. The Enchanting Story

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Witches and wizards have been popular in stories for centuries, but J.K. Rowling modernized this narrative with the release of the Harry Potter series. They were no longer green or living in forests - they looked just like everyone else! They also did a lot of the same things that everyone else did, such as brushing their teeth, going to school or work, or even hanging out with friends. Rowling made the story relatable to everyone, no matter who (or what) you were. This, along with making the story easy to understand for younger readers allows for a super engaging storyline that children, adults and all those in between can enjoy.    

The Story follows Harry Potter, a likable, witty boy who has several flaws, but always seems to give it his best effort. His friends, and other important adult characters are usually around somewhere to aid in his journey. That being his fateful prophesy to defeat the dark wizard Voldemort. Readers and watchers alike are able to watch Harry grow from an 11 year old boy to a young adult by the last story, attempting to quell this great evil. It makes for an incredible story that caused an intense swell of reading amongst younger readers, and a resurge of excitement for older fans. 

 

7. The Inspiration

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J.K. Rowling began writing the series in her early 20’s, she claims the idea came to her whilst riding a train from one location in England to another. It was seven years after she thought of the idea that her first book would be published. During her time writing she dealt with an abusive marriage, poverty, becoming a single mother.

While she was writing the books most of her notes on the story were scribbled on spare pieces of notebook paper and held together loosely in folders. Her hasty marriage only lasted one year, but gave Rowling her daughter whom she fled with back to Edinburgh along with the rough draft of the first three chapters of the Sorcerer's Stone. It is incredible that she was able to get out of her situation with herself and her daughter intact, let alone the story she had been working so hard to create.   

There were still more hurdles to come though, as she received many rejections for her story from various publishing companies. She continued to send out manuscripts though, despite all odds. She triumphed in the end, happy, healthy and successful all thanks to eventually finding a publisher that would print what we know today as the Sorcerer's Stone. Her story is inspirational not only to women in general, but writers of all kinds. 

 

6. The Characters

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Rowlings gift of creating an entire person - their history, their personality, their mannerisms down to the detail of how they speak, is even more incredible given the amount of characters she has fabricated for this series. Everyone can find someone in the story that they can relate to. From the most well known characters down to the smallest of side characters every personality is completely unique. 

When Harry meets Hagrid for the first time and he throws off his thick black coat onto Harry and says “You can kip under that, don’ mind if it wriggles a bit, I think I still got a couple o’ dormice in one o’ the pockets.” the reader is able to really hear Hagrid's voice and how he speaks. In the movie when he thunders in and bends the gun of Mr. Dursley the watcher can see how large the man is and when he gives Harry his birthday cake, the watcher can see the type of character Hagrid is. Each character is fully developed and extremely interesting to watch grow throughout the story. 

 

5. The Nostalgia

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Most Potterheads probably couldn’t tell you what they had for breakfast the day they began reading the first Harry Potter book, but they can definitely tell you how they felt when they finished it. Some are able to remember leaving the theater after seeing the first movie, making comments to friends or family about what took place and what could happen in the next movie. Everyone that loves Harry Potter has a nostalgic memory of it that they can look back on and enjoy. 

The books have been all fully released now for 16 years, but this story of friendship is still something everyone can relate to. The characters are normal enough for fans to still be able to compare themselves to. Due to the readability of the books, and the excitement that the movies give all of its fans, potterheads are able to keep going back to relive the story. It’s incredibly nostalgic. Most fans claim that the nostalgia will always be there for anyone anytime they wish to reopen the books, or enjoy the movies all over again. 

 

4. Community

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The Harry Potter series has accumulated a massive fanbase over the years. It has gotten so huge that even people who haven’t watched the movies, or read the books know about Harry Potter. When it was first gaining popularity, there was even a name given to the craze that fans had for it - pottermania. There are tons of web pages that showcase neat things for the Harry Potter universe, one specific web page allows you to discover your Hogwarts house. Other web pages showcase news happening for the Harry Potter fandom, merchandise you can purchase that covers anything you could possibly wish to buy, and tons of communities for fans to connect with each other on! 

There are now even full Harry Potter Conventions happening across the world in several different countries every year. You can find a Potterhead almost anywhere so lack of camaraderie is never an issue. Die hard fans will make anything Harry Potter-ized. There have been thousands of Harry Potter weddings to date and even more birthday parties themed for Harry Potter. There are hundreds of different Halloween costumes every year that are based on Harry Potter. No matter where anyone is to look, the Harry Potter fandom is there.

 

3. Themes

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Rowling herself claims that the main theme in the series is Death. It happens quite frequently throughout and is incredibly important to the meaning of the overall story. From the first chapter of Sorcerer's Stone the theme of death is very heavy with the death of Harry’s parents. Moving into the next few chapters of the book or scenes in the movie friendship becomes a main theme. Harry never had any friends, thanks to his cousin Dudley, but at Hogwarts Harry was able to make many friends and have that experience that he never had before. The plot eventually shifts into a heavy theme of good versus evil. At the end of the first story Harry faces off against the biggest evil he had ever faced.    

All fans can tell of at least one life lesson they learned from the Harry Potter series. Rowling puts these in her story through the use of themes. There are many different themes that show up throughout the Harry Potter series - death, love, the opposing good versus evil, friendship, ect. These themes gave fans lessons that would become invaluable to them throughout their lives and keep them coming back for more. 

 

2. The Tone of J.K. Rowling

 

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Her tone and style are a huge part in why many fans continually restart the series again after they finish. It is what brings her characters alive and what makes the reader really feel the emotions and feelings of the people in the story. She uses an interesting word choice to weave sentences that really grab the attention of the reader. She uses figurative elements to get every point across and get every inch of backstory that's crucial to understanding what’s really happening.

Rowling is able to completely convey any sort of circumstance from lighthearted to serious, from happy to sad, and many more. Each interaction, each spoken sentence, or thought were unique and meant something. Everything added something to the story. It is a subtle, but crucial part in why fans love her writing so much. 

 

1. The Magic

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From The very first page of Sorcerer's Stone all the way to the last page of the Deathly Hallows, the Harry Potter series is without a doubt one of the most magical stories of its time. The magic that takes place in the story is wildly interesting and extraordinarily detailed. The names of the spells are unique and share similarities to whatever said spell does. There are detailed potions and lists of magical ingredients to conduct them. Not to mention the numerous types of magical creatures and beings Rowling either created or embellished on. 

Buried within the story there is even a deep magic that requires no spell or incantation to be spoken. Harry’s mother proved that the magic of love was enough to save him from Voldemort's unforgivable curse, even after she was gone. Although it would have been spectacular to be a witch or wizard and able to perform magic, every Potterhead knows that love is still very real and there’s a touch of magic in every little bit of love that is given.  

You may also be interested in:

• Top 15 Harry Potter Characters: Where Are They Now? 

• Top 25 Best Spells From Harry Potter 

• Top 15 Most Hated Characters In Harry Potter