In its time, J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter changed Literature and influenced millions of writers and story-telling as a whole, and most even consider that it changed the world. And J.K Rowling without a doubt did change the world with her fantastic work of art, from Merging literary culture with pop culture, to even a strain of marijuana named “Harry Potter.” However, not all major influences were positive.
You see, in its time, almost instantly after it became widespread, It was banned by many catholic schools and overprotective parents. Although a lot of people had problems with the book whether it be the dark tones for a children’s book (like death) or even some mild inappropriate language. Believe it or not, most of its censorship is due to religious reasons and was challenged 23 times in 13 different states. “Harry Potter was the most frequently challenged book in the U.S. in 1999.” (Peters, 2017) Hundreds and even thousands of Catholic schools banned the book for “witchcraft” even to this day, but significantly less than it was 20 years ago.
The Harry Potter books may have been a controversial topic for Catholic schools for 20 years, but still many positives have come out as a result. ABC.net (2017) even stated how “7 books changed the face of children’s publishing.” And there’s even a phrase called the Harry Potter effect because of the books MASSIVE success for a children’s book. On top of that, the Harry Potter books opened the door to more YA series. “The release of Harry Potter really opened a lot of publishers’ eyes to the fact there is a huge market for well-crafted young-adult literature,” (Flemings, 2003)
In its time, Harry Potter made a positive impact on the world. And despite being a controversy for catholic schools, Harry Potter will continue to inspire, guide, and welcome readers and writers, and continue to change the world.
References
Peters, Patricia (2017) “HarryPotter_and_20_Years_of_Controversy” www.oif.org
Outside Reading Book Journal 