Honors Theses
Date of Award
2009
Document Type
Undergraduate Thesis
Department
English
First Advisor
Natalie Schroeder
Relational Format
Dissertation/Thesis
Abstract
When first introduced, J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series rocked the world of children’s books. It quickly topped bestseller lists and became the talk of the elementary world. But then something strange happened: grown-ups began reading the series. By the time that the last couple of books debuted, crowds of all ages fonued around bookstores to gather the latest editions. The series was all over the news, with notable critics giving their opinions and censorship debates arising in various regions. The cultural phenomenon had begun. Such a massive reception begs one question: will the Harry Potter series be a literary classic? In this paper, I firstly establish a definition of the “classic.” I use, as my reference point, Harold Bloom’s The Western Canon. I also cite several other critics and discuss particular works that have themselves become canonical. I then apply my definition to Rowling’s series as a whole, examining how both its literary characteristics and overall reception might determine its future status. After addressing all its positive traits, I conclude that the Potter series does show the potential to join the ranks of classic literature.
Recommended Citation
Williams, Douglas Fugate Caldwell, "Harry Potter: Magic or Illusion?" (2009). Honors Theses. 2460.
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/hon_thesis/2460
Accessibility Status
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