Life of JK Rowling Joanne Research Paper

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This brought a tremendous amount of relief and happiness to a lot of competing authors, and a tremendous honor to Ms. JK Rowling.

Criticisms of JK Rowling and Harry Potter books

Over the years, despite her many accolades (Carter 4; Conn 1179; Lake 510; Subkowski 744; Welsh 9), many have criticized her work. Several Christian groups suggest the Harry Potter books condone Satanism (Satanism in Harry), Naziism (Satanism in Harry), and witchcraft (Harry Potter books). The following text will focus on the opinion of one group in particular who reviews Christian fantasy literature (the Christian Guide). This group begins by pointing out several positive features of the Harry Potter books including easy to understand language, use of a male main character that may widen the potential audience to males and females, the authoress' name (JK) is not gender-specific thus widening the potential audience, and the books are "formulaic."

However, this group is quick to point out the reasons to avoid the Harry Potter series. They state that the Harry Potter books promote lying, cheating, stealing, disobedience, and revenge. Furthermore, the morality is distinctly pagan in nature. People are either good or bad depending on someone's outside arbitrary judgment, rather than on their actions. Harry and Voldemort both seek vengeance, but Harry is perceived as unable to do wrong, even when he sins time and again.

The reviewer believes that the Harry Potter books promote rule-breaking, lying, and revenge. Examples of this opinion include the fact that Harry's archenemy, Lord Voldemort, is always trying to kill him. Thus, it is "right" of him to disobey school rules in order to save himself and to lie to his teachers in order to hide his disobedience. Other examples include the fact that Harry lives with an abusive family. Therefore, it is OK for him to disobey, lie, and get revenge on them.

Harry's schoolmate enemy, Draco Malfoy, is always attempting to humiliate him. Thus, it is OK for Harry Potter to disobey school rules in order to get revenge on him. This reviewer suggests that Draco's actions are is petty, and Harry's disobedience, lying and revenge upon him are more than petty, even sinful.

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However, since JK Rowling has already stacked the decks in favor of Harry breaking the rules, lying and seeking revenge in critical situations, she has flavored everything else he does in the book with a sense of "rightness," whether for right or for wrong.

In the fourth Harry Potter book, Harry is in mortal danger if he obeys the rules. Hermione refers to the house elves as "slaves," and she introduces a curse, which will render them completely obedient. Only Harry Potter is able to repel the curse, and for that he is given accolades. Although Rowling forced Harry Potter, and thus ourselves, into a heroic action that necessitated violating the rules, the reviewer suggests that there may have been other alternatives for him to use in this book. Repeatedly, Harry does not attempt to contact his elders, even Dumbledore, for assistance, instead preferring to break the rules and gain all of the glory for himself.

Furthermore, as the fourth book progresses, even some of the seemingly-trustworthy adults encourage Harry to break the rules of not only the school, but also the Wizarding government. Other instances that promote witchcraft and disobedience include Dumbledore and Hagrid being arrested by the Ministry of Magic in the second book, Lupin is taken over by his werewolf self and Black is hunted by the Ministry of Magic in the third book. Overall, this reviewer believes that these books send an overwhelming anti-authority message. Furthermore, she suggests that "one of the best things any mother or father could do is to just keep these books out of their house" (the Christian Guide).

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