Transmedia Characters Term Paper

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Irresistible Rise of Harry Potter and the irresistible rise of capitalism

Harry Potter is not merely the title of a children's book series: he is a phenomenon. Although the Harry Potter books are quintessentially 'British' in their setting (a boarding school) and language, they have become internationally popular and turned many non-readers into readers. Harry embodies the ideal childhood hero -- on one hand, he is an orphan, despised and somewhat socially awkward. Yet he is also marked with a special status from birth as a wizard with magical powers. There is a universal appeal to Harry, which explains why he has spawned so many profitable spin-offs, including his own theme park and film series.

However, the reasons for this attraction may not only lie in Harry. The book's showcasing of various cultural attractions such as shopping, succeeding in athletic competition, and the picaresque attention to the details of the fantasy world also simultaneously encourage wonder and conspicuous consumptions amongst the readership.

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"Retail therapy and sport, substituting for emotional contact -- no wonder so many childlike adults identify with him. And no wonder the Harry Potter industry provides the material goods for the identifiers: the generations are joined through an act of consumption" (Blake 87).

Ironically, although Harry is an everyman, a kind of blank slate with which all persons can identify, people feel more like Harry if they buy objects associated with his image and with the series. And even in the series itself Harry himself is fascinated by the comforts of 'retail therapy' as he must buy the trappings of wizardry, no matter how fantastic his natural abilities. This further underlines the wonderful ordinariness of magic for the reader or viewer -- it is something that can be bought, even as it simultaneously underlines Harry's special and gifted status.

However, it could….....

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