Harry Potter; Fact or Fantasy?

 I decided to do my essay on the facts and fantasy in the Harry Potter Series. The reason being, is because as I read the books, I noticed subtle truths and facts under the plot. I began to ask other if they saw what I say, and here you go. Harry Potter; fact or fantasy. 

Harry Potter has captivated the imaginations of readers and viewers for over 13 years. Some (like myself) have stuck with Harry (and friends) through Dragons, Mer-people, battles, and much more, until the very end. To think all of this was spun from the thread that is the mind of J.K. Rowling. However, how much of this is fantasy? Could there be fact and reality under all of this magic, mystery, and mayhem? The answer is yes, if you only look hard enough.

Dragons, wands, potions, and spells? Sounds more like a fairytale than a worldwide best selling young adult series. However, what fact lies behind fantasy? The idea of magic is as old as time itself. Numerous religions and ethnic groups have sprung up around the world claiming to possess magical powers, such as the Wiccan, Druid, and Voodoo. Some others believe that magic (Magick to some) is an evil and satanic rite. Some have even had book burnings of the Harry Potter series. Others claim it is just an innocent young adult novel. Some rituals that are considered magical (by some) that appear often in the media world are the Séance, Ouija boards, and voodoo dolls.    

Anyone who has read third through seventh Harry Potter books has heard of the terrible nightmarish creatures known as Dementors. They must have been created on the sort of “dark side” of J.K. Rowling’s mind. Dementors are the physical embodiment of fear and depression itself. They cause your worst memories to all come flooding back at once, and if they get close enough to you, suck out your very soul. The way they do this is a little gross, but it is known as the “Dementors Kiss.” The way it works is they weaken you with their power to cause your worst memories to submerge you in a sort of trance. Then, they swoop down to your face, and they lower their hood that they wear to conceal their grotesque faces, and they unhinge their jaw. Then, the rest is simple, they simply clamp their jaw over your mouth, and simply suck until your soul goes up through your mouth and into theirs. This must be an excruciatingly painful process. What’s worse is you don’t exactly die; you live a life without any emotion or feeling. Luckily, in the book, there is a way to protect yourself from the Dementors. It is a very special type of spell cast by a wizard or witch. The spell is extremely difficult to master and is different for every person, but when mastered its power is immeasurable. This spell is called a Patronus.

There are two types of Patronus’s. The first type is a simple silver shield like barrier, which keeps the Dementors at bay. The other kind is much more powerful, and is called a “full body Patronus.” A full body Patronus comes to a witch in the form of an animal. This kind of Patronus doesn’t only stop the Dementors from attacking you, but it actually banishes them. To conjure a Patronus, you must think of the happiest memory you can think of. J.K. Rowling said that the Dementors were inspired by her period of depression. The Patronus in her life was her two year old daughter. This shows that we all have obstacles in our life that we need to overcome. Even if we feel life is hopeless and full of despair.

In the books and movies, students get to the school of magic (Hogwarts) by train. However, to get to the train, Students have to pass through a brick barrier separating platforms 9 and 10 in kings cross station. After you go through this barrier, you emerge at platform 9 and three quarters. Some speculate that J.K. Rowling wrote this into the story as to say that in order to enter the magical world, you have to give up your sense of reality. You have to in a sense “lose yourself” in the magic. After all, nothing in science or reality could explain a person passing through a brick wall.

You see? If you only look, you will see real world connections and reality under all of the fantasy. Even if you don’t like to admit it, even the best of writers get their ideas from the real world and their own experiences. Here’s a little something to think about. If you want to write a story or book, then what in your life or the lives of others seem magical? After all, we’ve all dreamed at one point we had magic in our lives.