Феномен Гарри Поттера

Муниципальное бюджетное общеобразовательное учреждение

«Средняя общеобразовательная школа № 2

имени Героя Советского Союза Н. И. Бореева»

ФЕНОМЕН ГАРРИ ПОТТЕРА

Лингвистическая секция

                                                  Выполнил:

                                             Светлана Королёва, обучающаяся 10Б класса

                                        МБОУ СОШ № 2 имени Героя Советского                                                Союза Н. И. Бореева

                                                  Руководитель:

                                             О. Б. Размахнина, учитель английского языка

Моршанск

2012

The Content

Introduction……………………………………...…………………………………3

1. The Analysis of the Plot ………………………..……………………………….4

2. The Stylistic Features of the Series

     2.1. J.K.Rowling’s Graphics…………………………………………………….7

     2.2. J.K.Rowling’s Spelling ..……………….….………………...……………. 8

     2.3. J.K.Rowling’s Vocabulary……………….………………...………………9

          2.3.1. Linguistic inventions with borrowings ……………………………….9

          2.3.2. Symbolism …………………………………………………………..10

          2.3.3. Descriptive Words …………………………………………………..11

          2.3.4. Metaphors……………………………………………………………12

          2.3.5. Similes……………………………………………………………….12

          2.3.6. Alliteration…………………………………………………………...13

          2.3.7. Anagram …………………………………………………………….13

          2.3.8. Pun…………………………………………………………………...14

          2.3.9. Poems and Songs…………………………………………………….15

3. Fan Reading as a Social Phenomenon………………….………………………18

4. Russian Teenagers’ Opinion about Harry Potter Series ……………………….21

Conclusion………………………………………………………………..……….22

List of Literature……..……………………………………………………………23

Appendix 1 ……………………………………………………………………….25

Appendix 2 ……………………………………………………………………….26

Appendix 3 ……………………………………………………………………….27

Appendix 4 ……………………………………………………………………….28

Appendix 5 ……………………………………………………………………….29

Appendix 6 ……………………………………………………………………....30

Introduction

There are few people nowadays who have never heard of a boy called Harry Potter. Pottermania has expanded to become a significant cultural phenomenon complete with a feature film and a wide range of paraphernalia.

 J.K.Rowling’s Harry Potter series have been translated into as many as 63 languages (only the Bible has been translated into more). They have become part of global popular culture and, thus, have affected every-day life.

Harry Potter has been credited with drawing children away from their games consoles and TV screens. Rowling has proved that children's books are still capable of capturing and enchanting an immense audience, irrespective of the competing attractions of digital delights of today.

In a survey by the Federation of Children’s Book Group (Wikipedia) 84% of British teachers stated that their pupils were more likely to read a book today than in the pre-Potter days. 73% of them said they regarded Potter as a gateway to reading chiefly for children who previously were unlikely to read. [19]

So why has “Harry Potter” been such an overwhelming success? What is it about Rowling’s texts that mesmerize so many readers of so many ages around the globe?

The aim of our work is to study the immense popularity of J.K.Rowling’s Harry Potter series and its social impact drawing attention to children’s reading as a vital part of individual development.

The hypothesis: “There are outstanding stylistic features that make the series so extremely popular”.

The subject of the research is J.K.Rowling’s literary style and narrative techniques.

The objects of the research are the Harry Potter series in the original and in Russian translation, Harry Potter fan sites, critical books and essays.

 Skills developed: critical thinking, etymological analysis, cultural analysis.

1. The Analysis of the Plot

J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series offers a highly entertaining set of variations on three stock formulae for children’s fiction: the initiation of a wizard, the boys’ school story, and the story of an orphan recovering from loss to find a place in the world. [11, p. 3]

There is much that is traditional and familiar within children’s literature: the combination of an escapist fantasy powered by children, set within the wholesome nostalgia created by the boarding school setting; the Dahlesque beginning; the Tolkien overtones; and the Narnian fantasy sequence in the Forbidden Forest, let alone other more exact points of reference. In Harry’s case the distinction lies in Rowling’s blend of all of these and her skill at retelling the familiar in an original way. She is particularly notable for her ability to control the complex plot and to deliver it with an excellent sense of pace, for her attention to detail, for her sense of humour and for the addition of some fizzing magic which turns the familiar into the spectacular. [8, p.8]

The Harry Potter novels fall within the genre of fantasy literature; however, in many aspects they are also bildungsromans, or coming of age novels, and contain elements of mystery, adventure, thriller, and romance. They can be considered part of the British children's boarding school genre, which includes Rudyard Kipling's Stalky & Co., Enid Blyton's Malory Towers, St. Clare's and the Naughtiest Girl series, and Frank Richards's Billy Bunter novels: the Harry Potter books are predominantly set in Hogwarts, a fictional British boarding school for wizards, where the curriculum includes the use of magic. They are also, in the words of Stephen King, "shrewd mystery tales", and each book is constructed in the manner of a Sherlock Holmes-style mystery adventure. [20]

The stories are told from a third person limited point of view with very few exceptions (such as the opening chapters of Philosopher's Stone and Deathly Hallows and the first two chapters of Half-Blood Prince).

In the middle of each book, Harry struggles with the problems he encounters, and dealing with them often involves the need to violate some school rules. If students are caught breaking rules, they are often disciplined by Hogwarts professors, who employ the use of punishments often found in the boarding school sub-genre. However, the stories reach their climax in the summer term, near or just after final exams, when events escalate far beyond in-school squabbles and struggles, and Harry must confront either Voldemort or one of his followers, the Death Eaters, with the stakes a matter of life and death–a point underlined, as the series progresses, by one or more characters being killed in each of the final four books. In the aftermath, he learns important lessons through exposition and discussions with head teacher and mentor Albus Dumbledore.

In the final novel, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Harry and his friends spend most of their time away from Hogwarts, and only return there to face Voldemort at the dénouement. Completing the bildungsroman format, in this part Harry must grow up prematurely, losing the chance of a last year as a pupil in a school and needing to act as an adult, on whose decisions everybody else depends—the grown-ups included.

One of the reasons that children easily relate to the Harry Potter series is that the books mirror a plot and structure form that they recognize from very early childhood: the folktale.

Vladimir Propp, a Russian and Soviet formalist scholar, analyzed the basic plot components of folk tales to identify their simplest irreducible narrative elements. [29]

According to V.Propp, after the initial situation is depicted, the tale takes the sequence of 31 functions. Table 1 parallels Propp’s functions with “Harry Potter and the Philosopher Stone”. (Appendix 1)

Besides, there are eight character types. [30]

The villain — struggles against the hero. (Voldemort)

The donor — character who makes the lack known and sends the hero off. (Varies from book to book, sometimes there are multiple donors: Hagrid, Ron, Hermiona, Lupin)

The (magical) helper — helps the hero in the quest. (Headwig, the elf Dobbi)

The princess or prize — the hero deserves her throughout the story but is unable to marry her because of an unfair evil, usually because of the villain. The hero's journey is often ended when he marries the princess, thereby beating the villain. (the Philosopher Stone)

The father — gives the task to the hero, identifies the false hero, marries the hero, often sought for during the narrative. (Professor Dumbldore)

The dispatcher —prepares the hero or gives the hero some magical object.( Professor Dumbldore, McGonagall, Hagrid, Sirius Black)

The hero or victim-seeker hero — reacts to the donor, weds the princess. (Harry Potter)

False hero — takes credit for the hero’s actions or tries to marry the princess. ( Professor Quirrel, Tom Riddle)

Because of the plots of the books so closely resemble folktale structure, young readers are accustomed to the progression of the events. The folktale structure allows to communicate with  the plots in a way that is familiar to both young and older readers. This makes the plot of each book easier to understand and remember.

2. THE STYLISTIC FEATURES OF THE BOOK

2.1. J.K. Rowling’s Graphics

Rowling makes very conscious use of the typography of the text. Punctuation and special characters are used to mark extraordinary situations or states of mind. Writing words in capital letters or in italics always refers to either their phonetics, their emphasis or a change of speaker.

Dear Professor Dumbledore,  

Given Harry his letter.  Taking him to buy his things tomorrow.  Weather's horrible. Hope you're Well.  

Hagrid  (HP1 )[12]

Capital letters usually indicate speaking very loudly:

"I AM NOT PAYING FOR SOME CRACKPOT OLD FOOL TO TEACH HIM MAGIC TRICKS!" yelled Uncle Vernon.  

But he had finally gone too far. Hagrid seized his umbrella and whirled it over his head, "NEVER," he thundered, "- INSULT-ALBUS-DUMBLEDORE-IN-FRONT-OF-ME!" ( HP1) [12]

- Я НЕ БУДУ ПЛАТИТЬ ЗА ТО, ЧТОБЫ КАКОЙ-ТО ОПОЛОУМЕВШИЙ СТАРЫЙ ДУРАК УЧИЛ ЕГО ВСЯКИМ ФОКУСАМ! – прокричал дядя Вернон.

        Тут он зашел слишком далеко. Хагрид схватил свой зонтик, завертел им над головой, а его голос загремел словно гром.

        - НИКОГДА… НЕ ОСКОРБЛЯЙ… ПРИ МНЕ…. АЛЬБУСА ДАМБЛДОРА! [1, p. 75]

Beginning a word with a capital letter often means it has an addition to its lexical meaning – a special function within a magical world.

The size of typewriting gets smaller from book to book as readers grow together with the heroes.

2.2. J.K. Rowling’s Spelling

Rowling uses the technique of deliberate violations of spelling in order to describe the character's social status. For example, Hagrid speaks like this:

"Las' time I saw you, you was only a baby," said the giant. "Yeh look a lot like yet dad, but yeh've got yet mom's eyes." (HP1) [12]

- Когда я видел тебя в последний раз, ты совсем маленьким был, - сообщил великан. – А сейчас вон как вырос – и вылитый отец, ну один в один просто. А глаза материны. [1, p. 60]

Grawp speaks like a little child, no matter the height and the loudness of his voice.

        'HERMY!' roared Grawp. 'WHERE HAGGER?' []

'GRAWP WANT HAGGER!' (HP5) [16]

- ГЕРМИ! – прорычал Грох. – ГДЕ ХАГГЕР? []

- ГРОХХ НАДО ХАГГЕР! [5, p. 716]

Professor Quirrell’s enunciation is not distinct.

"P-P-Potter," stammered Professor Quirrell, grasping Harry's hand, "c-can't t-tell you how p- pleased I am to meet you."[]

"D-Defense Against the D-D-Dark Arts," muttered Professor Quirrell, as though he'd rather not think about it. "N-not that you n-need it, eh, P-P-Potter?" (HP1) [12]

        - П-п-потер! – произнёс, заикаясь, профессор Квиррел и схватил Гарри за руку. – Н-не могу п-передать, насколько я п-польщён встречей с вами.

          Защита от Т-т-темных искусств, пробормотал Квиррел с таким видом, словно ему не нравилось то, что он сказал. – Н-не то чтобы вам это было н-нужно, верно, П-п-поттер? [1, p. 87]

As we can see, the translators try to express the ideas of the author in Russian.

2.3. J.K. Rowling’s Vocabulary

Rowling uses the language very consciously. Language is the decisive medium in the world of Harry Potter: spells must be pronounced correctly, one’s destination must be shouted clearly while traveling by “Floo Powder”. Each house in Hogwarts is protected by an individual password, etc. As these examples show, oral communication is vitally important to produce magic and to protect you from your enemies.

Critics’ views on Rowling’s stylistic capability differ much. Having analyzed the books we stand for those who appreciate her original, creative style. The dialogues of the Harry Potter novels are especially authentic, because they are adapted to their readers’ linguistic and intellectual level. Rowling develops a special “Potter-Code” using a specific system of allusions and linguistic inventions.

2.3.1. Linguistic Inventions with Borrowings

Rowling frequently uses Latin and words of other foreign languages. The spells usually are derived from Latin and Romance words.

Wingardium Leviosa ( "wing" + "arduus" L. high, steep + "levo" to raise up, levitate)

A basic charm that allows the target to float up to five feet above the ground

Expecto Patronum  ( "expecto" L. expect or look for + "patronus" Medieval L. patron saint, symbolizing a patron or assistant )

Conjures a Patronus, a silvery phantom shape, usually that of an animal, which is the embodiment of the positive thoughts of the caster.

Avada Kedavra ("Killing Curse" Aramaic: "adhadda kedhabhra" - "let the thing be destroyed".)

         Abracadabra is a cabbalistic charm in Judaic mythology that is supposed to bring healing powers. One of its sources is believed to be from Aramaic avada kedavra, another is the Phoenician alphabet (a-bra-ca-dabra).

The spells are transliterated into Russian.

2.3.2. Symbolism

Symbolism is the practice of representing things by symbols, or of investing things with a symbolic meaning or character. A symbol is an object, action, or idea that represents something other than itself. A lot of words have a symbolic meaning. The name of the game Quidditch consists of some lettess of the four balls: (Qu)affle + Blu(d)ger + Blu(d)ger + Sn(itch). Besides, "quiddity" means "the essence or real nature of a thing" (англ. суть, сущность).

Practically all character names are highly symbolic.

The name “Hermione” is Greek and literally means “belonging to Hermes.” Since Hermes was the god of language, this draws attention to Hermione’s verbal fluency. In Shakespeare’s play A Winter’s Tale Queen Hermione suffers from a jealous husband, which reminds us of Ron’s jealousy over Hermione. A “granger” was the superintendent of a large farm or “grange” — a very respectable, middle-class sort of person.

Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle have no separate personalities. They were even named as a unit, “crabbe and goyle” being a spoonerism for “grab and coil,” the movement of a snake. “Vincent” is Latin for “conquering” and “Gregory” is Greek for “watchman,” but these names should be interpreted in a very limited sense: Vincent will conquer (violently) everything that stands in Draco’s way, while Gregory is his watchman and bodyguard.

         “Crabbe” is in fact a real surname, indicating a person who lives near a “crab-apple tree.” Perhaps it’s a pun on a “crabby” mood, or a reminder of the crustacean with the pincer-grip. The word “crabbe” is Norse, suggesting that Vincent’s huge build was inherited from some ancestor who was a Viking berserker. British schoolchildren still shiver at the memory of these brutal pirates who rampaged across eastern Britain in the ninth century to loot, burn and murder. When J.K.Rowling named Draco’s second henchman “Goyle,” she was probably thinking of an ugly “gargoyle” — a drinking fountain shaped like a monstrous face. [22]

There is a deep meaning in every name but we are restricted by the limits of our research to tell about them. It is a pity Russian readers can not understand most of the symbolism. The only way is to read Harry Potter novels in English and to use an English-English etymological dictionary.

2.3.3. Descriptive Words

 Most authors expend substantial effort on description, describing scenes, events or characters so that readers will be able to visualize them. The best descriptions often offer no more than hints, keywords, a trained butler's unobtrusive opening of a particular door. The reader goes through that door himself or herself.

         Rowling’s descriptions are slyly non-descriptive. She gives what she wants to describe a name, and leaves the rest up to the reader. The following examples are all from “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone”.

Consider her description of Hagrid when he bursts into the Hut-on-the-Rock. He's “large, hairy, and has beetle-bright eyes. He has a large overcoat and a pink umbrella”.

 Now Draco Malfoy, in Madam Malkin's the first time: "a boy with a pale, pointed face."

Mr Ollivander: "An old man was standing before them, his wide pale eyes shining like moons through the gloom of the shop."

Ron Weasley, at King's Cross: "tall, thin and gangling, with freckles, big hands and feet and a long nose." Oh yes, and there was the little black smudge on his nose.

Hermione, on the Hogwarts Express: "She had a bossy sort of voice, lots of bushy brown hair and rather large front teeth."

Professor McGonagall, meeting the first-years at the castle door: "She had a very stern face and Harry's first thought was that this was not someone to cross."

Snape, at the first Hogwarts dinner: "a teacher with greasy black hair, a hooked nose and sallow skin." [25]

 In each case, this is more or less all that we ever hear about the appearance of these characters. What Rowling gives the reader is an assemblage of discrete physical characteristics; the reader fills in the gaps, literally. For example, the description of Hermione, (British, big teeth, bushy brown hair, and likes to cook in boiling water... I ask you). What Rowling's reader later finds out about the characters is based on what they say and how they behave.

2.3.4. Metaphors

Some chapter titles have a metaphorical meaning that only becomes clear having read the chapter.

“AUNT MARGE’S BIG MISTAKE” - «БОЛЬШАЯ ОШИБКА ТЕТУШКИ МАРДЖ» (HP2, chapter 2) [12] not only mentions Marge making a mistake, but also means that in this chapter she herself becomes enormous.

In fact, Rowling does not use complex metaphors, but only refers to things well-known to the reader.

2.3.5. Similes

Rowling prefers similes, phrases that describe something by comparing it to something else using the word ‘like’ or ‘as’.

Aunt Petunia often said that Dudley looked like a baby angel - Harry often said that Dudley looked like a pig in a wig.  (HP1) [12]

Тетя Петунья часто твердила, что Дадли похож на маленького ангела, а Гарри говорил про себя, что Дадли похож на свинью в парике. [1, p. 28]

Aunt Petunia looked as though she'd just swallowed a lemon. (HP1) [12]

Вид у тети Петуньи был такой, словно она проглотила лимон. [1, p. 31]

Harry Potter shone like a beacon of hope.  (HP2) [13, p. 194]

…as darkness spread like a curtain (HP4) [15, p. 105]

Ginny made a noise like an angry cat. (HP5) [16, p. 85]

His head was spinning as though he’d just traveled miles by Floo Powder. (HP2) [13, p. 346]

2.3.6. Alliteration

Rowling often uses rhetorical devices n her chapter titles: some alliterate or repeat sound:

“The Keeper of the Keys” (Хранитель Ключей)  (HP1 Chapter 2)  [1], [12]

or in names like

Godric Gryffindor ( Годрик Гриффиндор)

Helga Hufflepuff (Пенелопа Пуффендуй)

Rowena Ravenclaw ( Кандида Когтевран)

Salazar Slytherin (Салазар Слизерин)

Thanks to Russian translation we can see the same effect in a great number of names. E.g., the nickname of Alastor Moody known as Mad-Eye Moody since he lost an eye in the fight against Voldemort and his supporters, and replaced it with a magical eye sounds appropriate in Russian (Грозный Глаз Грюм). [4], [14]

2.3.7. Anagram

The climactic scene in 'Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets' is the showdown with Voldemort in the Chamber of Secrets at Chapter 17. And the climactic moment is when Tom Riddle uses Harry's wand to trace three shimmering words in the air:

TOM MARVOLO RIDDLE

Riddle then waves the wand once and the letters of his name re-arrange themselves into a terrifying revelation:

I AM LORD VOLDEMORT

Besides this re-arrangement, there is a second level of word play in this name: 'Tom Riddle' tells us exactly the nature of the name - a riddle. In order to translate this wordplay 100%, you need to find a name that can be re-ordered to mean 'I am Voldemort', and what's more it should mean something like 'riddle'. It seems to be an impossible order, but we are lucky to have a good translation.

In Russian it is: Том Нарволо Реддл - Лорд Волан-де Морт [2, p.434]

2.3.8. Pun

Puns are used to create humor and sometimes require a large vocabulary to understand. Rowling widely uses homophones:

'You'd have to ask Loony. Luna, I mean.' (HP5) [15]

"loony" Eng. slang - 'crazy,' from "lunatic", which is from luna - Latin, 'moon', derived from the belief that sanity is affected by the phase of the moon.

 "love" + "good" could refer to the fact that Luna shows the rather peculiar but admirable quality of loving those who don't show much affection toward her (judging by the way she acts towards those she knows are ridiculing her and stealing her things).

• Лучше спроси Полоумну Лавгуд. В смысле – Полумну. [5, p. 428]

A brilliant translation of the first name, the last name is transliterated.

Some puns are also homographs.

Students of wizardry have exams like everyone else. In Hogwarts, there are two levels that students must pass. The first is O.W.Ls, which stands for 'Ordinary Wizarding Levels'. Then there is N.E.W.Ts, the 'Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests', the highest level that Hogarts offers. O.W.Ls and/or N.E.W.Ts are mentioned in a number of places, and the treatment is subtly different at each mention.

M.D.Litvinova actually succeeds in explaining the pun involved in calling the exams O.W.Ls and N.E.W.Ts.

Book 2  Chapter 4 ('Flourish and Blotts'):

'Wish I knew what he (Percy) was up to,' said Fred, frowning. 'He's not himself. His exam results came the day before you did; twelve OWLs and he hardly gloated at all.'

'Ordinary Wizarding Levels,' George explained, seeing Harry's puzzled look.        - Знать бы, что у него на уме,-сдвинув брови, проговорил Фред. – Последнее время он так изменился. За день до твоего приезда, Гарри, он получил результаты экзаменов. Двенадцать С.О.В.! А он даже не повёл бровью.

«С.О.В. значит «суперотменное волшебство», - объяснил Джордж, заметив недоумённый взгляд Гарри». [2, p. 66]

The first time OWLs appears. George explains the meaning. It is clear that OWLs comes from the initials of the name 'Ordinary Wizarding Levels'.

Book 3 Chapter 16 ('Professor Trelawney's Prediction'):

Even Fred and George Weasley had been spotted working; they were about to take their O.W.Ls (Ordinary Wizarding Levels). Percy was getting ready to sit his N.E.W.Ts (Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests), the highest qualification Hogwarts offered.

Даже Фреду и Джорджу Уизли пришлось унизиться до зубрёжки – им предстояло сдавать экзамены по Суперотменному Волшебству. У Перси задача была куда серьёзнее – он готовился к сдаче ЖАБА (Жутко Академической Блестящей Аттестации). Это была самая высокая степень, получаемая в Хогвартсе. [3, p.363]        

The Russian translation is perfect.

i) poems and  songs

J. K. Rowling appears to have a poetic ability. Verses serve to intensify the meaning of the message. That is why the wizard bank Gringotts communicates its security measures in verse (HP1) [12] [1, p.90]

Harry Potter novels are full of funny poems.

'Weasley is our King'  is the vicious song that Malfoy wrote in order to undermine Ron's confidence as a Keeper in Quidditch and throw him off balance during matches. [5, p.385]

The Griffindors sang a new and different version. [5, p.386]

 And the Hogwarts school anthem contrasts to the usually quite solemn lyrics of real anthems, this song is down-to-earth. It represents the pupils’ attitude to their school: they adore it and regard Hogwarts as their friendly helper to achievement. The School anthem makes readers smile as it differs much from other ones, defining Hogwarts as a real home for its students. (HP1) [1, p.160-161]

No wonder, such important magical object as the Sorting Hat speaks in verse. (HP1) [1, p. 129] (Appendix 2)

It is I.V. Oranskiy who translated all the poems above. We suggest our translation of the lyrics of the Hat’s Song. (Appendix 3)  We have tried to cover the rhythm and the ideas of the song. At the same time, the choice of words in our translation differs from the one by I. V. Oranskiy .  

3. FAN READING AS A SOCIAL PHENOMENON

Fan reading is a social process through which individual interpretations are shaped and reinforced through ongoing discussions with other readers. Such discussions expand the experience of the text beyond its initial consumption. The produced meanings are the readers’ lives and are of a fundamentally different character from meanings generated through a casual and fleeting encounter with an otherwise unremarkable (and unremarked upon) text. For the fan, these previously “poached” meanings provide a foundation for future encounters with the fiction, shaping how it will be perceived, defining how it will be used. [9, p. 356]

Many avid Potter fans readers want to be more than just readers. By inventing their own stories about Harry Potter and other characters from Rowling's books and by adding new elements and structures to the Potter cosmos, they are assuming even the author's role. They take on both Harry's and J. K. Rowling's point of view.

Thus the universe of the Potter books appears to become deeper and richer every day. This growing complexity mirrors thousands of individual reading experiences and unique encounters with Rowling's books. As soon as these experiences are put down in written narratives, fixed to the computer screen, published on the internet and read, they tend to blur the borders of Rowling's world, splitting it into many possible Potter worlds which are only vaguely controlled by their reference to the original stories. They rearrange the given elements of Rowling's stories and add new ones. Sometimes they transfer Rowling's characters to different contexts and enjoy the tensions arising from those constellations. Often they are moving along the margins of Rowling's stories rather than in their centre. Most frequently they tell Harry's story from new points of view - or they might choose not to tell Harry's story, after all, but that of Draco, Hermione, Sirius, Snape, Neville or Filch. This gives them the opportunity to either enrich the plots of Rowling's books with new material, to add further subplots or to extend the original plots forward or backward in time. How did the Dursleys leave the Hut-on-the-Rock after Hagrid and Harry had taken the boat back to the mainland? Will Neville ever discover his true magic powers? What did Lupin do for a living before he started teaching DADA at Hogwarts? How exactly was Snape converted from a Death Eater into a supporter of the Order of the Phoenix?

The phenomenon of derivative stories is not something unique to the Harry Potter books. This is exactly what great stories always have done and always will do: they tend to multiply, while usually still preserving their original identity. They stimulate, incite and spur their readers to delve into the vast wealth of their details and to explore their abundance of narrative cores and seeds.

Many educators will recognize the connections between this type of fan reading behaviour and developing critical thinking skills.  

An overlooked aspect of the novels is their dedication to fun. The books are laced with funny names and ideas, characters that dedicate their lives to having fun and dropping quips, and magical artefacts that are guaranteed to raise a smile. Even lessons are turned into fun events with people using bizarre curses and spells to make each other dance or make light of your fears. Some fans have even dedicated their time to documenting their favourite funny quotes.

There are a number of things that make Harry Potter series a social phenomenon. Firstly, there’s the subject matter. Most people are interested in things that are out of the ordinary and witches and wizards certainly fit in that category.

Then there’s the attention to detail that has helped to create such a believable fictional universe. Rowling has thought of how everything operates and how everyone got to where they are. Practically every character has a detailed back-story, and they all intertwine to provide a rich tapestry of history. Even the books the children study have been pondered over, whether they bring something to the narrative or not. And Rowling stated in a TV interview that there are details that she has which will never make it into the books. That is some serious pondering, but then, she did spend five years in development before completing the first book.

Another aspect is the age of and race/species of the main characters. They are of the same age as their target audience and the main roles are all filled by human characters. That leads nicely on to the development of the characters and plot. Most children’s novels, until recently at least, did not have their characters develop over time. Rowling decided early on that we would follow the characters through their seven years at Hogwart’s School of Witchcraft and Wizardry with a novel for each year. This has allowed readers not only to get to know the characters, but to see them develop as they themselves are developing, while also allowing Rowling to explore their personalities in ever-changing circumstances.

It’s a world that is recognizable as a modern civilized culture, even if it’s one with a unique slant. Few series have spent time building and exploring how their governing bodies work, what happens if you break the rules, how they deal with criminal offences and offenders. Most modern novels are focused only on the plot that matters, rarely keeping an eye on the bigger picture, but Rowling’s groundwork has paid off and these books aren’t just about a small set of characters set against a much larger and largely unexplored universe. She has brought many different aspects into play, using each novel to bring in information both of the present and the past that will help in the future.

Rowling's works should not be relegated to the categories of pulp fiction or children's trends, which would deny their certain influence on the intellectual, emotional, and psychosocial development of today's children. The variety of contributions allows for a range of approaches and interpretive methods in exploring the novels, and reveals the deeper meanings and attitudes towards justice, education, race, foreign cultures, socioeconomic class, and gender. Following an introductory discussion of the Harry Potter phenomenon are essays considering the psychological and social-developmental experiences of children as mirrored in Rowling's novels.

Harry Potter books work with almost every group of people old enough to read. Young children read or listen to the books as though they were fairytales. Young adolescents see in the series some means of coming to terms with the real world. Adults use them as windows on the world of younger people, but also as modern myths to help them understand eternal mysteries.

4. RUSSIAN TEENAGERS’ OPINION ABOUT HARRY POTTER SERIES

To identify Russian teenagers’ attitude to Harry Potter, we have carried out a survey asking our 12 – 17 year-old schoolmates about Harry Potter series. (Appendix 4)

As we have predicted, all students say they know about Harry Potter. According to the survey, 98 per cent of them have seen Harry Potter films, though 74 in 158 respondents have read the books (46, 8 %) and only 4 students have done it in English (2, 5 %). The survey results demonstrate that a significant proportion of teenagers who have read the series like it (78, 3 %). When asked what they like more in J. K. Rowlings’ series, about 40 per cent of children choose its captivating plot rather than  the author’s writing style (21, 6 %) or the genre (6,2 %).  

Studying fan reading behaviour, we have found that 10 per cent have some paraphernalia while 6, 3 per cent of teens have ever clicked to Harry Potter sites. 4, 7 per sent of respondents sometimes read about J. K. Rowlings’ characters in teens’magazines. The survey also shows that only 18 in 158 (11, 3 %) would like to know more about J. K. Rowlings’ characters.

According to the survey we can say there is no Pottermania in our school. At the same time, almost half of the students we talked to have read the series and the majority of them enjoy reading about Harry Potter due to the fascinating plot, the author’s capability and personal reading preferences.  

CONCLUSION

It cannot be denied, Harry Potter's global triumph is without precedent. Nevertheless, a lot of teenagers in Russia loose their chance to get to the incredible world of J.K.Rowling’s Harry Potter series.  

We need books that help children learn about life, that contribute to their social and ethical development by raising questions of deep moral significance. The best literature offers children a type of “virtual experience” through which they can investigate ethical issues and asses the impact of different moral choices before they face these choices in real life. Living through the eyes of the heroes they read about, children can develop the courage and convictions they will need to stand against the more prosaic evils that will inevitably face as they grow up.

Containing powerful, thought-provoking literary themes as well as portrayals of social and cultural normalcy, the Potter books cumulatively serve as a powerful form of social text and deserve serious critical attention. On the basis of a text-based analysis of the whole series, from a purely literary point of view, Pottermania is not entirely comprehensible. It identifies Rowling's narrative techniques, explains the world view underlying this series and links it to the literary genres of narrative techniques children's and fantastic literature.

The hypothesis is partially proved. It is not only the author’s stylistic mastery but its brilliant combination with the plot and readers’ expectations that made the Harry Potter series a globe phenomenon.

The Harry Potter series are worth reading no matter the language. Readers are sure to get a real pleasure reading the books in the original to have a full vision of the events and to see the unique literary style of the author as we have done.

Books like these can engage readers, help them learn, recognize and appreciate good writing and above all introduce them to some of the enduring moral questions we face in society today.

LIST OF LITERATURE

1. Ролинг Дж. К. Гарри Поттер и философский камень: Роман/ Пер. с англ. И.В. Оранского. – М.: ЗАО «РОСМЭН-ПРЕСС», 2009. – 400 с.
2. Ролинг Дж. К. Гарри Поттер и Тайная комната: Роман/ Пер. с англ. М.Д.Литвиновой. – М : ЗАО «РОСМЭН-ПРЕСС», 2007. – 476 с.
3. Ролинг Дж. К. Гарри Поттер и узник Азкабана: Роман/ Пер. с англ. М.Д.Литвиновой. – М : ЗАО «РОСМЭН-ПРЕСС», 2007. – 512 с.
4. Ролинг Дж. К. Гарри Поттер и Кубок огня: Роман/ Пер. с англ. М.Д.Литвиновой, Н.А.Литвиновой, А.Г.Ляха, М.А. Межуева, Е.И. Саломатиной под ред. М.Д. Литвиновой. – М : ЗАО «РОСМЭН-ПРЕСС», 2007. – 667 с.
5. Ролинг Дж. К. Гарри Поттер и Орден Феникса: Роман/ Пер. с англ. В. Бабкова, В. Голышева, Л. Мотылева. – М : ЗАО «РОСМЭН-ПРЕСС», 2010. – 832 с.
6. Ролинг Дж. К. Гарри Поттер и Принц-полукровка: Роман/ Пер. с англ. М. Лахути, С. Ильина. – М : ЗАО «РОСМЭН-ПРЕСС», 2007. – 672 с.
7. Ролинг Дж. К. Гарри Поттер и Дары Смерти: Роман/ Пер. с англ. С. Ильина, М. Лахути, М. Сокольской. – М : ЗАО «РОСМЭН-ПРЕСС», 2007. – 640 с.

8. Мой друг Гарри Поттер / А. Гиймен; Пер. с франц. Л.Ю. Корнеевой. – М. : ООО «Издательство Астрель»: ООО «Издательство АСТ», 2003. – 319 с.

8. Eccleshare J. A Guide to the Harry Potter Novels . Continuum International Publishing Group.

http://books.google.ru/books?id=cHjF5K2uVdsC&pg=PA10&dq=the+most+imaginative+debut+since+Roald+Dahl&hl=ru#v=onepage&q=the%20most%20imaginative%20debut%20since%20Roald%20Dahl&f=false

9. Fenske C. Muggles, monsters and magicians: a literary analysis of the Harry Potter series.Peter Lang, 2008 . http://books.google.ru/books?id=209bSZOwMYoC&printsec=frontcover&hl=ru#v=onepage&q&f=false
10. The Ivory Tower and Harry Potter: Perspectives on a Literary Phenomenon, ed. Lana A. Whited. Columbia and London: University of Missouri Press, 2002.

http://books.google.ru/books?id=iO5pApw2JycC&pg=PA351&hl=ru#v=onepage&q&f=false

11. Reading Harry Potter: Critical Essays edited by Giselle Liza Anatol. Greenwood Publishing Group, 2003.

http://books.google.ca/books?id=-ICQemqaEC&lpg=PP1&dq=Harry%20Potter&pg=PP1#v=onepage&q&f=true

12. Rowling, J. K. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. London: Bloomsbury, 1997.
13. Rowling, J. K. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. London: Bloomsbury, 1998.
14. Rowling, J. K. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. London: Bloomsbury, 1999.
15. Rowling, J. K. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. London: Bloomsbury, 2000.
16. Rowling, J. K. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. London: Bloomsbury, 2003.
17. Rowling, J. K. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. London: Bloomsbury, 2005.
18. Rowling, J. K. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. London: Bloomsbury, 2007.
19. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Potter
20. http://cw.routledge.com/textbooks/0415281059/about/pdf/Stylistics_B5.pdf
21.  http://www.etymonline.com/
22.  http://www.theninemuses.net/hp/list.html
23. http://www.cjvlang.com/Hpotter/index.html

APPENDIX 1

V. PROPP’S MODEL AND HARRY POTTER AND THE PHILOSOPHER’S STONE

APPENDIX 2       THE SORTING HAT’S SONG IN I.V. ORANSKIY’S TRASLATION

APPENDIX 3                   THE SORTING HAT’S SONG IN OUR TRANSLATION

APPENDIX 4

THE QUESTIONS OF THE HARRY POTTER SURVEY

(Questions 4-6 are for those who have read the Harry Potter series.)

1. Have you ever heard about Harry Potter?
2. Have you seen the Harry Potter films?
3. Have you read the Harry Potter series?
4. What language have you read (Russian, English, both)?
5.  Have you enjoyed the reading?
6. What do you like more about the series (the fascinating plot, the author’s literary style, the genre)?
7. Have you ever visited Harry Potter sites?
8. Have you ever read about Harry Potter in magazines for teenagers?
9. Have you got any Harry Potter paraphernalia?
10.  Would you like to know more about the Potterworld?

APPENDIX 5

HARRY POTTER SITES

http://www.pottermore.com/

http://www.jkrowling.com/accessible/en/

http://www.accio-quote.org/index.html

http://harrypotter.scholastic.com/

http://www.the-leaky-cauldron.org/

http://www.mugglenet.com/

http://www.snitchseeker.com/

http://www.hp-lexicon.org/index-2.html

http://dhog.ru/

http://www.isabelperez.com/harrypotter.htm

http://www.eulenfeder.de/hpliteratur.html

http://potterwords.livejournal.com/9493.html

http://www.m5p.com/~pravn/hp/index.html 

http://harrypotter.bloomsbury.com/

http://potterrus.hpn.ru/

http://ru.harrypotter.wikia.com

http://potterwords.livejournal.com/9493.html

http://harrypotter.scholastic.com/sorcerers_stone/

http://pottersenemy.narod.ru/book_load.html

http://harrypotter.warnerbros.co.uk/hp7b/dvd/

http://www.harrypotter-movie.ru/skachat-knigi/

APPENDIX 6

INTERNATIONAL ACADEMIC SYMPOSIA, CONFERENCES, CONGRESSES, CONVENTIONS EXPLORING THE CULTURAL INFLUENCE OF THE HARRY POTTER BOOKS AND FILMS

HELD IN 2012

http://pottercon2012.com/

http://call-for-papers.sas.upenn.edu/node/42026/

http://hp2012.org/

http://magicismight2012.blogspot.com/

http://www.leakycon.com/

http://www.klzevents.com/WizardCon/english/home/

http://www.quibblo.com/tag/harry-potter