First off, J.K. Rowling manages to create a widely successful series without even mentioning spooning, awkward euphamisms, and other sexual endeavors. So much of today's generation has been about sex, sex, sex, because you know what, sex sells. Or so says everyone who wants to take the easy (haha, get it?) way out. But friends, you know what other glorious cliché there is alongside "sex sells"? Oh wait, that's right, you can't buy happiness. Which means you certainly can't sell it. The books with the cheap morals that regurgitate themes (Cough, cough, Twilight, cough) sell a product, a formula that spits out: Lonesome, relateable person+attractive suave person=let's screw. J.K. Rowling goes deeper than that. She's not selling a formula, she's observing and commenting on human nature. The friendship between Harry, Ron, and Hermione takes time to build up. It's not like they run into each other and go "hey, I think you're kinda cool, let's be best friends." If you don't recall, there was severe animosity between Ron and Hermione before they exchanged pleasantries; their friendship grew through their love of Harry, and, y'know, fear of Snape. This models real life so much more than "ooh, a vampire, he's cute, I FREAKING LOVE HIM." Unless you're in sixth grade. In which case, go get your hormones out and get back to me at Sane O'Clock.
Not to say there isn't a good chunk of romance in Harry Potter, but Rowling so easily transcends the awkward missteps and politics of crush-dum, that it doesn't make people bang their foreheads against the table and cry, "Why can't my life be this easy, wah wah, I'm such a failure at relationships, Imnotasupermodelstaratsexorsmoothtalkingdonjuan!" You can easily create a fairy princess story where one person falls for the other the instant their eyes meet. Observing the ticks of small talk and crushes takes both skill and lots of practice to successfully translate that to a page. Harry and Cho Chang dance around their interest in one another, which makes the story suspenseful, and, wait for it.......REAL-FREAKING-ISTIC. There is no such thing as perfectly woo-ing someone. Ever. Never.
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| Aww, so he eventually did "woo" her...but just sayin', it took time |
While a large portion of Harry Potter deals with battling demons, snakes, and Voldemort (oh my!), a prevalent theme throughout the series is courage. It goes past than the cool scenes in which the hero blows up bad guys and gets a badge of honor at the end. Harry Potter, in book one, battled Voldemort for the sorcerer's stone--And for absolutely no personal gain. The mirror of Erised recognized Harry's selfless sacrifice, and ended up giving him the stone. Harry Potter didn't desire mortality--he simply wanted justice. He put his own life on the line in order for Hogwarts to be safe. This book teaches us that you shouldn't battle through your nemesis and life searching for personal merit--or you will forever be disappointed. And that is something we could all stand to learn. Ron may be the cowardly character, but Rowling presents his courage when he and Harry play Wizard's chess and he must sacrifice himself for the sake of the game--only then can Harry move on to the next step to defeat Voldemort. In a time of need, Ron set his own fears aside (alright, so he didn't end up dying, but he didn't know that at the time, now did he?). Neville Longbottom, the most cowardly character of all, stands up to his friends when he sees they are making a wrong and dangerous decision (then he gets "patrificus totalus"ed by Hermione, but hey, he tried). Not only that, but in book seven, he steps up as one of the main heroes and destroys Nagini, one of Voldemort's horcruxes. For the well being of a whole, rather than just the individual self, these characters displayed remarkable courage. And J.K. Rowling does it in a way that is well written, creative, and enjoyable for every age.
Oh, and she made Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans happen. And that's always fun.
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