Without magic, Harry Potter would be yet another English boarding school story. Those stories are literally old school, with boarding school segments in both Jane Eyre and David Copperfield dating back to the 19th Century. And no, we're not talking about the David Copperfield that made the Statue of Liberty disappear.
Harry Potter isn't making any Hogwarts statuary disappear, but he does delivers on the magical elements, giving the traditional English boarding school stories a fantastic twist that really comes to life on the big screen.
Questions about The Supernatural
- What new magical elements are introduced in Prisoner of Azkaban?
- How does Harry Potter take familiar magical elements—like werewolves—and adapt them into something unique to its world?
- How does Harry Potter use magical elements to complicate and enhance typical teenage themes, like growing up and finding your identity?
Chew on This
Magic is both good and bad. It can help Harry—the Time Turner or the Patronus charm—and it can hurt him—Dementors and Lupin's lycanthropy.
It sounds cheesy, but Harry's true power comes from within. His growing self-confidence makes him a more powerful wizard.