Harry Potter, the main character in the wildly popular novels written by British writer J.K. Rowling, holds an undeniable fascination for children around the world. As an early reviewer of the first book observed: “I have yet to find a child who can put it down.” What is the underlying dynamic that attracts children so strongly to Harry Potter?
The underlying message of the Harry Potter books is one that students seldom hear in contemporary public schools: that what matters most is character, not popularity or academic success. Yet this message is very much in accord with research done in recent years by Nobel laureate James Heckman and a diverse group of economists, psychologists, educators, and neuroscientists. Their work shows that it is non-cognitive skills—like the ability to think ahead, persist in tasks, and adapt to one’s environment—that best predict real-world success.
Much has been said about Rowling’s use of magic in the Harry Potter books. Yet, although there are plenty of spells and potions, the books contain no demons. Like the science of our own world, the magic in Harry Potter’s world is viewed as a tool that can be used for either good or evil, depending on the goals of those using it. There are also decided limits to what can be done, even through magic. As Harry finds out to his grief: “No spell can reawaken the dead.”
When the reader first gets to know Harry, he is a scrawny, miserable, black-haired boy whose spectacles are held together by tape. Movie viewers see 10-year-old Harry waking up in the cramped closet under the stairs that serves as his bedroom. No sooner is he awake than Harry is put to work, cooking breakfast for his aunt, uncle, and cousin, Dudley. With his hand-me-down clothes and passive acceptance of his lot, Harry Potter has the appearance of a classic “loser,” a boy everyone ridicules and takes advantage of.
The parallels to Disney’s classic movie Cinderella are unmistakable. Just as Cinderella is expected to cater to every whim of her stepmother and stepsisters, Harry is expected to cater to his uncle’s family and is not allowed to have fun or friends like his cousin. Yet, it is Harry that young readers identify with, while they react to the petulant, demanding Dudley with distaste. Just as Cinderella is rescued by a Fairy Godmother, Harry is rescued by Hagrid, an amusing half-giant with a magical umbrella. Yet the real gift Harry receives is a renewed sense of self-worth.
After years of mistreatment, Harry (like Cinderella) has tacitly accepted his fate. Then, unexpected events transport him to a school where his true merit is allowed to shine through. Harry thrives. But his fate is yet to be decided. A generation earlier, another orphan boy had come to the same school, showing similar promise. But Tom Riddle (who eventually became the evil wizard Voldemort) chose evil over good. As Headmaster Dumbledore explains: “It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.”
Academically, Harry is an average student, procrastinating about doing his homework, not always on time to class, at times tripping himself up by trying to fib his way out of trouble. He is harassed by the wealthy and arrogant Draco Malfoy, who keeps trying to add to his own status by undermining Harry. The conflict between Harry and Draco will be instantly recognizable to students who have been demeaned by peers or been the target of insults and malicious rumors. Although Harry and his friends are not part of the “popular” crowd, they have a lot of fun and find great meaning in life.
The “magic” that enables Harry and his friends to overcome the machinations of Malfoy’s group springs not from a magic wand but from a confident, optimistic, and hopeful approach to life. This attitude is epitomized by Dumbledore, the headmaster of Hogwarts School. Kindly and wise, he often uses humor to help people feel comfortable in his presence. His eyes twinkle with kindness and mischief. A deep understanding of human nature enables him to nurture benevolent aspects of the students in his charge, fostering trust and friendship.
In the home of his Aunt and Uncle, where he was treated like an unwanted burden, Harry came to have a low opinion of his own abilities. But when Harry left the Dursleys and arrived at Hogwarts School, he was treated with kindness and respect. He began to live up to his potential. As Dumbledore observes at the end of the first book, Harry shows that he is “prepared to fight what seems a losing battle … again and again,” always proving to be up to the task.
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