Why Everyone Should Read Harry Potter

Reading Harry Potter for the first time as a Upper Schooler was an experience. Of course I knew what the books are about beforehand, and I already knew a decent amount of information about them because escaping Harry Potter is literally impossible in modern culture, but I never could have estimated just how much the books would impact me. And that’s why I think everyone should read the books right now.

Like most Harry Potter readers, I was astonished by J.K. Rowling’s writing skills. The way she successfully weaves such a complex story and holds it together over a span of seven books is something writers everywhere admire. As the stories of the Hogwarts students progress in time, they become increasingly complicated but still remain understandable. Rowling finds a way to make the characters relatable despite the fact that they are constantly fighting for their lives against giant spiders or Dark wizards.

Many of you may have read the series for the first time while you were in Lower or Middle School. And the stories are written mainly for an audience in that age range, so that makes sense. They teach life lessons that are important for young readers, like lessons on friendship, bravery, etc. But the books are still easily readable for people high school-age or above. Reading the same book multiple times, especially in a series as detailed as Harry Potter, allows you to discover new things you hadn’t noticed before. And you’re never too old to be reminded of some serious life lessons.

“They teach life lessons that are important for young readers.”

Reading in general makes you think about things from a new perspective and introduces you to new ideas. Books improve your own writing skill because when you’re exposed to writing, you subconsciously absorb the style and mechanics involved, and it wakes up your imagination. You learn how to become a better writer, which is certainly useful when it’s time to turn in an English essay.

The wizarding world created by Rowling is truly original, not at all what you would expect for a child or young adult series. It’s not a simple love story, and it’s not plain good vs. evil either. The heroes have serious flaws, and the villains often have conflicting beliefs. The characters are more than literary stereotypes–they’re complex. It’s not “happily ever after” for everyone either. Spoiler: tons of people die throughout the series. But it’s realistic, and it’s refreshing to read something that doesn’t glorify conflict or wrap up a battle with a consequence-free victory. Nothing else like Harry Potter has ever been written. You get to travel to a completely different reality while reading, and it’s awesome! It’s also nice to stop worrying about your own homework or life problems for awhile, and reading about people your age battling to save the world does put things in perspective.

“It’s refreshing to read something that doesn’t glorify conflict or wrap up a battle with a consequence-free victory.”

Speaking of homework, the most common objection to the notion of reading is “I don’t have time.” It seems like we spend all of our free time doing schoolwork, going to sports practice, memorizing music lines, or working. After a long day of school and homework and more, why would anyone want to do more work? Yes, reading about the revolutionary Marbury v. Madison case or ribosomes is pretty boring. But the difference with Harry Potter is that it’s not work. All you have to do is find some free time and a quiet place to jump into a new world. Easier said than done, right? Free time is hard to find. But instead of using what little time you have to watch mindless Netflix or scroll through Snapchat, just spend 15 minutes reading and see what happens. It will definitely take more than 15 minutes to dive into the Harry Potter world, but if you start out small, big tasks become easier.