Monday, December 13, 2010

Britain’s 13th wealthiest woman – The life of J K Rowling


Last but not least, I must inform you about the Biography of J K Rowling for you to be well introduced about the author’s life, besides her books.

J K Rowling, AKA Joanne Rowling, was born on July 31st in 1965 in Yate, Gloucestershire, England. Her sister, Di, was born two years later, which Joanne loved nothing more than making up stores for Di. Later on, in 1971, her family moved to a town called Winterbourne, where Rowling met a family called Potter (which Rowling loved the name). But Rowling’s family moved once again where she attended primary and secondary school, and during this time was when Rowling’s mother was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.

J K Rowling attended the University of Exter where she studied French for her degree. The degree that got Rowling working in London with multiple jobs, one job in particular was being a translator for Amnesty International. Around this time is when Rowling conducted the idea for Harry Potter when she was stuck on a train delayed for hours. Not much after, Rowling’s mother died, and Rowling thought it was time to get away, but to still continue her writing. Rowling went to live in Portugal as an English teacher and married a Portuguese journalist (marriage only lasted over a year).

After everything, she finished her first novel of Harry Potter (not thinking the book would ever get published), that became published. Rowling’s book made her into a billionaire and a well-known author globally; extremely famous of her Harry Potter book series.

Rowling is now currently living in Scotland with her three children and her second husband, Neil Murray. She does not “plan” on writing anymore books in the Harry Potter series, but let’s hope she will.

Works Cited
http://www.illiterarty.com/biography-j-k-rowling
http://www.biography.com/articles/J.K.-Rowling-40998

Picture Source:
http://www.contactmusic.com/news.nsf/story/itv-to-show-harry-potter-ending_1037365

Friday, December 10, 2010

J K Rowling's Secret Talent

There is no doubt about J K Rowling’s book are delectable, brilliant, and enthralling, but also the book is extremely anticipated and closely plotted throughout the Harry Potter series. Rowling uses her word choices very closely, and from reading all the novels I realized there is a particular message she is trying to communicate across to the young literature readers (including older group). The message that is already engraved in all her books, for example, Dumbledore utters the message by telling Harry, “you think the dead we loved ever truly leave us” (Prisoner of Azkaban 427) and “[…] to have been loved so deeply, even though the person who loved us is gone, will give us some protection forever” (Sorcerer’s Stone 299). J K Rowling uses a great writing ability to sneak in her message through the wizard himself, Dumbledore (The message being: parents’ love is eternal and divine). It is as if J K Rowling is using Dumbledore for her voice throughout the novels, because by every novel I have read, there always seems to be some sort of “intellectual talk” or “wisdom” that Dumbledore gives. J K Rowling’s writing style is unique and interesting, not boring like other books. She keeps you reading and pulled in to what is going on with the characters and Hogwarts; there is always something going on.

Another quite unique ability J K Rowling uses throughout her novels, she makes Harry Potter a role-model to young kids. Harry is vulnerable to physical emotion and verbal emotion, just like any other normal kid in the United States. Harry is quite an idol for kids, not only because he was once normal (not knowing he was a wizard in the first novel), but also because he overcomes fear (ex: death), has hope, and determination that strives him to victory no matter what the odds are. Rowling’s characteristics of Harry, I think, have changed kids’ perspective and mindset around the globe.

The different word choices, ideas, and elements Rowling uses throughout her novels not only define the characters and sceneries, but also teach the readers (help guide them). J K Rowling’s books are very interesting, which helps drag the reader’s attention, but at the same time Rowling is teaching them a couple things about life.

Works Cited
Rowling, J. K. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. New York: Scholastic, 1997. Print.
Rowling, J. K. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. New York: Scholastic, 1999. Print.

Monday, December 6, 2010

Bewitching & Believable ---> Harry Potter


J K Rowling, to some, is one of the greatest well-known authors for mythical and creative books, but to some, despise/criticize the book itself. Her books were shone upon, with articles stating how “[they] don’t know if J K Rowling is deliberately trying to indoctrinate our children in witchcraft and Satanism or whether she’s simply a deluded tool herself. However, [we] urge parents to listen to the voice of God and say no to Harry Potter for their children’s spiritual welfare,”(Cockrell 24) and even claiming the book “will lead to lying and other deceitful behavior.”(Cockrell 25) However, J K Rowling’s book, Harry Potter, hit the shelves in every local bookstore around the globe, despite critical readers. J K Rowling was bound for success.
Rowling came up with the idea of Harry Potter from a train journey from Manchester to London in England. Even though it was not the best time in her life, due to her mom was becoming very ill, she still pursued the Harry Potter books (she never told her mom about Harry Potter). The idea of Harry Potter was not forced upon, but just fell blankly into her head. Now kids from all over the world are reading Harry Potter, not just because it is magical and fun, but because it is also realistic. It is realistic “because [Harry Potter] is from an ordinary world and background. He is treated like a slave and a nobody, when he suddenly gets news that he is a wizard.”("The Harry Potter phenomenon") The Harry Potter books “appeal to the universal child; […] they identify a bit of themselves in these books.”("The Harry Potter phenomenon")
The books start out about an ordinary boy, clueless of being a wizard, living amongst a non-blood related “family”. One day Harry Potter learns he is a wizard and then attends the special Hogwarts School. Harry Potter goes through all different kinds of “bad” wizards in order to save himself and everybody else at Hogwarts. In the books “there are two heroes. Harry Potter and Ron Weasley, and one heroine. Hermione Granger.”("What is it about Harry Potter?") These three fellow classmates (which are also very good friends) together never see anything as “impossible” but possible.
Harry Potter does not just consist of witchery, magic, and fantasies. It proves how one individual can have so much braveness and willingness, providing a good example and inspiring kids all over the world.


Picture Source:
http://czechfolks.com/2008/12/03/harry-potter-books-lead-to-future-help-for-czech-children/

Works Cited:
Cockrell, Amanda. "Harry Potter and the Witch Hunters: A Social Context for the Attacks on Harry Potter." Journal of American Culture 29.1 (2006): 24-30. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 5 Dec. 2010.
"The Harry Potter phenomenon." Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy 44.8 (2001): 750. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 5 Dec. 2010.
"What is it about Harry Potter?." Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy 44.8 (2001): 752. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 5 Dec. 2010.

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Welcome to Hogwarts!

As an uninterested, unwilling, and uncaring individual when it comes to reading books, I can come to say that I have read a series of books by one particular author who I admire, that kept my attention, and taught me the meaning of reading. Her name is J. K. Rowling, a well-known author of my generation.

When I was younger, I despised all books, whether it was “required” in school or if a friend recommended it (I never would read the recommended ones, even if my friends said it was a killer book); I refused to read any book, period! Reading was never one of my favorite activities to do as a kid; never really felt the need to pick up a book. To me, books were boring and a waste of precious time, time that I could be using talking to boys or hanging out with friends, but as time flew by, I finally got hooked on one series of books in particular, the Harry Potter Series by J. K. Rowling. I kept on reading and reading. I could read one whole book in one day if I wanted too, if my eyes did not get tired or the fact that I needed food and hygiene. I loved the Harry Potter book series because it was magical, interesting, and intriguing to read, something different. Ever since then, I read all the Harry Potter books and attended all the movie premieres based on the novels by J. K. Rowling.

J. K. Rowling’s books are intriguing and exhilarating, along with her writing style. People ought to get to know the author behind the book, and that is what I plan on doing with this blog. I hope to give the outsiders (readers) a brief insider (bibliography) about J. K. Rowling, her writing style, and her reasoning behind the enchanting Harry Potter series. J. K. Rowling brought Harry Potter into this world, along with a new aspect of literature. Welcome to Hogwarts! Enjoy!