“I solemnly swear that I am up to no good.” This quote is pretty much the first “YOLO” of our generation. Who can you thank for, for this risky attitude? The one and only, J.K. Rowling. The magic started in 1997 with her first book, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone and ended in 2007 with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. The series was written over a ten year span and luckily during my childhood.

Harry Potter is a character that most people have either read the books, seen the movies or have at least heard of. Harry, Ron, Hermione, as well as all characters J.K. Rowling creates, are detailed and realistic, that it’s hard to remember that these characters are only fictional...... Or are they?

The Harry Potter series touches on many aspects of life that any reader could relate to causing it to be a classic of our generation including:

1. Characterization

Everyone has someone to relate to in the Harry Potter books, and when I say everyone, I mean everyone. J.K. Rowling has multiple characters in these novels, but what seizes to amaze me is that every character is strategically placed in the books furthering the importance of the pages they are in. Rowling includes the “know it all” Hermione, the unique oddball, Luna, the worrisome, Ron, the rustic Hagrid, the serious Snape, the unlucky Neville, and so many more. The amount of detail for each character given not only allows readers to relate but allows readers to feel like they personally know them.

2. The books grew as we did

Harry starts at Hogwarts right after his 11th birthday and turns 17 in the last novel. Even though Harry is in an ongoing battle with “He who shall not be named,” he still deals with everyday problems children and adolescents face today. Whether it be dealing with bullies, difficulties with teachers, issues with friends and having crushes, Rowling touches it all. Adding “muggle” problems to the series further allows readers to relate to the characters, touching the hearts of many.

3. Experiencing trauma/death

The Harry Potter series has many traumas and deaths, unfortunately including many beloved characters. Right off the bat, Rowling exposes Harry’s parents’ death. Throughout the series, Harry struggles dealing with his emotions towards the loss of his parents, but in the end, he learns that despite them being gone, they are watching over him. The school is also traumatized when the Chamber of Secrets is opened, causing multiple petrification of students and causing worry for the whole school. Each book in the series includes certain deaths, tragedies and terrible events, but Rowling always demonstrates a positive outcome whether it be a lesson or acceptance.

4. Learning to love who you are

Harry Potter has a reputation in the wizard world despite him knowing much about it at first. He constantly faces judgement from others saying he is part of the Dark Lord. For example, when Potter speaks parseltongue to a summon a snake away while in a practice duel with Malfoy, everyone believes Harry was summoning the snake to kill. Parseltongue is a dark mark. Unfortunately, when Voldemort tried killing Harry, he left pieces of himself within Harry. There are multiple cases where fellow students believe Harry is actually evil because of his background, but Dumbledore tries to remind Harry that “It matters not what someone is born, but what they grow to be.” Thanks Dumbledore for an amazing lesson.

5. The meaning of friendship

Friendship is a major theme within the Harry Potter series. Anyone who reads the books or has seen the movies can see that. All the people supporting Harry throughout the dark times in the wizarding world demonstrate not only how important friendship is during the bad, but also what true friends will do for one another.

6. Sacrifice

There are multiple sacrifices made throughout all seven books. Harry’s mother protecting Harry from Voldemort is the sacrifice made from love that leads to Harry’s fate in the future. Another prominent sacrifice, one of the most upsetting deaths in the Harry Potter novels, is when Dobby, the house elf is killed by Bellatrix while saving Potter, Weasley, and Granger. While Harry held Dobby until he passed, many tears were shed when Dobby told Harry that it is “Such a beautiful place, to be with friends.” Lastly, the plot-twist sacrifice many weren't expecting was the one in which Snape made. Snape surrounded his life around Lily, Harry’s mother. The love Snape had for Lily caused Snape to sacrifice his safety and his life, vowing himself to Lily forever. Now if those two examples of sacrifice don’t teach a lesson, I don’t know what will.

7. Family

Rowling shows that every family is different, not always perfect, but makes a person unique. Potter is a half-blood, his dad being born of wizards and his mother being muggle born. Unfortunately his parents both are murdered. Then there is Hermione, born a wizard but both parents are muggles. Ron, who is born in a wizarding family but lacks prestige and the opposite, Draco who is born in a wizarding family of prestige and wealth. Each family is talked about at some point within the novels, revealing imperfections about each or even the lack of love for some.

I could make a list that goes on, and on, and on, and on, about why Harry Potter is a classic of our generation. Am I a little biased? Maybe. But I can't help that these books were a huge part of my childhood and have touched my life even to this day. Luckily, I don't think I am the only one who feels this way.

Unfortunately, I am still waiting on my Hogwarts acceptance letter.

But in the meanwhile, I'll just keep rereading these books while I wait for it.

P.S.

-If you haven't read the series, do it. Otherwise we can't be friends.