I have always read a lot, especially in my early teenage years. As I grew older though, my family and teachers constantly began to pressure me to read "serious" books as opposed to the fantasy novels I adored.
While I see the importance in reading classics such as The Great Gatsby and Jane Austen, and autobiographies and other non-fiction books, I feel the need to advocate for the Harry Potters and Percy Jacksons and even the Twilights of our generation.
The importance I find in reading these books ironically is linked to the reason why in English Literature classes we are assigned classics. Books considered classics are in my understanding, books that either revolutionized the traditional way of writing or books that reflect and shape a generation or time period. And what better example of books that have shaped and reflected our generation than the Harry Potter series?
As a History major, I have often heard my professors say things along the lines of the present being live history. In the same way that we look back and study how Jane Austen's books critique and comment on the British landed gentry of the 18thcentury, one day students will study our generation, and I think they will comment on Harry Potter.
I had a history teacher in school that whenever students asked him what was the point in learning history he would laugh and tell us to imagine someday you are in a cocktail party alone, and you want to make conversation, why not bring up the Tennis Court Oath or the Battle of Hastings? He said it as a joke, but this really stuck with me.
Regardless of which career track you want to pursue, everyone is involved in conversations. I hate not catching a reference or having to ask what something is, or worst of all, blurting out an ignorant comment. And realistically speaking, Harry Potter comes up much more frequently in conversations nowadays than classics. Think about the last time you discussed Jane Austen versus the last time you asked someone what Hogwarts house they are in.
