Pathos of Harry Potter
THE POtterheads' Response
In the podcast found below, listen to three Harry Potter super fans, otherwise known as Potterheads, discuss their emotional connection to J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter in interviews conducted by Becca Rohde. Cailin Ashbaugh, Kelsey McMahon, and Paige Mueller are three Michigan State University students who share extreme adoration for the Harry Potter series. Their strong emotional connection to the story is a distinctive attribute commonly associated with Potterheads, separating the Harry Potter fan culture from other fan groups. In fact, interviewees Ashbaugh and McMahon are both members of Michigan State University's club Quidditch team.
As interviewers, we got a glimpse of what ties so many college students to a children’s series and it was fascinating. Many fans describe reading and watching Harry Potter similar to stepping into a whole other world. They say that the magic and mystery and intensity of the tales drew them deeper and deeper while the plot thickened. Although the things Harry, Ron, and Hermione faced are not exactly everyday events, the connection along with the lessons learned are deep and long lasting. When being interviewed about the series, most told childhood stories, speaking of a parent reading it aloud. “I started reading Harry Potter at around perhaps 10 or so. I do remember feeling a unique relatedness to Harry because his experiences were in the same age range that I was in. As the series continued I feel I also was ‘growing up’ as Harry also did” said Emily Armstrong, an MSU student and self-proclaimed Potterhead. Harry Potter is a household name, a story and characters that an entire generation grew up reading and watching. It is not only a series read as a child, but for some, a huge part of childhood, which extended into early adulthood and will most likely continue throughout a lifetime. In our interviews we found that not only has Harry Potter played a critical role in a lot of people’s childhoods but also as the building block for many unexpected friendships. Dan Snyder, an MSU Quidditch player told us about his experience meeting players in Belgium when he was studying abroad.” We were completely different in so many ways, yet our uniqueness in playing Quidditch acted as the foundation for a friendship and I stay in contact with everyone overseas.”
The friendships and morals displayed in Harry Potter sticks with its readers after many years and is often the reason for their dedication. “There has not really been another series quite like my emotional connection to Harry Potter because of its longevity and ability to remind you of what is important in life; family, friendship, kindness, selflessness, etc” says Armstrong. Everyone can relate to at least one of the characters on one level or another and that is what allows the series to cater to a wide demographic, not only in age but also many different cultures. Greg Blanton, a student and Potterhead, says he connects best with Luna Lovegood “because she prefers the unbeaten path in her thoughts and ways, tangibly and metaphorically more than anyone in the series.”
The friendships and morals displayed in Harry Potter sticks with its readers after many years and is often the reason for their dedication. “There has not really been another series quite like my emotional connection to Harry Potter because of its longevity and ability to remind you of what is important in life; family, friendship, kindness, selflessness, etc” says Armstrong. Everyone can relate to at least one of the characters on one level or another and that is what allows the series to cater to a wide demographic, not only in age but also many different cultures. Greg Blanton, a student and Potterhead, says he connects best with Luna Lovegood “because she prefers the unbeaten path in her thoughts and ways, tangibly and metaphorically more than anyone in the series.”
Harry Potter & PATHOS
The Harry Potter series started with a lonely boy in a closet under the stairs, but it has swept a generation off its feet, keeping many still extremely dedicated even into their adult years. The fandom ranges from die-hard potter heads to the nostalgic college kids. Despite the level of commitment, the emotional connection is mostly the same. Many reminisce about reading it with parents and siblings and express that had it not been for the childhood memories with the series and its characters the feelings would not be the same. The pathos expressed by the fandom, begins at a young age, but doesn’t stop there. The college kids we interviewed explained their ties with the series stem the relationships demonstrated, the morals learned and the familiarity with the characters and story they grew up with.