Comments on: Is Harry Potter Becoming Obsolete?

By: Rosie

Rosie — Fri, 02 May 2008 21:13:40 +0000

Brian: Glad we can agree, because I hate having to admit that I’m wrong, and I did just a few weeks ago.

By: Brian from Facebook

Brian from Facebook — Fri, 02 May 2008 20:53:02 +0000

Travis: I totally agree. Web 2.0 adds that new viral dynamic. For example, I can’t even tell you how I found this podcast a year or so ago because I simply don’t remember. We need to keep in mind, though, that we are very biased towards HP.

Rosie: We can finally agree. You are right about the average public reader. A lot of the more literary people keep works alive though. And HP definitely isn’t Shakespeare–it’s a lot more fun to read!

By: Rosie

Rosie — Fri, 02 May 2008 12:57:49 +0000

Brian from Facebook: Yes, people still do read really old pieces of writing, but they aren’t all that well known anymore, among the general public. Not many “average” people will sit down in the evening and say, “I think I’ll read Romeo and Juliet tonight.” By average I mean someone who isn’t a big reader, or really into that historical era, or Shakespeare.

Now I wouldn’t compare HP to Shakespeare, but what will happen to it in, say, five hundred years could be similar.

By: Travis Prinzi

Travis Prinzi — Fri, 02 May 2008 03:08:58 +0000

It’s virtually impossible to predict with absolute certainty whether HP will drift away. The emergence of Web 2.0 as a vehicle for real-time literary analysis (as “Brian from Facebook” mentioned) makes this a whole new game.

Still, enough evidence is there to suggest HP will stick around for a long time, will make the list of classics, and may even find a place among the “Great Books” canon. The depths of Deathly Hallows have still yet to be fully mined. And I’d argued there’s as much depth in that book as there is in the entire rest of the series (and that’s saying something!).

So what these two news items mean is that the pop-culture hype is ending. And that’s probably a good thing.

By: Brian from Facebook

Brian from Facebook — Fri, 02 May 2008 02:41:07 +0000

Rosie: I’ve read books from much earlier than 1008. People haven’t stopped reading those major classics like Homer etc. I agree that it’s really really difficult for a novel to achieve that type of status.

I don’t know if HP will ever get that kind of classic status. It’s well placed to though, considering its popularity and the explosion of Web 2.0 and such. Not to mention the fact that people like us and more “officially” literary folk like professors are already digging for deeper meaning.

People may stop reading HP per say, but its effect on society will never die. With the digitization of books and its huge effect on pop culture, HP is already history. So this debate might not even matter. People who care about literature will be able to find it in the future.

By: Milt

Milt — Fri, 02 May 2008 02:09:58 +0000

I’m a little bit late on this, however, i just re-read Goblet of Fire in my off time when i’m not doing homework and noticed something that really goes along with the theme of this being the somewhat turning point when the series changes from a child’s novel to a more dark series. The fourth book starts with Harry at the Dursley’s, as do the first three, but in books 1-3 it is before Harry’s birthday and his birthday is specifically acknowledged. However, the fourth begins after Harry’s birthday and only makes a very short mention of it. This makes it seem much less of a big deal then in the first three. When you’re young, in elementary and middle school, birthday parties are a huge deal for everybody. But after you turn thirteen they are not really very important anymore. Harry is right at that age in the fourth book, and I just thought that was another less obvious reason that the fourth book seems to be the switch from his childhood to his growth into adulthood.

Thanks,
Milt

By: Aaron

Aaron — Fri, 02 May 2008 01:13:06 +0000

Can’t believe it is May already.

By: Aaron

Aaron — Fri, 02 May 2008 01:09:25 +0000

The # 3 podcast of all time new month time to vote.

By: Greg

Greg — Fri, 02 May 2008 00:57:12 +0000

Austin, tonight.

By: enrique

enrique — Fri, 02 May 2008 00:39:56 +0000

harry potter forever

By: austin

austin — Fri, 02 May 2008 00:37:49 +0000

when is the podcast coming out

By: Rosie

Rosie — Fri, 02 May 2008 00:04:06 +0000

I don’t know if Potter will ever be classic, but it may become completely obsolete. I didn’t say in the near future, and I didn’t say in the distant future. Do you really think that five hundred years from now, some grade nine english class will be reading HP DH and discussing it? Or maybe a thousand years from now? Eventually, people will stop reading it. Have you ever read a book written in 1008?

By: Greg

Greg — Fri, 02 May 2008 00:02:10 +0000

This is Penny. I didn’t mean to imply that I thought that the HP books should stay on the Best-Seller list forever. But I do think that these two things being announced today do symbolize something.

By: Brian from Facebook

Brian from Facebook — Thu, 01 May 2008 23:34:27 +0000

I disagree. HP will never become “completely obsolete.” People are still reading the Bible, Shakespeare, Homer and the rest. It’s inevitable that some people will be avid enough fans to continue these types of discussions until either a new generation takes up the banner or else it becomes cannon in classic literature.

By: Rosie

Rosie — Thu, 01 May 2008 22:51:58 +0000

I don’t think that HP should be on bestseller lists forever, nor should JKR be influencial every year, but we can’t let that stop us from loving HP, or from introducing new people to it.

It will take a long time for HP to become completely obsolete, but we have to make sure that that day is as far in the future as possible. Besides, its fun keeping HP alive, don’t you think?

By: Jackie

Jackie — Thu, 01 May 2008 22:45:39 +0000

Although you bring up a valid point, harry potter can’t be on the bestseller’s list forever, and J.K. Rowling can’t be the most influencial person every year either. This year she hasn’t done anything to be influencial, although her books continue to influence.
I also don’t think that discussion will come to an end with harry potter. If a series of books/tv shows/ movies ends and then discussion ends with it, then you wouldn’t continue to have star trek, star wars, or lord of the rings conventions now would we? as long as there are people around that love the books there will be people that love to discuss them. And no matter how popular Twilight becomes (which apparently it is) it can’t replace what harry potter and J.K. Rowling did for the literary world.

By: Rosie

Rosie — Thu, 01 May 2008 22:17:18 +0000

I will remain faithful as long as Greg and Penny keep podcasting.

It is our duty as fans to keep finding new fans, and waking old fans who have forgotten their duty to fandom.

By: Brian from Facebook

Brian from Facebook — Thu, 01 May 2008 22:14:15 +0000

Overall, I think you’re right, Aaron, but Rosie too has a point that the fans (us) make HP what it is. I’m still going to listen to this podcast for as long as it airs. …how ’bout you guys?

By: Aaron

Aaron — Thu, 01 May 2008 21:40:36 +0000

It’s been replaced by Grand Theft Auto 4 and Guitar Hero.

By: Rosie

Rosie — Thu, 01 May 2008 21:36:59 +0000

As long as all of us loyal fans remain to force HP down the throats of all non-fans, and so make them realize what good books they are, HP wont really become obsolete.

By: Brian from Facebook

Brian from Facebook — Thu, 01 May 2008 21:24:19 +0000

Harry Potter is not going to become obsolete any time soon. There have not been any other books of similar popularity this millennium. Analysis of HP is also just starting. Some colleges have British Literature classes which emphasize HP extensively. There’s no reason to be worried about Harry. His seven amazing books are a new an interesting combination of so many different themes and archetypes that they are immortal.