What do English critics/Departments say about Harry Potter?

cftranslate · Post by **cftranslate** » Wed Oct 27, 2004 2:31 pm

I have not even read it yet but I am curious about its reputation as a literary work. Besides being a book for young people/children, does the author use good language structures and good English in general worth reading apart from the story itself??

Thanks.

woodcutter · Post by **woodcutter** » Fri Oct 29, 2004 2:48 am

Yes Cf, it is the Enid Blyton of today, the last hope that some little horrors will learn some good standard English. Education departments love it, it is popular and full of learnable things for students of all ages.

Literary critics? I would say that in general the consensus is "It's OK for the kiddies but why the **** is it so popular?"

Lorikeet · Post by **Lorikeet** » Fri Oct 29, 2004 4:46 pm

Cause it's a fun read?

Sally Olsen · Post by **Sally Olsen** » Sat Oct 30, 2004 6:22 pm

Except for the last book. I suspect she was writiing for adult audiences by that time.

Atréju · Post by **Atréju** » Sat Nov 20, 2004 3:22 pm

Roald Dahl wasn't too popular with the critics either, you know ...

Sally Olsen, you underestimate children.

Sally Olsen · Post by **Sally Olsen** » Tue Nov 23, 2004 10:45 pm

It isn't that the children couldn't read the last book but that it was so dark and full of horrible things that happened to Harry Potter. I realize that they are getting more and more of that with TV and movies these days but I am not going to read it to my granddaughter.