The Harry Potter books and their axiology
In my literature class we talked about the five points of a book’s axiology that’s basically what makes a book “valuable” or “precious”.
These five points are the following:
Test of Time: it basically means that when a book “survives” over a long period of time there has to be something about it worth reading.
Test of Ridicule: on the one hand it means that even if you can make fun of the text it doesn’t loose it’s worth and on the other hand making fun of something shows that a lot of people know the text (e.g. when you know the text that is being parodied it is even funnier).
Aesthetic Measurement: according to Oscar Wilde it does not matter if a book is useful or ethical as long as it is in an aesthetic a good way
Holism of the Text: considers the whole text in terms of symmetry, proportion and harmony
Use: prodesse et delectare volunt poetae as Horace said it. [Poets want to be useful and delight others] It basically focuses on the difference between canon literature and “trashy” novels.
Now the basics are explained I want to tell you how much I felt reminded of Harry Potter.
Test of Time: Of course we can’t say much about that yet since we don’t know what will happen to Harry Potter in the future but you have to bear in mind that the first Harry Potter novel was released on the 30th of June 1997. That makes it 14 years this year. I don’t want to dis anyone or anything but I don’t think anyone will be asking about Twilight in nine years.
Test of Ridicule: Do I even need to write it down? I think everyone- even people who have never seen the movies and never have read thhe books- have seen a parody. Just to name some: Barry Trotter (a book-series by Michael Gerber), Harry Potter und ein Stein (german parody by coldmirror), A Very Potter Musical or Potter Puppet Pals.
I bet you can think of a lot more!
Aesthetic Measurement: This is a rather subjective point so I will leave this point to you. In my opinion though it has to be aesthetic to some extent keeping in mind how many people have read the books.
Holism of the Text: I don’t think I have to tell you - especially the people who have read the books- how much thought J.K. Rowling has put into the story of the book. For example the point that Sirius Black and Blaise Zabini are mentioned in the first book already even though they won’t appear before the third and sixth book.
Use: There are still discussions going on if the Harry Potter series is already some kind of classic everyone should have read (like Goethe’s Faust or Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet). But in my opinion it is a useful book because it teaches you a great deal about friendship and I don’t think anyone would say that the book doesn’t delight the reader. Fred and George, Peeves or Gilderoy Lockhart never failed to add a funny tone to the story.
All in all I would say according to these criteria the Harry Potter book series is a quality book.
In my opinion Harry Potter is a book series that shaped a lot of people and it’s not only a book for teenagers but one for people of all ages.
[Just FYI I wrote this myself- not because I had to but because I wanted to. I am an english major and I’m interested in Literary Studies.]
