Harry Potter is the most popular series of all time in literary history. Both books and films of Harry Potter astonishingly slayed the franchise world. This captured the attention of the newcomers and they got a light to show their talent. They have created many Harry Potter-inspired characters in other works, showing their admiration towards it. Harry Potter magic is still going on like the undying lava of a living volcano. No one can put a stop sign on Harry Potter as it has some crazy fans who are willing to give or take anything to keep up the fire. J.K. Rowling’s writing style and character development are so unique that it is bound that everyone will follow her lead. The way she made the world just by her imagination, the way the characters grew from childhood, and the long-term storytelling arcs of every step taken to make the series were mind-blowing.
Harry Potter characters’ unique buildup and the narration arcs are a great influence on the fantasy literature and film industry. This type of writing style became more popular among the book lovers. People started to notice the fantasy genre works with urgency, and soon, the fantasy genre became one of the most successful genres. The Harry Potter wave even hit other genres as well. They also tried to follow the guidelines of it. The characters are fully or subtly influenced by Harry Potter’s characters. This shows what kind of huge impact Harry Potter has over character build-ups. Even to this date, writers try to create characters that, at some point, are influenced by Harry Potter. Harry Potter may have been just a mere story of an orphan wizard boy, but today, it is a milestone.
Magical School Settings and Student Protagonists
Series like The Magicians by Lev Grossman and Nevermoor by Jessica Townsend have drawn on the concept of magical schooling, a cornerstone of Harry Potter. But these series have just taken the idea of the magical school and put some new ideas of their own that gave a touch of uniqueness in these series. The turns of events in new works put new coats of intricacy on the fantasy genre. Both stories explore how young protagonists deal with the magical institutes. They undergo personal journeys, self-discovery, growth, and new exploration of the magical world just like Harry Potter did in the Harry Potter series at Hogwarts. Protagonists like Quentin Coldwater from The Magicians and Morrigan Crow from Nevermoor reflect Harry’s emotional and psychological evolution while dealing with their challenges in their magical world.
The Magicians: A Darker Take on Magical Schooling
Lev Grossman’s The Magicians represents a more mature and darker spin on the concept of magical education than Harry Potter. The series introduces the audience to Brakebills University. This university is a secretive institution where Quentin Coldwater learns magic.
a. Echoes of Harry Potter:
Quentin begins his journey when he is feeling out of place in the normal world, just like Harry Potter did at the beginning of the story. Quentin was searching for an escapist place where he would be accepted without getting judged. His acceptance into Brakebills University mirrors Harry’s entrance into Hogwarts, a new beginning in self-discovery.
b. Self-Discovery:
Like Harry Potter, Quentin learns that his battle is not against external enemies only but internal torment as well. He faces questions about his identity, the meaning of life, and the cost of magic. These themes seem like a parallel world of Harry Potter’s magical world.
Nevermoor: Morrigan Crow’s Journey
Jessica Townsend’s Nevermoor series, starting with The Trials of Morrigan Crow, more likely takes a more lightweight step toward magical life. Its magical approach is quite similar to Harry Potter. Morrigan Crow is a cast-out child; she is destined to die on her 11th birthday. But she went away to the world of Nevermoor where she was acknowledged into the Wondrous Society. In this magical institution, they train extraordinary individuals.
a. Echoes of Harry Potter:
The main character, Morrigan, is a lonely person who feels like there’s no one for her in the real world. Out of nowhere she finds out about the magical world and the Wondrous Society. This approach towards the magical world is similar to Harry Potter’s story where he learns about the wizarding world so suddenly and becomes a part of it.
b. Self-Discovery:
Morgan learns to discover herself through her journey in the magical world of the Wondrous Society. Harry Potter and Morgan both learned to face their problems and build a better personality.
Parallel Characters in Television
There are several TV series that have followed the methods of my favorite Harry Potter. Many Harry Potter inspired characters in other works or television are getting popular by the fans. Characters like Eleven from Stranger Things mostly seem like a parallel world of Harry Potter. This series has many symbols that can be called a xerox copy of Harry Potter’s adventure. Even though these characters are presented in darker and modern settings, they reflect similar themes of self-discovery, sacrifice, and the great responsibility that comes with possessing unique power.
Eleven (Stranger Things): The Outsider with Power and Heart
1. Magical Heroism:
Eleven starts her journey as an outsider much like Harry. She was raised in a government lab, just like Harry Potter, an orphan who was raised by his evil aunt. Eleven possesses extraordinary power just like Harry Potter does. She has some superpowers and these superpowers are sometimes blessings and sometimes a curse to her just like Harry Potter. She has to do her best and fight against the whole world to build herself a place in the real world.
2. Resilience Through Friendship:
Eleven’s resilience is massively dependent on her friendship with the boys from Hawkins. Her friendship with Mike, Dustin, and Lucas mirrors Harry’s core group with Hermione and Ron. In Stranger Things, Eleven becomes family to the boys. They become the source of her strength, helping her to navigate her power. The survival key for both series is the theme of friendship and loyalty between the alliances.
3. A Journey of Self-Discovery:
“The Boy Who Lived” is the true self of Harry Potter which he learns about after beginning his journey. Eleven also explores her journey and learns about the origins of her powers and her connection to the Upside Down. Harry Potter and Eleven both had the responsibilities that came as they became “the chosen one”.
4. The Ultimate Sacrifice:
Eleven also had to make some crucial sacrifices to save her close ones or friends just like Harry Potter. In Stranger Things, Eleven continuously puts herself in danger much like Harry Potter throughout the story. Both characters represent the thought of heroism, which is putting their lives before others’.
Harry Potter is an influential figure to other creators. Harry Potter helped many fantasy writers and directors make fan-like base stories. Fans love to have stories that are built uniquely, though they might have a touch of their favorite character. Harry Potter has an unbounded popularity that is still growing day by day. People are going crazy over Harry Potter. They are willing to cross any limit just to have an interaction with the series. Harry Potter has an intense impact on generation after generation.
Harry Potter has a massive impact on other characters. There have been many Harry Potter inspired characters in other works that have been popular and the process is still going on. These characters keep up the impression of Harry Potter to a new generation. Newcomers come and watch the new series, and when they search for details about it, they come to the door of the magical realm. Harry Potter is the builder of the Wizarding World in the modern world. It is a touchstone for other writers to create something in the fantasy genre. As a result whenever they use Harry Potter symbols, it brings focus light to their works as well as on Harry Potter. This is an important and needed step for Harry Potter as it gets Highlighted even after all these years. Harry Potter is still ruling the world with its magical approach towards the fans without any strong competitors.
