hp's similarities to other books

[highsorcerer]

Actually, I have read other books which contain wizarding schools, particularly some of them based on Magic: The Gathering (it's been some time since I've read it, but the Ice Age cycle trilogy involves wizarding school, and one of the color-blue stories from the Colors of Magic anthology involves wizarding students at a school).

However, HP differs in that the focus is on the start and progression of the students at a young age (11), where most books involve either teachers, or students at much older age (generally at the age of apprenticeship, which would be around 16-19 or so).

Most of the reason stems from the concept of power levels; it takes great power to overcome great evil. Harry shows that this isn't necessarily the case, particularly in GoF, where his creative use of simple magic during the triwizard tasks (and against LV) could actually be the most effective way to deal with adversity (of course, the REALLY simple solution to the first task; Accio Golden Egg wasn't tried by any of the champions). Harry and friends tend to outsmart their opponents, while their enemies try to overpower them.

[Meg Boyd]

There are similarities in between all sorts of books, novels, poems, novellas, epics, and more throughout literature. By no means have any of them be acused of copying. If you look hard enough similarities exist everywhere in any story. LOTR is a very great and complex story, one of the greatest of modern times. It is no wonder that one can find parallel characters and situations in Harry Potter or other stories since LOTR is such an amazing literary masterpiece. All great masterpieces have allusions to greater themes, stories, or origins. Christ Figures and Biblical references are found everywhere, but no one blames the authors for ripping of God and his prophets, right???? I just think there are many similarities in all books and they are copy right infringments..eh???

Anyways, I find the meaning of the characters names very insiteful and symbolic, and I would suggest people to look up character names from Harry Potter. In many times the names relect personas from other stories, novels, or myths setting up the personas that JKR has given the characters!!!

[pinky p]

i agree, meg. there is a list at mugglenet which says a lot of the characters and the meanings to their names. it is fun to paralel the characters with the name origins (e.i. dumbledore, bumblebee )

since their seems to be some mis-communication,
NOTE:
THIS THREAD IS NOT TO BE USED TO ACCUSE THE HP SERIES OF RIPPING OFF OTHER BOOKS. IT IS INTENDED AS A PLACE TO DISCUSS ABOUT HP'S SIMILARITIES TO OTHER LITERARY WORKS, MYTHOLOGY, OR WHATEVER THE POSTERS SHOULD LIKE.

--pp

[Scellanis]

there are actually a number of old threads on this forum discussing the meaning of names and stuff....cant remember where they are now though

this topic has actually been done to death on this forum, it gets boring repeating myself....

[gecko]

For the last time I'm going to say this, please only post in this topic if you have something to say that benefits this topic, not to say how bad it is.
As mod of this section, I (and the other books mods) decide if this topic can stay open or not.

Sonkem, please do not post in this topic any more; obviously you don't like it. However, others, including myself do like it. Just because some things have been said before, doesn't mean that others can't discuss those things. For example, new people who weren't here when those old topic you talk about were 'active', have a right to be able to discuss those things.

[Scellanis]

i still feel that you shouldnt be allowed to ban people from a thread like this if they want to present the opposing side of the argument....its not fair on the authors of the books or on the members of the forum...a one sided thread like this would give the wrong impression to any guest reading the forum to see if the books would be interesting to read.

[gecko]

I'm not banning anyone, I merely asked that you do not post things in this topic that don't belong here. I don't see any problem with people talking about things they've come across in other books, that they think share a bond with things from the HP series. If you have a problem with that, then I think it's best you don't post in this topic.
I hope you're willing to take this topic as it is.
Please PM me if you have still feel that I'm doing you wrong.

Actually, I have read other books which contain wizarding schools, particularly some of them based on Magic: The Gathering (it's been some time since I've read it, but the Ice Age cycle trilogy involves wizarding school, and one of the color-blue stories from the Colors of Magic anthology involves wizarding students at a school).

A friend of mine is (or was) really into Magic and he has a lot of books. I shall ask him at school tomorrow if he's read any of those books!

[Augusta Longbottom]

Going back to the original post in this thread, the question posed was -- what other similarities have you noticed?

As I read the books, I know I kept commenting to DH that this or that were similar to LOTR but I don't recall what exactly now. I never for one moment felt that it was copying, but more inspired by the themes of other literary classics.

If I read the books a 3rd time, I will pay closer attention to the similarities...but I suspect I won't reread them all until just before the 6th book comes out. By then I'm sure we'll all be willing to discuss this topic again

I think it was HighSorceror that mentions that this type of story line -- good vs evil -- has been around um, er, forever...so true! Writers can take something and make it their own and I think JKR effectively does this. There is often this debate among my peers -- I am a glass artist -- and oftentimes at conferences and shows there ends up being discussions about the originality of techniques and works. Inevitably someone tries to claim this or that as their own -- but in all honesty, there really are no new glass tachniques...the techniques we (my peers and I) use are age old and have been around for centuries. It is our job, as artists, to take an idea and make it our own. But the fact remains that the basic technique used has existed for centuries. It is the same here....the basic story line of good vs evil already exists, it is how the author executes the story that makes it a classic, or just another book collecting dust on the shelf.

This is a great thread....I'm curious to see what similarities others will come up with.

[pinky p]

my aunt just came back from england and she brought me back some books... "The Edge" Chronicles... i think thats the name...

they definately have similarities to hp... there is this big forbidden forest type thing... the difference is the main character lives there instead of outside of it, hehe