How Harry Potter made me a reader

This Week’s Winner

MANILA, Philippines – Katrina Gaw, 17, is a freshman at Ateneo de Manila University, majoring in Legal Management. She has loved to write ever since she was eight, specifically poetry, and the odd story or two. And since her very first voluntarily-read book at the age of nine, she has been an avid reader of all genres (except horror, which terrifies her and takes away valuable sleep time). She is passionate, obsessive and rather crazy, but all politely so. She hopes to pursue a career as an author.

Harry Potter, a seven-part series of children’s books written by J.K. Rowling, is considered to be a phenomenal hit, a critical and commercial success that has sold more than 400 million copies worldwide and has been translated to more than 67 languages.

The numbers are stunning, and its impact on the individual is just as much.

As a young child, all the way up to third grade, I despised reading. Words clumped into sentences in unending pieces of paper didn’t amuse me much; there wasn’t any color or sound to it, unlike the visuals that television shows and movies could immediately give me.

It was under these circumstances that I was introduced to my very first book; one that, though rather cliché, changed my outlook on reading forever.

It was my brother who, on a fine November day, suggested that we all go to the cinema to watch a movie based on his then-favorite novel, about an orphan boy who discovers he is a wizard and is sent to a school of magic, and battles with his enemy, Lord Voldemort, a feared-by-all, powerful sorcerer who had killed his parents and who almost killed him. I remember scratching my head and giving it all a big huff— I definitely didn’t want to watch some movie with a loony storyline based on a book.

However, being a nine year-old didn’t give me much of a say, so my family decided to give it a shot. I didn’t expect to like it; I didn’t expect to sit at the very edge of my seat from start to finish; I didn’t expect to walk up to my brother by the end of it and ask him for his copy of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. But rarely in life do the things we anticipate bring as much change as things that simply sweep us off our feet.

Whenever I reread the books, it amazes me just how imaginative the story is. The situations are, simply put, magical. Owls carry scrolls and letters; edible chocolate frogs leap about; lessons in topics such as Potions, Charms and Transfiguration exist; a whole wizard world hides underneath the hustle and bustle of the average man’s daily life. J.K. Rowling’s vision, and the meticulousness by which she portrays it, painted a picture of an almost-reality in my head, exciting me and urging me to think more than I thought possible.

The characters are relatable and lovable — Harry is the awkward boy who rises above trials and temptations to become a true hero. The same goes for Ron, Harry’s rather comedic but loyal best friend, and Hermione, the epitome of an ambitious student, whose ferocity for the things she loves surpasses even her intelligence. Others like Dumbledore, Malfoy, Snape and Hagrid are also unforgettable, their personalities and appearances so well-defined that any kid reading the story can imagine each and every person standing right in front of them.

I love how there is consistency throughout the series. Characters briefly mentioned in other books show up later in the series with important roles. Objects once thought to be junk have hidden uses. It is evident that it took years of thought and planning for the author to formulate the tale of Harry, a triumph many books that come in a series do not follow. It adds to the adventure, thriller side of the story, and never fails to amaze me.

Moreover, I love the values that the books teach. Throughout the series, the importance of making good choices is raised. The easy path is not always the best road to take; for often, it is the difficult journey that leads to doing what’s right. Friendship is also something greatly emphasized. Harry is not a perfect person; in fact, his flaws set to highlight that he needs friends he can rely on, who stand by him despite his mistakes. Bravery is another trait taught — Harry is constantly afraid, of Dementors that suck out happiness, of pain, of the loss of people important to him. But he never allows fear to stop him from doing what he must. Instead, he strives to overcome all obstacles, saving the wizarding world time and again.

Harry Potter, in my life, has become quite the addiction and the enabler.

When I finished reading the first book, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, I couldn’t stop. I read the second of the series, the third, then the fourth, in the span of five days. For a kid who never bothered to read before, that record was pretty good.

But it was after the first four, when I had to wait two years for the fifth novel’s release, that I realized how much the books changed me. Following my Harry Potter craze, whenever I went into the bookstore, I didn’t go straight to the colored pencils station anymore. Instead, I began to check out other books, from classics to children’s to fantasy, even to poetry.

Now, I am proud to say that I am a huge book nerd. My reading list has grown, and I have learned of the pleasures of opening the first few pages of a novel and immersing into the world of its writer. I’ve now had love affairs with many authors and their creations. Many books have tugged at my heart strings and changed my perspective of life. However, none have compared to the impact of Harry Potter to me, because it is the series that started it all.

When, after many years of suspense, tension and absurd anticipation, I was finally satiated by the release of the final book of the series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, I felt a sad sense of closure. Reading the final few sentences elicited the same emotion as my having to say goodbye to dear friends, whom I had grown with and learned to love for nearly a decade.

 I wish that every person has the opportunity to read a book that can send them in suspense, move their hearts and unveil to them the pleasures of reading; a book that can take them from one adventure to the other, without a moment’s boredom in between; a book that, at the end, makes them feel like they’ve been taken on an unforgettable journey, just as the Harry Potter series has done for me. 

There is, after all, a fabulous universe awaiting any curious reader, as long as he is willing to pick up a book, lift the cover and flip through the pages.