Accio Blog Post #1!

              Throughout the many times I have read the Harry Potter series, I have never given much thought to the generic literary conventions of the books. Sure, I casually noticed that there were elements of mystery, a fantasy world, and realistic fiction, but I never stepped back to think about how those generic conventions affected my reading of the text.
              First, I want to look at the realistic fiction convention. What has always, since my first reading of this book all the way back in 2000, been my biggest connection to Harry is his experience with abuse. Examples of this abuse include SS page 23 where the Dursleys are talking about him as if he were not there, "no meals" (p. 29), "nothing a good beating wouldn't have cured" (p.29), and many others. During my early life I was in an abusive household and always identified with Harry in that aspect. If there were no realistic component to the books, then I would not have identified with Harry there.
             In addition to and connecting to the realistic fiction genre is the fantasy genre. Just as Hogwarts is Harry's escape, these books have always been mine. If there were no fantasy world to immerse myself in and escape from real life in, my connection to these books would have not been nearly as strong. Harry hiding in the cupboard under the stairs and smallest bedroom was me hiding underneath my bed reading these books in the middle of the night.
            My response to these books was one of a deep connection, empathy, and awe that there was an escape- even now rereading it, but in a slightly different context in my adult life. If it were not for Rowling drawing on the realistic to help me relate and the fantasy to help me escape, I would have not responded in nearly the same way.