Rowling's Generic Hybridity

     In the series Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling uses many conventions of classic genres. She masters the art of using these elements to capture a new generation of readers. Rowling writes with a regard to tradition but adds modern touches and components. A few major genres she pulls from is that of mystery, realism, and fantasy.

     Rowling crafts a fantastic fantasy, with witches and wizards along with trolls and flying broomsticks, but she adds the realistic elements of history and limits to magic. She has magical creatures and figures that follow the classic archetype, while imposing realistic standards and concepts. The time we see this the most is when harry is with the dursleys and random people in strange clothes come up to him and bow or shake his hand. He has no idea of the history and that he is the famous "boy who lived".

     She also builds on the mystery genres by using suspense and misleading the reader on purpose. Rowling continuously leads the reader to conclusions that aren't always the truth. For example, in the first book when Harry suspects Snape is after the sorcerers stone, she sets the scene up by having Snape call Harry out in class on the first day where he clearly doesn't know the answers, then continues to drop details that point to Snape. Such as when Harry's scar hurts when he looks past Quirrell and sees Snape. However she reveals who is really behind his scar hurting at the end of the first novel when it is Quirrell looking for the stone.