The Woman behind the Wizard
Countless children have been anxiously awaiting their letter from Hogwarts for over a decade. I, too, have checked the mailbox on more than one occasion. The name Harry Potter is one of the most recognizable in the world. His fame exceeds that of the woman who created him. The reality is however, without author JK Rowling, the captivating fantasy world of Harry Potter would not exist.
Rowling, though immensely successful, has not always been so. The single mother found herself divorced and surviving on welfare while living in Scotland in the mid-90s. She began writing a book based on an idea she had in 1990. Rowling was turned down many times by publishers, who I’m sure are kicking themselves now, before finally selling the book in 1999. That book was the now iconic “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.” The price was a mere $4,000.
“I just think it shows how much that one moment can change your entire life,” student Garrett Payne said. “She didn't know writing the HP series would change her life, but her determination lead her to success. The situation just shows how one moment can change your life in an instant, especially seeing that her inspiration was based on her life being a depressed, under privileged child.”
I respect Rowling’s persistence to overcome circumstances and dedication to finish the book. Finishing a literary work can be very tiresome, tedious and frustrating. She not only finished one book, but a series of seven books. This is a feat that few authors can boast. Being a writer myself, I admire Rowling’s ability and creativity.
I not only respect Rowling as an author, but also as a person. In 2005, Rowling joined with Baroness Emma Nicholson to address the problem of institutionalized and disadvantaged children in Eastern Europe. They created an organization that is now known as Lumos. Her past circumstances of being a single parent and on welfare have led her to give back to those who find themselves in similar situations. Rowling was the first female author billionaire on the Forbes Billionaire list, but as of March 2012, that title has been stripped. I don’t see that as a bad thing since her slip back into the millionaire title is because of high tax rates in Britain and an estimated $160 million in charitable donations.
Knowing what Rowling had to go through inspires me to keep pushing through hard times in my life. The success of her personal story gives me hope that anything is possible if you work for it. If she had given up after writer’s block or rejection from publishers I would not have been able to experience the magic of Harry Potter.
“She changed my childhood completely,” Payne said. “She affected my childhood in a tremendous way, along with many others. She brought happiness to everyone by writing a book, and many people do not understand the obsession people have with the HP series. Once they read it and understand her background they will.”
Rowling wrote her books in a way that everyone can relate to. Her meager beginning makes her life story relatable too.
“I think if she can do it, so can I,” Jessica Overbay said of Rowling’s rags-to-riches story.
“Harry Potter was the first full chapter book I read as a dyslexic kid,” Overbay said. “It has a permanent place in my heart, and on my skin.”Overbay has a tattoo of Hermoine Granger’s signature on her arm that symbolizes the impact that Rowling’s books have had on her life.
“I admire how she can tap into every person’s inner child,” Overbay said.
Rowling allowed my childhood to not only be great, but to be magical. I was able to live in a world of wonder, if only for a few pages. I still treasure those moments of being completely lost in the Dark Forest or flying high above everyone at a Quidditch match.
The book series has impacted my life and vicariously, Rowling has too. I grew up with Harry, Ron and Hermoine. I learned a lot about courage, intellect and loyalty from all the characters in the books and as a child, I looked up to those fictional characters. Now, I see that I actually look up to Rowling.
In a June 2003 interview with Jeremy Paxman, a BBC Newsnight reporter, Rowling said she does feel success has changed her in a way that she doesn’t feel like a waste of space anymore.
“You didn't really feel a waste of space?” Paxman said.
“I totally felt a waste of space,” Rowling said. “I was lousy. Yeah I did, yeah. And now I feel that, it turns out there was one thing I was good at, and I'd always expected I could tell a story, and I suppose it's rather sad that I needed confirmation by being published.”
Her humility in fame and ability to rise above circumstances and create something great make Rowling someone to praise. I hope to create a magnificent work of literature and impact as many lives as she has someday. Harry Potter may be many people’s hero, but JK Rowling is my heroine.
photo from: http://www.digitopoly.org/2012/03/27/jk-rowling-blows-up-the-ebookstore-business/
