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Harry Potter Rant: Haters
Who else hates...
Who else hates Harry Potter? Please say someone does. I can't go through life thinking that I'm the only one that thinks the poor characterization, unnecessary filler text and boring, predictable plot lines. I'll say more, but I want to make sure that nobody will be super offended.
submitted by S.E.
(October 15, 2015 - 9:12 pm)
(October 15, 2015 - 9:12 pm)
DISCLAIMER: I do not hate Harry Potter. I love Harry Potter. I am a very devout Potterhead.
...But on the same token, I can really easily see why someone would hate it. The writing is... its okay, pretty typical. The great one-liners and the rest passes par. The plot is kinda predictable- except for the ending (*nerd attack*).
My parents are not fans of Harry Potter. At all. They both tried reading it (years ago, they're both elementary school teachers) and neither made it far. So living with two non-potterheads has made me really reconsider parts of the story.
(October 16, 2015 - 6:18 am)
(October 17, 2015 - 11:33 am)
l do!
l read like the first three books than just kinda never finished them cause it was boring to me.....It seemed really sort of cheesy when l read it.
l feel like people aren't quite sure of me when l say l dislike Harry Potter.
*Gasp* "You don't like Harry Potter?!"
"Is there a probalum with that?"
"HarryPotteristheostamazingestbookeverhowcouldyoueverhateit????"
*rolls eyes*
(October 17, 2015 - 2:48 pm)
Let's see you do better! Why does everyone get bored so easliy! I stuck through some of the worst books in history when I was in fourth grade! Can you write a better book?
I'm in kind of a bad mood right now, so forgive me.
(October 18, 2015 - 8:36 am)
This is what l'm talking about.....People getting mad just cause l hate Harry Potter. What has this world come to?
And so you know, l don't get borad easily. l've read 800 pages of small text and finished it.
Harry Potter on the other hand.....I think it's horribly cheesy. A simply cheesy book.
(October 18, 2015 - 2:04 pm)
Examples? Please?
(October 21, 2015 - 3:59 pm)
I'm OK with you not liking it. That's the nice thing about me I think, I actsept other peoples opinions even if thier the opposite of mine. I love Harry Potter books. BUT..... if you don't like Harry Potter, do you like the OZ books? NOT the movies, the original movie is just so...... happy. Just way tooo go-lucky happy. BUT THE ORIGINAL BOOKS ARE AWSESOME-POSSUM!!!! have you read the OZ books? thier REALLY old books, but really good! And have you read Little Woman? I've read about half of it. Gave up because it didn't really grip me.
(October 23, 2015 - 11:33 am)
I've read all the Oz books and listened to all of Little Women!
(October 24, 2015 - 7:37 am)
I can understand why someone would dislike it - really, sometimes I frown at parts of it. The writing could be improved or is mediocre at many points - but at the same time, there is something that pulls me closer to Rowling's tale without noticing the nicks in it's piece. Magic, maybe? ;)
(October 17, 2015 - 6:59 pm)
I can see what you mean, and there are about a million mistakes that I found and it, and two million things that could be better, it's a little strong to hate it. I love Harry Potter, and although it is kind of predictable, it's language is really beautiful. I'm used to appreciating stuff that other people don't, I was probably raised differently or something, so I won't get mad at you. I think it's a beautiful story, and I don't know how there is poor characterization and what is filler text? More explanation please? I won't get offended (well, maybe a little) :D.
(October 18, 2015 - 8:30 am)
I also LOOOVE Harry Potter, but filler text is when you write words just to fill up the space or the time where nothing is happening. There were times however, when I was reading and I thought, why won't she stop using "said"? There are a million speech words out there! Sobbed, cried, sighed, gasped, BUT SHE JUST USES SAID!
Ookz says oory. Sorry? There's nothing to be sorry about, Ookz. I wasn't yelling at you.
(October 18, 2015 - 10:20 am)
Actually, I thought the same thing, Abigail! So I asked my parents, who are English professors, co-authors, and co-editors, and they said that sometimes an author will use one word instead of many because it doesn't break a reader's concentration... or something like that. Using the constants make it easier to understand, or something.
(October 18, 2015 - 5:54 pm)
She isn't a professional author.
(October 21, 2015 - 4:03 pm)
Sobbed/Moaned/Bellowed/Sighed etc. are great when they work. But there are a number of reasons why authors don't use them:
a) They can distract from the actual dialogue, which, for the most part, speaks for itself.
b) If you use them for every case instead of just in cases where it actually works (eg. when J.K. Rowling uses them) they can lose their value and come across as cheesy.
c) Most authors, in fact, prefer not to use dialogue tags at all. Here are 3 examples:
1. Using said
"Are you okay?" Zachary said.
"I'm fine!" Evelyn said, scowling.
"Well, then, if you're sure," he said.
"I am!" she said.
It's not too bad, but it can come off as a little repetitive/basic/boring, and doesn't provide too many opportunities for characterization, or showing emotion.
2. Using more complex dialogue tags
"Are you okay?" Zachary cried.
"I'm fine!" Evelyn spat.
"Well, then, if you're sure," he blustered.
"I am!" she roared at him.
Again, not too bad, but a bit distracting from the actual text. Good dialogue should speak for itself and not rely on dialogue tags.
3. Not using dialogue tags
Zachary rushed to her side. "Are you okay?"
Evelyn glared at him. "I'm fine!" She spat the words like a tiger.
He stepped back in hesitation. "Well, then, if you're sure—"
She shot him a ferocious look. "I am!"
This is what most authors do. None of these are mutually exclusive — most good writing is mainly the third, with a splash of one and two to add interest, and it's just as bad to solely rely on number three. This is why I generally disagree with most "rich words" sheets (the worst are the ones that try and get you to eliminate said altogether, and use purely "rich words"), and it really bugs me when people think that just because you're not saturating every sentence in synonyms and dialogue tags and five-syllable words that add nothing but letters, it's not good writing. Doing that is just as bad as doing the bare minimum.
If you've read this far, I'm sorry for this rant. But I had to get that out
-Kate
(May 31, 2016 - 4:28 pm)
I don't hate Harry Potter. I love Harry Potter, as everyone on the CB knows, and I encourage. But I do agree with you on some points. The writing could be a lot better- just the phrasing, I mean. I think the characters are developed excellentelly, but that's just me. The beginnings could be much better, too. But on the other points I disagree.
The plots are amazing! At the end, there's always a twist. You know it's going to be someone else, but the reasons are fanatastic! Spoilers: Quirrel has Voldemort on the back of his head! Ginny is possessed by a diary! Ron's rat gave Harry's parents away! Mad-Eye Moody was a Death Eater in disguise! Snape kills Dumbledore! Dumbledore asked Snape to kill him!
And as the books go along, they get better. I mean, Horcruxes! Would you have expected that Voldemort split his soul into seven- no, eight- pieces during the Chamber of Secrets? Would you have expected that Harry was a Horcrux?
And, as for the filler text, well.... I like extra backround! It makes it enjoyable! Sure, the Christmas feasts weren't needed, but they were fun to read! Sure, the deathday party didn't have to happen, but it was interesting!
And, Leaf of Love, I'm not exactly sure, but I think filler text is parts of a story that didn't need to be there or wasn't neccessary for the general plot.
(October 18, 2015 - 10:12 am)