The Precursor to JK. Rowling.

[logansrogue]

http://www.btinternet.com/~ajarvis/blyton/blyton.htm

Being sick, all I've had to do is read. I read some of her books, and I remembered why I liked them so much.

There was a funny little story of a boy called Ronnie, who found a lost cat. He took the cat to the address on the collar of the cat, that being Wizards Cottage. In the cottage was an old man with a cauldron over a fire, and Ronnie was most surprised. The wizard was very happy for having his cat returned to him. He had Ronnie help him out with some magic paint that was invisibility paint.

Cool huh? I'm not saying JK ripped of Enid, but culturally there was a seed (many seeds), and JK isn't alone on her thread of creativity. Enid Blyton was also critically shunned in many accounts and her books were not allowed in certain libraries in the fifties, because it was feared children would not read the 'classics'.

How times have changed. Now we leave the HP lying around in the libraries in the vain hope that after they've read their way through the series, they might like to pick up a Homer or some-such!!

*yawn* off to bed.

Comments

[shimmiwyld.livejournal.com]

Dude, I could give you a list of similarities between the first Star Wars movie and Philosophers Stone.
Orphan living with relatives.
Orphan goes with (Obiwan) to 'learn magic/become a jedi'
Orphan is 'the one/most known' 'jedi/wizard'.
R2D2 (Ron) and C-3PO (Hermione).
The list goes on.... actually Hermione and Ron can be other Star-y characters too... just sayin'.

[logansrogue.livejournal.com]

Yeah but Luke doesn't want to bone C3P0 subconsciously. oh... hang on... *giggles*

[annearchy.livejournal.com]

HP is really very mythological, in the Joseph Campbell sense. Harry is on a Hero's Journey, except his will take at least 18 years. He's got to fight Evil Personified. He has True Friends for whom he would give his life if necessary (let's just hope he doesn't have to). The whole series is rife with archetypes, which is part of why I adore it (the other part being the way JKR has made us truly care about the characters). Well, I could go on and on, but I won't.

[octopedingenue]

I have a book that was written in the 80s named Wizard's Hall by Jane Yolen. In it, a boy named Hency is sent off to wizard's school, only to find that Wizard's Hall is under attack from a mysterious and powerful evil wizard who was once a student there. Only Henry and his two especial friends at school (a boy and a girl) can stop him! But how?

Yes, I've wondered if J.K. Rowling read that book...