Enter Enid Blyton's idyllic world. An exotic land of pixies, goblins, elves and children. Meet Moon Face, and Silky, who will introduce you to the wonders of the Faraway Tree. Where the Wishing Chair will whisk you to lands of untold treasures and delight. Trees will be made of chocolate cakes, and roads lined with ginger bread. As you grow a little older, you might visit Darrel Rivers, in Malory Towers, and whenever you feel hungry, you will find yourself surrounded by ginger beer, ham sandwiches, buttery scones, and chocolate cakes. After having your fill, you can enmesh yourself in the twists of some adventure along with the Famous Five. Find treasure on a farm, or solve the mystery of a missing necklace. Such were the characters of Enid Blyton, which children had grown up with and adored. But as time passed by, there was a lull, and children were shushed in a deep sleep, away from this literary world, by the soft soothing lullabies of her delightful, but predictable characters.
Enter Harry Potter, with a scarred face and charred past. A wizard, whose childhood is tainted with memories of his parents being killed. Meet Voldemort, the darkest and the most evil wizard of the magical world, whose mere name is enough to throw witches and wizards in the throes of fear, and who had tried to kill Harry, when he was merely one year old. Harry, has no time for quaint myteries of finding a missing necklace. He is forced to face Dementors, who suck out every ounce of his happiness, and coerce him to relive the dreadful memories of his parents being murdered, of his mother begging Voldemort to kill her instead of Harry. At the age of sixteen, Harry has already, survived 6 attempts on his life. His life is plagued with terrible life threatening circumstances, and unanswered questions.
The stark contrast between J.K Rowling's dark magical world and Enid Blyton's utopian existence was startling to say the least............
And surprisingly, when it was believed that children of the current generation had forever lost out on the delights of reading and given in to animated computer games and sc-fi comics, they awoke from their deep slumber, rubbing their eyes hurriedly and welcoming Harry Potter with more than just an eager interest, in their lives. The exciting and forbidden world of magic, powerful dark wizards and witches, Quidditch, murder, ghosts and phoenixes beckoned them. And they embraced it excitedly.
Was this a reflection of the changes in children's attitude towards life? Or was it the shock value of a completely different genre of writing, which had them hooked? Its possible, that the danger portrayed in Rowlings books gave them a sense of responsibility and the feeling of being a grown up. At last there was a children's fiction writer who did not shy away from depicting death and destruction, for fear of disrupting their minds, and thought them to be capable enough to handle the proceeding turmoil. Whose writing went beyond, the excitement of playing tricks on French teachers, and dilemmas faced by a goblin when he is locked in a prison made of chocolate cake.
But are we witnessing an end to an era, which was once thought to be timeless? Because the phenomenal popularity of Harry Potter, is not likely to be a mere passing phase. Where the Famous Five have just a modest television series to their name, all of the Harry Potter series are being made into big budget films. They say, never judge a book by its movie, and yet all Potter films have been highly successful, their USP being the little or no deviation from the original story line.
Potter influenced children to such an extent, that surveys were done to establish whether people believe in magic. Ironically, children empathize more with Potters experiences, than read Blyton. Where children face a lot more complications and pressure than we did at their age, and identify with Harrys' dilemmas about approaching examinations, performing well at sports, and even the stirrings of the first crush. There is a strong sense of realism in Rowlings books, despite the magical environment. Maybe the pixies and elves were too timid and sedate to survive in times of cut throat competition, and have taken a back seat.
Meanwhile, everybody is awaiting the next Potter book, with excruciating eagerness!
first published:August 17, 2006, 13:22 ISTlast updated:August 17, 2006, 13:22 IST
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Being an avid Harry Potter reader, I live in perpetual curiosity of what will eventually happen to Harry when he confronts his biggest adversary, Voldermort in the final battle. But one day my thoughts wandered off to the woman who created them both... Rowling... and the battle between her and one of her biggest competitors,( and another one of my all-time favourites,) Enid Blyton.........Here are some of my retrospections............
Enter Enid Blyton's idyllic world. An exotic land of pixies, goblins, elves and children. Meet Moon Face, and Silky, who will introduce you to the wonders of the Faraway Tree. Where the Wishing Chair will whisk you to lands of untold treasures and delight. Trees will be made of chocolate cakes, and roads lined with ginger bread. As you grow a little older, you might visit Darrel Rivers, in Malory Towers, and whenever you feel hungry, you will find yourself surrounded by ginger beer, ham sandwiches, buttery scones, and chocolate cakes. After having your fill, you can enmesh yourself in the twists of some adventure along with the Famous Five. Find treasure on a farm, or solve the mystery of a missing necklace. Such were the characters of Enid Blyton, which children had grown up with and adored. But as time passed by, there was a lull, and children were shushed in a deep sleep, away from this literary world, by the soft soothing lullabies of her delightful, but predictable characters.
Enter Harry Potter, with a scarred face and charred past. A wizard, whose childhood is tainted with memories of his parents being killed. Meet Voldemort, the darkest and the most evil wizard of the magical world, whose mere name is enough to throw witches and wizards in the throes of fear, and who had tried to kill Harry, when he was merely one year old. Harry, has no time for quaint myteries of finding a missing necklace. He is forced to face Dementors, who suck out every ounce of his happiness, and coerce him to relive the dreadful memories of his parents being murdered, of his mother begging Voldemort to kill her instead of Harry. At the age of sixteen, Harry has already, survived 6 attempts on his life. His life is plagued with terrible life threatening circumstances, and unanswered questions.
The stark contrast between J.K Rowling's dark magical world and Enid Blyton's utopian existence was startling to say the least............
And surprisingly, when it was believed that children of the current generation had forever lost out on the delights of reading and given in to animated computer games and sc-fi comics, they awoke from their deep slumber, rubbing their eyes hurriedly and welcoming Harry Potter with more than just an eager interest, in their lives. The exciting and forbidden world of magic, powerful dark wizards and witches, Quidditch, murder, ghosts and phoenixes beckoned them. And they embraced it excitedly.
Was this a reflection of the changes in children's attitude towards life? Or was it the shock value of a completely different genre of writing, which had them hooked? Its possible, that the danger portrayed in Rowlings books gave them a sense of responsibility and the feeling of being a grown up. At last there was a children's fiction writer who did not shy away from depicting death and destruction, for fear of disrupting their minds, and thought them to be capable enough to handle the proceeding turmoil. Whose writing went beyond, the excitement of playing tricks on French teachers, and dilemmas faced by a goblin when he is locked in a prison made of chocolate cake.
But are we witnessing an end to an era, which was once thought to be timeless? Because the phenomenal popularity of Harry Potter, is not likely to be a mere passing phase. Where the Famous Five have just a modest television series to their name, all of the Harry Potter series are being made into big budget films. They say, never judge a book by its movie, and yet all Potter films have been highly successful, their USP being the little or no deviation from the original story line.
Potter influenced children to such an extent, that surveys were done to establish whether people believe in magic. Ironically, children empathize more with Potters experiences, than read Blyton. Where children face a lot more complications and pressure than we did at their age, and identify with Harrys' dilemmas about approaching examinations, performing well at sports, and even the stirrings of the first crush. There is a strong sense of realism in Rowlings books, despite the magical environment. Maybe the pixies and elves were too timid and sedate to survive in times of cut throat competition, and have taken a back seat.
Meanwhile, everybody is awaiting the next Potter book, with excruciating eagerness!
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