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Secondary World Literary Analysis

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In his essay, “Fairy Stories”, J.R.R.Tolkien explains that authors, or sub-creators, must develop secondary worlds with infinite possibilities. Tolkien suggests an effective secondary world, must contain circumstances that are realistic in the sense of the secondary world’s laws, altering the reader’s belief system. Also, sub-creators, developing these secondary worlds, must continue sustaining the reader’s disbelief by developing curiosities, encouraging the reader’s exploration. An author utilizing Tolkien's secondary world is J.K. Rowling, the author of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. This novel traces Harry’s journey of discovering his magical abilities, through a world of wizards. In her novel, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's …show more content…
Tolkien illustrates this element writing,“In a fantasy novel the author must become a ‘sub-creator’ of an effective secondary world, in which a person believes the circumstances occurring in that world” (Tolkien 8). J.K. Rowling, in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, develops this secondary world and readers find it logical, supporting Tolkien's belief of developing a secondary world. Rowling portrays this believable world when Hagrid, a wizard, tells Harry he is a wizard. Hagrid also describes Harry’s relatives as not wizards by explaining to him what they call non-wizards saying, “A muggle, it’s what we call non magical folk like them” (Rowling 53), differentiating between wizards and non-wizards and creating a rationality in the wizarding world. Rationalities are one of the many elements Rowling capitalizes on, supporting Tolkien's idea of developing a believable secondary world. J.K. Rowling describes the transportation to Harry’s new school writing, “A scarlet steam engine was waiting next to a platform packed with people” (Rowling 94). This quote describes the train used by witches and wizards arriving at Hogwarts, the wizardry school. This reinforces a believable secondary world because the wizards use a special transportation unique to them. Rowling illustrates a excellent secondary world because she creates a world containing logical standards …show more content…
He reveals this idea, writing, “I can achieve (more or less) willing suspension of disbelief, when I am held there and supported by some other motive . . .” (Tolkien 8). Rowling, as the sub-creator, creates many wild events, keeping a person engaged in the secondary world, mirroring Tolkien’s ideal secondary world. She writes, “An’ I’ve also got a letter from Professor Dumbledore, it’s about the You-Know-What in vault seven hundred and thirteen” (Rowling 73). Hagrid says this quote to one of the goblins, when Harry and he go to Gringotts and he takes something out of one of the vaults, refusing to tell Harry about it. Rowling feeds the reader’s exploration into the secondary world wondering about the mysterious object Hagrid took out of the vault and its relevance. This is not the only time she suspends disbelief. When Draco steals a magical ball from Neville, Harry tries retrieving it, but Draco refuses and Harry jumps on his broom seizing the ball. J.K. Rowling reveals that Harry has skills at riding brooms when she writes, “ Air rushed through his hair, and his robes whipped out behind him- and in a rush of fierce joy he realized that he found something he could do without being taught- this was easy this was wonderful” (Rowling 148). This event causes a reader to continue wondering about Harry’s other abilities. These events propel the reader’s exploration into the

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