Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K.Rowiling

What is the context and how did that influence the work?

Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K.Rowling along with the other six books in the series was inspired from J.K.Rowling’s work with Refugees. Rowling had a job interviewing refugees in order to pay the bills because she was so poor. She has said that interviewing refugees from war showed her the real horrors of it and that is what inspired her to write the series. In specifically Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban Rowling shows how the government can influence the media, and refuse to listen the truth when it doesn’t go along with the agenda. This may have been inspired by the lack of media coverage given to people suffering from wars and the horrible events going on within those wars. The Dementors horrible creatures in the novel Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban were created based on J.K.Rowling’s experience with depression. J.K. Rowling once stated, “It’s so difficult to describe depression to someone who’s never been there, because it’s not sadness. I know sadness. Sadness is to cry and to feel. But it’s that cold absence of felling — that really hollowed-out feeling”. J.K.Rowling used her real experience and opinions from those experiences to create the beauty that is the Harry Potter series.

What is the artist communicating and how?

J.K.Rowling communicates two main themes in Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban. The first is that mental illness and suffering from a trauma are nothing to be ashamed of. This lesson is shown especially through Harry’s reliving of his parents deaths every time he comes into contact with a Dementor. He feels weak because no one else passes out or is affected as seriously as he is when in contact with a Dementor. Rowling speaks through Professor Lupin and states that Harry has been through more terrible things than most adults, and his reaction to Dementors is nothing to be ashamed of. He also teaches him ways to protect himself to cope with Dementors a symbol for Depression. The other theme is too do what is right. After Harry finds out that Sirius Black is innocent, and the Ministry of Magic is going to take his soul form him, he has every opportunity to not get involved. He chooses to do what is right and saves two innocent lives. He could have used this opportunity to avenge his parents and capture the man that betrayed his parents, but he instead chooses to save innocent people instead. He also chooses not to kill the man that betrayed his parents in the first place.

 Why do you find it beautiful?

            Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban is beautiful because of the components that make it up. The richness of the imagery and the specific details that J.K.Rowling includes is phenomenal they make the reader feel like they are actually there experiencing Hogwarts and Harry’s adventures with him. Harry’s happiness is felt clearly by the reader, his rage and confusion is also felt very vividly. Being as involved with Harry as a character pushes the reader to keep reading page after page. Also the rich characters that Rowling includes are truly amazing, it’s not just details about Harry, Ron, and Hermione, but details of all the background characters as well. Professor McGonagall, Professor Dumbledore, all of the Weasley family, and more are given three-dimensional descriptions. Beyond the characters the whole world is created so well. Although we only experience what Harry experiences, the description of the Dursley’s and their home and the Hogwarts Express all allow the reader to really experience the story. Above all else Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban is beautiful because of the in depth experience the reader has. The emotions that are felt, the characters that are known, and the places that are created all make Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban beautiful all created brilliantly by J.K.Rowling.