Taking Classes on “Harry Potter”

by · May 2, 2014

So you want to take a class on Harry Potter. Well, that’s fabulous. In fact, I’m doing the same thing next year. At the university I attend, they are offering a political science course subtitled “Political Education in Harry Potter,” and you can bet I am so pumped for it. It’s been a dream of mine to take courses on Harry Potter, become a Harry Potter scholar, something of the sort. However, while it is important to remain excited about this, it is also significant to recognize that the class is not all fun and games.

  1. Even if you’re a super Harry Potter nerd, that doesn’t mean you can slack off. These classes are here to help further your education and make you a better analyst for the events in Harry Potter – just because you’ve read the books over fifty times (not that we count, right?) doesn’t mean you caught every detail there is to know.
  2. Be prepared to critically analyze everything in the text. And by “critically,” I also mean criticizing what may appear. Harry Potter isn’t perfect, and recognizing its imperfections in relation to the topic of your class will make your job, and the professor’s, easier. (Not to mention potential essays!)
  3. Don’t get defensive. Of course you want to defend your favorite characters and scenes, but if they go against a certain topic in class and are criticized, take it easy. It’s a class structured around this sort of thinking, and you’ll only inhibit yourself and the class from reaching its full potential.
  4. Share your opinion! With all that said, don’t be afraid to let your thoughts loose and have other people bounce ideas off of yours. This is your line of thinking, and it has as much right to be heard as anyone else’s – even if you like Umbridge!
  5. Know that your view on Harry Potter may change. And that’s okay. If you really love the series, you can separate the analytical from the enjoyment of it, and that will make all the difference.

With that, I hope this list has been helpful and pertinent to whatever your situation may be – and if you ever become a Harry Potter scholar, know that I’m very jealous since my university does not offer that. You can keep the magic alive even in school.