Feature Story- Katie Piper

Feature Story

"It is a curious thing, Harry, but perhaps those who are best suited to power are those who have never sought it. Those who, like you, have leadership thrust upon them, and take up the mantle because they must, and find to their own surprise that they wear it well." That line gets me every time. Such insightful thoughts on leadership and sincerity in a children's book.

As a 3rd grader, Harry Potter was my whole life. I worshipped the ground that JK Rowling walked on, and I pined to be a part of Harry, Hermione, and Ron's happy trio that battled evil wizards trying to take over the world. I could honestly say that I was in love with Ron Weasley. And sometimes I wonder if I ever got over that phase.

Harry Potter has defined a big part of my generation. Millions of kids every year pick up the imaginative books and enjoy stepping into the world of Harry, delighted to read about a secret world that includes magic and folklore.

Hidden cities? Check. Dragons and dangerous games? Check. Cute boys with hero complexes? Check plus. Harry was all that I had. I didn't play video games, the television wasn't nearly as interesting as it is today, and I loved to create my own stories.

"For me, Harry Potter and other books were what I considered fun. I didn't need TV to make me happy or relaxed, I just read my books and then reenacted everything about it with my friends after." said Rachel Barclay, a junior nursing major at OU, and a avid reader. "I loved every minute of it."

Harry Potter inspires kids to turn off the television and start reading. Even people who don't like to read are given the chance to join the adventure. The books provide an outlet to escape the real world and it's problems for a brief period of time. Without Harry, people would have succumbed to television much sooner.

What I'm concerned about is how long that will last. The series is over, there are no more books left to end the tragic and exhilarating tale of a boy trying to save the world from an evil wizard. More children are giving up the chance to read and strengthen their verbal skills and instead, spend mindless hours in front of their Xbox and television set, eating snacks and partaking in a growing trend throughout the US. As of 2009, the literacy rates of America tie with 25 other countries for 21st place. Americans have access to hundreds of resources, reading materials and learning programs. But now, instead of taking advantage of these opportunities, kids choose to sit in front of a large screen and stare.

When asked how many hours of television she watched a day, Ellie White, a six year old from Flower Mound, Texas, replied, " Three. That's the most I get everyday." Ellie was referring to her mother's refusal of allowing her to watch more than three hours a day. Three hours a day doesn't seem like a lot of time watching television when you think about it, but on paper it sounds awful. And what about the kids who don't have television restrictions? Should five or six hours be wasted each day on watching cartoons and comedy shows while their books sit in a corner, brand new but covered with cobwebs?

The website for KidsHealth, a website that specializes in child development and growth patterns, answers the question of too much television by saying this:

"Studies have shown that too much TV can make kids more likely to be obese — and, depending on the content, more aggressive."

The website also claims that television should not be a substitute for other activities, like playing, exercising, or reading.

The University of Maine also wrote an extensive bulletin on "How Television Viewing Affects Children." In the article, a human development specialist elaborates on how watching too much TV can harm a child's development.

In the article, the specialist states that "...too much television viewing can have adverse affects, such as more violent and aggressive behavior, poor school performance, obesity, early sexual activity, and drug or alcohol use."

With so many children turning on a television set instead of opening a book, I think this problem provides a unique situation for a writer to solve-how to translate the "easy" part of watching the television over to reading a book.

This is an opportunity for another JK Rowling, a new CS Lewis, a happier JRR Tolkien to swoop in and save the dying world of literature. While the world of television and movies continues to dominate Hollywood and all around the world, books are essential for knowledge and expanding imagination. What kind of writer wouldn't accept that challenge to create something that will last much longer than they do?

The United States needs a Harry Potter-esque hero to save children's creativity and imagination. A writer who can draw everyone in to reading their story, and love it. But until then, the score is Television-1, Books-0.