So, I was just reading this story I think on Yahoo News or somewhere about J.K. Rowling making a big announcement next week. That's cool, but not what I want to talk about. One of the comments someone posted on that story said something along the lines of, "J.K. Rowling is a fraud. She didn't invent that story, she stole it from the movie 'Troll'. She sucks..." etc, etc.
Now, I've never heard of that movie, so I decided to investigate. Apparently, it was a very, very, VERY CRAPPILY-MADE movie of the 1980's. Here is what wikipedia.org says...
"The film begins with the Potter family moving into a new apartment complex in San Francisco. While unpacking, their young daughter Wendy is attacked by a grotesque little creature, who had long ago been transformed from a powerful wizard into a troll. Using a magic crystal green ring, it captures Wendy and possesses her form. After meeting the other eccentric tenants, the family notices Wendy's unusual behavior (roaring, biting, tossing people across rooms), but they attribute her behavior to the stress of the move. The only one that notices something is terribly wrong is Wendy's brother, Harry Potter Jr. (Noah Hathaway)..." (wikipedia.org)
Blah, blah, blah, you get the idea.
Oh no! The character is named Harry Potter! How can that be?
So what? THAT'S the proof that Rowling is a fraud??? Sorry, but I HIGHLY doubt that she saw a crappy, American movie in the mid 1980's and thought, "Hmmmm, I'll rip this off and write about it in ten years." If you go back and read the rest of the plot, you'll see it has very little to do with the books she's written.
Why am I even talking about this, then?
Whenever anyone writes fantasy, they will use ideas that have been used before roughly 96% of the time. Wizards, dragons, fairies, trolls, goblins, vampires (ugh), werewolves, magic... it has ALL been done before!!! That is why I have never really delved into writing fantasy. It is too constricted and a lot of hard work. Don't get me wrong, I admire those who do, I just don't have the talent for it.
As for the name Harry Potter... well, it is a common-sounding name. Rowling has said Harry has always been her favorite male name and she got Potter from a family she knew as a child. I'd be more inclined to believe she copied a name/story if the character was named, say, Katniss Everdeen. How many of THOSE do you see walking around? Exactly.
As a final note, writers are frauds in the sense that every word has been written before (it's called a dictionary... ha ha ha). That's why I think it's neat to make up new words, a la Dr. Seuss, or even Rowling with the word "Muggle".
So people, just chill with calling her a fraud, OK? If you don't like her books or don't want to read them, no one's forcing you. (I hate Twilight, but I don't really care that people like it. I don't think Stephenie Meyer's a fraud either.) If you've ever studied literature, you'll know that most stories share the same themes anyway.
One last thing... to the guy who wrote that Troll comment, why would you admit that you saw that movie? Who's stupid now???
(Oh snap!!!)
10 years ago
