Synthesis Paper

Synthesis Paper

Focus Question: What role do the Harry Potter books play in children’s education?

In my freshman year in high school, Mr. Mehta, the Head of the English department, made some changes to our school’s English curriculum. One of these changes included introducing the fifth book of the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Order of Phoenix, to our reading list. Mr. Mehta’s simple action attracted more attention than ever before! While students lauded his decision, most parents questioned this change as they felt that the Harry Potter books did not belong in academia. Several agitated parents were so appalled by Mr. Mehta’s actions that they even tried to revoke his decision by appealing to the principal. But, after much deliberation, the principal successfully dismissed the
Mehta’s decision? What about the books made them so reluctant to accept it as part of the school’s curriculum? Were they worried that these books would negatively influence their children? The parent’s peevish reaction got me thinking about the role of the Harry Potter books in children’s education. Today, J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter books have become a worldwide sensation and have attracted young readers from across the globe. Incorporating these books into academia would only further fuel this epidemic, encouraging more and more children to not just read the books, but to do so while paying close attention to the content. With the rise in consumption and popularity of the series, along with its introduction into academia, the role of the Harry Potter books in children’s education has become a very common point of discussion and debate. While assessing the educational worth of the Harry Potter books, the following three aspects of the series must be analyzed – its literary merit, its impact on general child literary and its effect on children’s social and ethical development. Based on these three criterions the different