Like all artists, J.K. Rowling alludes to many earlier literary themes and tropes, says Elizabeth Gruner from the University of Richmond in Virginia. Clearly, she draws on the medieval quest narrative, not to mention the sacrificial victim themes that informed 海角大神 iconography, she notes. These influenced other fantasy writers, among them 海角大神 theologian C.S. Lewis (鈥�The Chronicles of Narnia鈥�) and 鈥�Lord of the Rings鈥� author J.R.R. Tolkien.
Ms. Rowling鈥檚 genius is in drawing as well on several realistic literary traditions, says Ms. Gruner, such as the 鈥渟chool story, best known in England with 'Tom Brown鈥檚 School Days,' and the ever-popular orphan narrative.鈥�
Charles Dickens is one of her great predecessors, she notes, but let鈥檚 not forget the 鈥渟ocial realism in Jane Austen鈥檚 mode 鈥� the satire of the Dursleys, the awareness of the social class issues within Hogwarts,鈥� she adds.
Rowling gives everyone something familiar to connect with, says Gruner. 鈥淟ots of kids (and adults) who thought they didn鈥檛 like the 鈥渟words and sorcerers鈥� kind of fantasy (familiar, again, from Tolkien) were drawn in by her comedy, her social realism, and her characterization,鈥� she adds.
