Reilly Grealis

Prof. Hewitt

English Composition I

1 March 2017

The Author Behind Harry Potter

In Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone, J.K. Rowling tells us that within the magical

realm shes created, Every child in the world will know his name. Not only is the quote

completely accurate within the novels, it is also true in real life. It would be nearly impossible to

find a child who did not know the name Harry Potter. According to the publisher, Scholastic,

Harry Potter novels have been sold in over 200 territories, theyve been translated into over 68

languages, and 400 million copies have sold worldwide. Not only have the books been

successful, there were also eight movies on the books that destroyed the box offices, selling

millions of tickets. The Harry Potter novels have defined generations, but who is the woman

behind the typewriter? Before she found Harry Potter, Rowling suffered from awful depression.

J.K Rowling inspires me as a writer and a woman, mainly because we have both suffered from

depression and made it through to the other side.

To begin, J.K. Rowling, also known as Joanne Kathleen Rowling was born in London,

England and was raised in Chepstow, Gwent. Growing up, like her famous protagonist, Rowling

had a rocky childhood and an even rockier relationship with her father.Rowlingoncestated,on

herfather,Iwasveryfrightenedofmyfatherforaverylongtime...Ialsotrieddesperatelyto

gethisapprovalandmakehimhappy,Isuppose,andthentherecameapointquiteshamingly

lateinlifewhereIcouldn'tdothatanymore,andso,Ihaven'thadanycontactwithmyfather

nowforafewyears"(ABCNews).Thisrelationshipwouldinspiremanyofthepaternalfigures
withintheHarryPotternovels,astheyrepresentwhatRowlingneverhadwithherownfather.

ThefactthatRowlingincorporatedherownlifeintothenovelshelpedtoexpressarealness.The

paternalfiguresareveryimportantthroughoutthenovels,buttherearealsomanyprominent

femalecharactersthathelptoshapecertainmorals.Thesecharacters,overall,haveaffected

literatureandthewaychildrenviewthemselvesandthosearoundthem.

AsRowlinggrewup,sheattendedExeterUniversity,whereshereceivedaBachelorsin

FrenchandClassics.ThiseducationwouldhelphergreatlyinthewritingofHarryPotter.

Unfortunately,Rowlingsmotherthatsheloveddearlywassickwithmultiplesclerosisforover

tenyears.HermotherdiedandRowlingmovedtoPortugal,gotmarried,andhadadaughter.

Eventually,hermarriageended,leavinghertobeasinglemother.ShemovedbacktoEdinburgh

whereshebegantowritethefirstinstallmentoftheHarryPotterseries.InEdinburgh,Rowling

waslivinginacrampedapartmentwithherdaughterandwasjoblessandpenniless.Itwas

duringthistimethatshedevelopedseveredepression.Imyselfhavealsosufferedfrom

depression,makingRowlinganimportantfiguretome.Ivealwayswantedtobeawriter,and

thefactthatIcanseesimilaritiesinJ.K.Rowlingtomyself,andseehowsuccessfulshehas

becomeisveryimportanttome.ThisisamainreasonwhyRowlingworkedsohardonthe

HarryPotternovels;theywereallshehad.Rowlingsstrugglewithdepressionalsocarriedinto

herworks,andRowlingcontinuestobeanadvocatefortheawarenessofmentalhealth

disorders,makingherviewpointveryimpactful.

Rowlingbeganherjourneytopublishthenovels.Shewasrejectedoften,until

Bloomsburydecidedtofinallypublishthenovel.Rejection,isobviously,somethingallofus

faceandthewayshedealtwithherownrejectionprovesalotabouthercharacter.Now,J.K.
Rowlingssuccessisobvious.Shetookherhorriblesituationandturneditaround,becomingone

ofthemostinfluentialpeopleofanentiregeneration.Rowlingprovedtoyoungchildren,

especiallyyounggirls(akame),thatanythingispossible.Rowlinglivedtheclassicragstoriches

story,yetshestilldoesnotletitaffecther.Shebecamethefirstpersontoloseherbillionaire

statusduetothefactthatshedonatedsomuchmoneytocharity.Rowlingistrulyaninspiration

toeveryone.
 Work Cited

1. Author J.K. Rowling Harry Potter. Scholastic. 1998. Web. 1 Mar. 2017.
2. Gillett, Rachel. From welfare to one of the worlds wealthiest women the incredible

rags-to-riches story of J.K. Rowling. Business Insider. Business Insider, 18 May 2015.

Web. 1 Mar. 2017.

3. J.K. Rowling Biography. Biography.com. 21 Nov. 2016. Web. 1 Mar. 2017.
4. News, ABC. Inside the magical world of J.K. Rowling. ABC News. ABC News, 17 July

2009. Web. 1 Mar. 2017.

5. Rowling, J. K. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. London: Bloomsbury Children's,

1997.