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I THOUGHT THAT SOUNDED FAMILIAR... Fantasy Harry Potter-style From bogeymen and werewolves to phoenixes and unicorns, J. K. Rowling has assembled the largest group ever of popular legendary creatures, fantasy, and horror themes into one piece of literature. No matter where the legend came from, how old its origin, or how implausible it may seem, J. K. Rowling justifies a reason for its existence and creates a framework for it to reside in the present. We all know that the bogeyman lives under beds and hangs out in dark closets, but how can it always be the same "bogeyman" when the creature lurking in there is different for each person? According to J. K. Rowling, it's easy - a boggart (the name for a bogeyman in Harry Potter's world) is a shape-shifter that takes on the shape of whatever scares a person most. It's so obvious when J. K. Rowling explains it. That is how she makes all the myths and legends so believable and fun. Popular Fantasy Themes In Harry Potter Someone who is not a fan of alternate reality may not be aware of how J. K. Rowling pilfers and parodies the fantasy cliches. Author-created species and/or unique worlds are revered, but there are many themes that are standards - even in the most original works. The reason for this is sometimes historical, but most often it is due to the popularity or natural appeal of the subject. Fantasy people who read Harry PotterTM are not disappointed. It is easy to see J. K. Rowling's flair for alternate reality literature as she cleverly incorporates into Harry Potter most of the standard themes, while keeping her own fantasy world fresh and unique with her own special creations. The expected Magical People, Creatures, and Beasts are all there. In addition to the beings, she also includes favorite objects and activities that are practically "prerequisites" for a great fantasy adventure: Hidden Mysterious Worlds (including forests) Invisibility, Flying, Time Travel and other magical Abilities Mystical Mirrors and Crystals Altered or Switched Identities Magical Eyes / Deadly gazes Maps and Riddles Chess (especially those with living/life-sized chess pieces) Mazes, Secret Passageways, Trap Doors Castles, Dungeons, and Graveyards Whereas typical tales with those themes derive from medieval times of wizards, castles, dungeons, and dragons, there are many that go back to ancient history. Greek mythology is highly popular with fantasy writers, and it is interesting to see the origins of the Harry Potter themes in those legends: The whole wizarding world of Harry Potter is hidden among modern cities with secret portals and mysterious creatures. Hidden mysterious worlds appeared throughout the Greek myths such as Hades (the underworld - visited by the living who knew where to look), Mount Olympus (shrouded in clouds), and numerous strange places such as the lands of the Lotus Eaters, one-eyed Cyclopes, and female Amazons. The third task of the Triwizard Tournament from "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" takes place in a life-sized maze. One of the most famous mazes was the labyrinth that held the Minotaur (head of a bull and body of a man) creature of Crete. Harry's prized possession is his father's Invisibility Cloak that was left to him in "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone," and he also loves flying just like his father. Perseus used an invisibility cap when he went to slay Medusa. He also borrowed Hermes' winged sandals to fly there. Speaking of Medusa, that Gorgon, with snakes for hair, will turn a man to stone if he looks directly at her - just as the Basilisk petrified its victims in "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets." Hermione uses a mirror to avoid being killed by it. Perseus had used a highly-polished bronze shield to see the reflection of Medusa - in order to slay her without being affected. In the Triwizard Tournament, Harry must answer a Sphinx's riddle in order to pass safely by her. One of the most famous ancient riddles comes from the story of Oedipus who encounters the Sphinx at the entrance to city of Thebes. Throughout the Harry Potter books, there are various forms of identity altering. In Homer's "The Odyssey," identity altering was Athena's (Minerva's) specialty - her most famous morphing caper being when she disguised Odysseus (Ulysses) as a feeble, elderly beggar upon his return to Ithaca, so he could reclaim his kingdom. Harry's most prominent feature is his lightning-bolt scar on his forehead. Odysseus also had a famous scar from a run-in with a boar - turned out to be quite handy with all those identity changes (Wizarding World suspects that Harry's will be just as useful for the same reason). Although Greek Mythology is the favorite inspiration for western culture fantasy, some of the creatures (such as Griffins, Sphinxes and Dragons), plus even magic itself, have their origin in ancient Egypt and Eastern countries. These themes survived across centuries and multiple cultures because they are highly popular. J. K. Rowling has done us the favor of weaving them all into one contemporary wizarding world where everyone can enjoy them. So What's Missing? Considering how complete she has been so far, there are themes and creatures that are noticeably missing. While she has already alluded to some of them as being international magic and not found in Britain (such as the banned magic carpets), fans are predicting (and hoping) that we are likely to see a few of these in future books: Secret Codes Treasure Chest Spider Webs Magic Waters Magic Lantern Magic Ring Trident Fog Amazons Genies Pegasus Falcons/Hawks Gargoyles Skeleton Army Bats/Vampires Mummies Crypts Ice Castles Dungeon Cells, Cages, and Shackles It is the opinion of Wizarding World that, due to the global popularity of Harry Potter, J. K. Rowling is probably responding to her readers by researching exotic new international creatures, legends, and themes to incorporate into upcoming adventures. Fantasy for All ! So if you have a favorite fantasy theme, J. K. Rowling has probably included it. Yet she also makes sure those themes fit into modern culture as well as into her special world. For instance, have you ever noticed that unicorns seem to have more attraction for females than males? Well, anyone who has attended a HogwartsTM Care of Magical Creatures course can explain that unicorns "prefer the womans touch" - (though, according to Hagrid, as young foals, they are "more trustin'...don' mind boys so much...") :o)

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