Analogues Harry Potter influences and analogues

1 analogues

1.1 pilgrim s progress
1.2 wuthering heights
1.3 tom brown s schooldays
1.4 lord of rings
1.5 roald dahl s stories
1.6 x-men
1.7 chronicles of prydain
1.8 dark rising
1.9 wizard of earthsea
1.10 worst witch
1.11 star wars
1.12 charmed life
1.13 discworld
1.14 ender s game
1.15 young sherlock holmes
1.16 troll
1.17 groosham grange
1.18 books of magic
1.19 spellcasting series
1.20 wizard s hall
1.21 secret of platform 13

analogues

there number of fictional works harry potter has been repeatedly compared in media. of these rowling has herself mentioned, others have been mentioned internet sites, journalists, critics or other authors. works listed in order of creation.

the pilgrim s progress

the pilgrim s progress john bunyan

john granger sees chamber of secrets similar morality play john bunyan s pilgrim s progress. describes climax, harry descends chamber of secrets rescue ginny weasley clearest christian allegory of salvation history since lewis s lion, witch, , wardrobe. … using traditional symbols, ancient of days figure god father satanic serpent , christ-like phoenix ( resurrection bird ), drama takes fall eternal life without hitch.

wuthering heights

in 2006, rowling recommended emily brontë s gothic post-romantic wuthering heights number 1 of top ten books every child should read. in essay, sir love in book mapping world of harry potter, joyce millman suggests severus snape, harry potter s morally ambiguous potions master, drawn tradition of byronic heroes such wuthering heights heathcliff , chapter 2 of harry potter , half-blood prince reminiscent of opening of wuthering heights when heathcliff coldly introduced , asks servant joseph bring wine him , lockwood. snape commands identical line servant wormtail, snape described how emily brontë described heathcliff.

tom brown s schooldays

the harry potter series draws upon long tradition of boarding school-set children s literature in english. school story genre originated in victorian era tom brown s schooldays, thomas hughes. tom brown s schooldays laid down basic structure has been imitated, example in anthony buckeridge s 1950s jennings books.

both tom brown s schooldays , harry potter involve average eleven-year-old, better @ sport academic study, sent boarding school. upon arrival, boy gains best friend (in tom s case, east, in harry s case, ron weasley) helps him adjust new environment. set upon arrogant bully – in tom brown s case, flashman, in harry s case draco malfoy. stephen fry, both narrates british audio adaptations of harry potter novels , has starred in screen adaptation of tom brown, has commented many times similarities between 2 books. harry potter – boy arrives in strange school board first time , makes good, solid friends , enemies use bullying , unfair tactics , notes fry, ambiguous whether or not going or bad. pluck , endeavour, loyalty, nature , bravery things carry him through – , story of tom brown s schooldays .

the lord of rings

fans of author j. r. r. tolkien have drawn attention similarities between novel lord of rings , harry potter series; tolkien s wormtongue , rowling s wormtail, tolkien s shelob , rowling s aragog, tolkien s gandalf , rowling s dumbledore, tolkien s nazgûl , rowling s dementors, old man willow , whomping willow , similarities between both authors antagonists, tolkien s dark lord sauron , rowling s lord voldemort (both of whom within respective continuities unnamed due intense fear surrounding names; both referred dark lord ; , both of whom are, during time when main action takes place, seeking recover lost power after having been considered dead or @ least no longer threat). several reviews of harry potter , deathly hallows noted locket used horcrux voldemort bore comparison tolkien s 1 ring, negatively affects personality of wearer. rowling maintains hadn t read hobbit until after completed first harry potter novel (though had read lord of rings teenager) , similarities between books , tolkien s superficial. tolkien created whole new mythology, never claim have done. on other hand, think have better jokes. tolkienian scholar tom shippey has maintained no modern writer of epic fantasy has managed escape mark of tolkien, no matter how hard many of them have tried .

roald dahl s stories

many have drawn attention similarities between rowling s works , of roald dahl, particularly in depiction of dursley family, echoes nightmarish guardians seen in many of dahl s books, such wormwoods matilda, aunt sponge , aunt spiker james , giant peach, , grandma george s marvellous medicine. rowling acknowledges there similarities, believes @ deeper level, works different of dahl; in words, more moral .

x-men

the marvel comics superhero team x-men, created stan lee , jack kirby in 1963, similar harry potter in examination of prejudice , intolerance. comic book historian michael mallory examined original premise of comic, in teenage mutants study under professor x learn how control abilities, safe fearful homo sapiens, , battle less benign mutants magneto. argued, think [the comic] clad in traditional british university robes , pointy hats, castles , trains, , image springs mind hogwarts school witchcraft , wizard[ry], dumbledore, voldemort , class struggle between wizards , muggles. acknowledged while x-men longest time phenomenon largely contained in realm of comic book readers opposed wider public [such rowling] , argued nothing exists in vacuum, least of popular culture. creators of x-men consciously or unconsciously tapped creative ether of time inspiration, has x-men phenomenon had effect on books , films has since followed.

the chronicles of prydain

lloyd alexander s five-volume prydain chronicles, begun in 1964 book of 3 , concluding in 1968 high king , features young protagonist, assistant pig keeper named taran, wishes great hero in world drawn welsh mythology. entertainment weekly cited lloyd alexander possible influence on rowling when named 2007 entertainer of year. when alexander died in 2007, obituary in new york magazine drew many comparisons between harry potter , prydain , said high king desperately hope harry potter , deathly hallows be.

the dark rising

susan cooper s dark rising sequence (which commenced on sea, under stone in 1965 , more commonly bound in single volume) have been compared harry potter series. second novel, called dark rising, features young boy named stanton discovers on eleventh birthday in fact imbued magical power; in s case, last of old ones, beings empowered light battle dark. books open in same way, finding people telling him strange things , animals run him. john hodge, wrote screenplay film adaptation of dark rising, made substantial changes novel s plot , tone differentiate harry potter.

a wizard of earthsea

the basic premise of ursula k. le guin s wizard of earthsea (parnassus, 1968), in boy unusual aptitude magic recognised, , sent special school wizards, resembles of harry potter. ged receives scar in struggle shadow hurts whenever shadow near him harry potter s scar when voldemort near him. le guin has claimed doesn t feel rowling ripped off , felt rowling s books overpraised supposed originality, , rowling have been more gracious predecessors. incredulity @ critics found first book wonderfully original. has many virtues, originality isn t 1 of them. hurt.

the worst witch

many critics have noted jill murphy s worst witch series (first published in 1974 allison & busby), set in school girls, miss cackle s academy witches , reminiscent of hogwarts. story concerns awkward pupil @ boarding-school witches, faces scheming rival student. professors include kindly , elderly headmistress , bullying, raven-haired potions teacher. murphy has commented on frustration @ constant comparisons between work , harry potter: s irritating … asks same question , children writing ask me whether mind hogwarts school of witchcraft , pointing out similarities. worse reviewers come across books, or see tv series, and, without taking trouble find out s on quarter of century since wrote first book, make pointed remarks clever timing – or things worst witch stories not million miles j k rowling s books . implications quite insulting!

star wars

the harry potter series shares many similarities george lucas s star wars respect main characters, heroes , villains, story plotlines. scholar deborah cartmell states harry potter s story based on star wars on other text. life of harry potter, main hero of series, parallels of luke skywalker, main hero of original star wars trilogy both characters living dull , ordinary lives until later age when recruited older mentor. harry potter trains become wizard @ late childhood , mentored albus dumbledore in facing destiny , enemy lord voldemort; whereas luke skywalker trains become jedi @ adulthood , mentored obi-wan kenobi in facing destiny , enemy darth vader (also known lord vader). both characters brought @ infancy foster families directly future mentors.

the main villains of both franchises share many similarities. tom riddle once student of hero s mentor, dumbledore @ hogwarts, studying wizard before turned evil , transformed voldemort. likewise, anakin skywalker student of hero s mentor, obi-wan kenobi jedi order training jedi knight before turned dark side , transformed darth vader.

the mentors of main heroes share many parallels. both mentored main villain of stories before turned bad , betrayed respective mentor. both mentors killed when fighting former students. albus dumbledore betrayed tom riddle before being killed off him lord voldemort (through draco malfoy , snape). obi-wan betrayed anakin skywalker before being killed off him darth vader. both voluntarily allowed killed , advised hero beyond grave.

both stories have dark side followers of villains of story own followers/apprentices.

both stories have prophesied chosen 1 destroy evil. in harry potter series, harry potter chosen 1 defeat dark lord voldemort. in star wars, presumed , appears luke skywalker, revealed anakin skywalker proclaimed in jedi prophecy destroy sith , bring balance force. after being redeemed son, luke skywalker. more recent theories contrast , argue luke indeed chosen 1 bring balance force.

charmed life

in diana wynne jones charmed life (1977), 2 orphaned children receive magical education while living in castle. setting world resembling 1900s britain, magic commonplace. diana wynne jones has stated in answer question on webpage: think ms rowling did quite few of ideas books – though have never met her, have never been able ask her. books written many years before harry potter books (charmed life first published in 1977), similarities come herself read child. once book published, out in world, sort of common property, people take ideas , use, , think happened books.

discworld

before arrival of j. k. rowling, britain s bestselling author comic fantasy writer terry pratchett. discworld books, beginning colour of magic in 1983, satirise , parody common fantasy literature conventions. pratchett repeatedly asked if got idea magic college, unseen university, harry potter s hogwarts, or if young wizard ponder stibbons, has dark hair , glasses, inspired harry potter. both in fact predate rowling s work several years; pratchett jokingly claimed did steal them, though of course used time machine. bbc , other british news agencies emphasised supposed rivalry between pratchett , rowling, pratchett said on record that, while did not put rowling on pedestal, did not consider bad writer, nor did envy success. claims of rivalry due letter wrote sunday times, article published declaring fantasy looks backward idealised, romanticised, pseudofeudal world, knights , ladies morris-dance greensleeves . actually, protesting ineptitude of journalists in genre, many of whom did not research work and, in case, contradicted in same article.

ender s game

science fiction author orson scott card, in fierce editorial in response rowling s copyright lawsuit against harry potter lexicon, claimed assertion had had words stolen rendered moot fact draw numerous comparisons between books , own 1985 novel ender s game; in words, young kid growing in oppressive family situation learns 1 of special class of children special abilities, educated in remote training facility student life dominated intense game played teams flying in midair, @ kid turns out exceptionally talented , natural leader. trains other kids in unauthorised sessions, enrages enemies, attack him intention of killing him; protected loyal, brilliant friends , gains strength love of of family members. given special guidance older man of legendary accomplishments kept enemy @ bay. goes on become crucial figure in struggle against unseen enemy threatens whole world.

young sherlock holmes

chris columbus, directed first 2 harry potter film adaptations, has cited 1985 film young sherlock holmes, wrote, influence in direction films. sort of predecessor movie, in sense , told bbc in 2001, 2 young boys , girl in british boarding school had fight supernatural force. scenes young sherlock holmes subsequently used cast first harry potter film. on 3 january 2010, irish journalist declan lynch (writing in sunday independent) stated there s more hint of young sherlock evident in harry .

troll

the 1986 charles band-produced low-budget horror/fantasy film troll, directed john carl buechler , starring noah hathaway, julia louis-dreyfus , sonny bono, features character named harry potter jr. in interview m. j. simpson, band claimed: ve heard j. k. rowling has acknowledged maybe saw low-budget movie , perhaps inspired her. however, spokesman rowling, responding rumors of planned remake of film, has denied rowling ever saw before writing book. rowling has said on record multiple times name harry potter derived in part childhood friend, ian potter, , in part favourite male name, harry. on 13 april 2008, mail on sunday wrote news article claiming warner bros. had begun legal action against buechler; however, story denied , lawyers rowling demanded article removed.

on 14 april 2008, john buechler s partner in troll remake, peter davy, said harry potter, in john s opinion, created first harry potter. j.k. rowling says idea came her. john doesn t think so. there lot of similarities between theme of books , original troll. john shocked when came out harry potter.

groosham grange

groosham grange (first published in 1988), novel best-selling british author anthony horowitz has been cited similarities harry potter; plot revolves around david eliot, young teenager mistreated parents receive unexpected call isolated boarding school, groosham grange, reveals school wizards , witches. both books feature teacher ghost, werewolf character named after french word wolf (lupin/leloup), , passage school via railway train. horowitz, however, while acknowledging similarities, thanked rowling contribution development of young adult fiction in uk.

the books of magic

fans of comic book series books of magic, neil gaiman (first published in 1990 dc comics) have cited similarities harry potter story. these include dark-haired english boy glasses, named timothy hunter, discovers potential powerful wizard of age upon being approached magic-wielding individuals, first of whom makes him gift of pet owl. similarities led british tabloid paper daily mirror claim gaiman had made accusations of plagiarism against rowling, went on record denying, saying similarities either coincidence, or drawn same fantasy archetypes. thought both stealing t.h. white , said in interview, straightforward. dylan horrocks, writer of books of magic spin-off hunter: age of magic, has said should considered similar works in same genre , both have parallels earlier schoolboy wizards, 2000 ad character luke kirby.

spellcasting series

the text adventure game spellcasting 101: sorcerers girls (1990) first installment of spellcasting series created steve meretzky during time @ legend entertainment. 3 games in series tell story of young ernie eaglebeak, bespectacled student @ prestigious sorcerer university, progresses through studies, learning arcanes of magic, taking part in student life, saving world knows it. each separate game takes place during consecutive school years well, harry potter books.

wizard s hall

in 1991, author jane yolen released book called wizard s hall, harry potter series bears resemblance. main protagonist, henry (also called thornmallow), young boy joins magical school young wizards. @ school must fulfill ancient prophecy , overthrow powerful, evil wizard. however, yolen has stated m pretty sure never read book, attributing similarities commonly-used fantasy tropes. in interview magazine newsweek, yolen said, tell people if ms. rowling cut me large check, cash it. yolen stopped reading harry potter after third book, , has expressed dislike writing style of harry potter, calling fantasy fast food .

the secret of platform 13

eva ibbotson s secret of platform 13 (first published in 1994) features gateway magical world located in king s cross station in london. protagonist belongs magical world raised in our world rich family neglect him , treat him servant, while fat , unpleasant biological son pampered , spoiled. amanda craig journalist has written similarities: ibbotson seem have @ least case claiming plagiarism american author suing j. k. rowling [i. e nancy stouffer], unlike her, ibbotson says shake hand. think borrow each other writers.