ANALYZING 'THE HARRY POTTER' THROUGH THE LENS OF MAGIC REALISM (Pages 154-163) by Ms. Atheetha K. Unni in THE ENGLISH RESEARCH EXPRESS / ISSN:2321-1164 (Online); 2347-2642 (Print)

The Harry Potter novels, since the publication of the first book of the series in 1997, have become the leading book purveyors of all time. Observing the popularity and the appeal of the series, one might question the explanations for such a colossal recognition. One of the possible answers to such an enquiry would be the blend of magic and reality that Rowling has created through her language. The books with the powerful tool of ‘magic’ turn common, ‘real’ themes and things into something wonderful and appealing. The intermingling of these two elements make the readers relate to the story and yet experience the fantastical within the mundane. The purpose of this article is to trace this relatable intermingling of magic and reality. The article begins with an understanding of the term ‘magic realism’ by tracing its meaning and evolution. Following which, it will try to show that the Harry Potter novels do contain elements of magic realism although it is not commonly termed as a figment of the magic realism genre. Keywords: Harry Potter novels, first book of the series, the leading book, colossal recognition, magic and reality, Rowling, powerful tool of ‘magic’, mundane, intermingling of magic and reality, elements magic realism etc.