Amazing Harvard Commencement Address by JK Rowling

J.K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter series, recently gave a commencement address at Harvard University and was awarded an honourary doctor of letters degree.

This is an excellent read, and gives great insight into the books. Of course, I was also happy to read that she was a Classics major (as was I). What was truly enlightening regarding the books, though, was her recounting of her experiences while working for Amnesty International. I'd say that those experiences very clearly informed the darkness present in the books.

Some of the stories she gives about experiences at Amnesty International are very reminiscent of the type of social structure and widespread terror which is present in the wizarding world when Voldemort and his followers are at large. If she had not prefaced these stories by saying she had worked for Amnesty International, one might think that she was merely recounting the deeds of Death Eaters in her books. It bears noting that apparently the atrocities committed by Voldemort and his Death Eaters had their origins in our very own real-life Muggle world.

What does it say about the world when it's the darkest aspects of the Harry Potter novels that are drawn from our reality?

Two broad themes she addresses very well are the importance of failure, and the importance and power of imagination. She wryly suggests that Harvard graduates perhaps aren't well-acquainted with failure, and that it carries valuable lessons. She also impresses upon us that one of the greatest gifts of imagination is being able to imagine ourselves in someone else's shoes, and that being able to do so brings with it the responsibility to care for each other.

I strongly recommend reading this commencement address, whether you're a Harry Potter fan or would simply enjoy an insightful essay. If you don't want to read it (though that would be ironic, given that she's a famous author), here's the video.