Expecto patronum : Harry Potter, magic language and the empowerment of readers

This thesis examines how J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series became a phenomenon\ud and cultural touchstone. Using Jacques Lacan's theory of the Ideal-I, I argue that in\ud Rowling's narrative, Harry Potter???s character bridges the gap between fantasy and\ud reality, enabling him to become whole by reconnecting with his Ideal-I and by\ud extension, readers are able to fantasize about doing the same because we identify\ud with him. Fans employ and extend Rowling's magic language to manifest the\ud characters we are familiar with; the fan fiction they create acts as a vehicle for the\ud expression of sexual power and the exploration of avenues of desire; and the ever-expanding\ud body of fan fiction produced by fans provides readers with a powerful\ud sense of community. In short, Harry Potter has become a global phenomenon because fans' identification with Rowling's protagonist results in especially\ud empowered readers