The Harry Potter book and movie series may have concluded last week, but a new American survey reveals that for some respondents, at least one attitude toward the Potter legacy remains constant: That boy wizard is up to no good with all that conjurin'.
A poll released Monday by YouGov quantifies Potter-mania through a variety of different metrics: 25 percent of respondents have seen all eight installments of the blockbuster film franchise, while 18 percent of respondents acknowledged reading all seven of J.K. Rowling's epic source novels. (The numbers jump to 61 percent and 31 percent, respectively, when it comes to folks who've seen or read at least one.) But the scope of Potter's reach seems less surprising than the number of people still grappling with the stories' thematic implications:
* 15% said that the series was a bad influence on children because it portrayed witchcraft
- 45% said it was entertaining but no important life lessons
- 39% thought that it was a good influence and had positive lessons to teach.
These responses skewed across political ideologies--32% of those who identified themselves as Conservative condemned the Harry Potter books for portraying witchcraft, while 57% of those who identified themselves as Liberal considered the books a positive influence.
Thirty-two percent! That is nearly a third of American conservatives decrying the sorcery undercurrents of the most successful film franchise ever. Is this somehow overstated? It must be, no? And if not, how extreme is the fringe here? Is this, say, Marcus Bachmann's true pet cause -- reparative Muggle therapy for young witches and wizards? Is Marcus Bachmann secretly in the wizard closet? The mind reels.
ยท 18% of Americans veritable Potter-maniacs, 61% seen at least one movie [YouGov]