This thesis compares J. K. Rowling’s contemporary Harry Potter series (1997-2007) with Thomas Hughes’s Victorian school story, Tom Brown’s School Days (1857), in order to identify how Rowling and Hughes use British public school literature as a means for the widespread dissemination of moral pedagogy. Given the disparate time frames and political outlooks, Rowling and Hughes teach dissimilar ideologies in different socio-historical contexts. However, both stories reveal the necessity of the schoolmaster’s teaching methods to form morally responsible school leaders, demonstrate the titular character ‘chosen’ as a moral leader, and exemplify the use of organized sports as a method of moral and social instruction. In sum, my thesis presents a comparison of the narratives by Rowling and Hughes as an acknowledgement of the continuing influence of Hughes’s work on modern literature and the employment of children’s literature for the advancement of moral and socio-ideological themes.

In this thesis, I examine definitions of fan activism in context of the assumption that Millennials are not politically active and that all online political engagement is superficial. I argue that the perception of political apathy is partially due to the fact that some of the most enthusiastic and intensive political work done by this generation is simply not picked up by conventional means. Some of this ‘hidden’ work is being accomplished by way of radical fanworks. Specifically, I examine Harry Potter fanworks and the ways in which they place marginalized identities at center stage, as well as the misogyny and homophobia that underlie the stigmatization and belittlement of fanworks. While many validate fan activism only when it engages with traditional political problems via traditional political means, I advocate for the validation of the cultural politics work done by fandom—of the purposefully transgressive narratives individuals create in defiance of typical cultural stories. To dismiss fandom is to dismiss a critical element of youth culture, and to dismiss the cultural politics of fandom in favor of traditional civic and political engagement by fandoms is to ignore the more radical positions being explored online.

Studiens syfte är att undersöka pojkars attityder till läsning av skönlitteratur. Vi vill med våra frågeställningar ta reda på vilka faktorer som påverkar deras läsning av skönlitteratur. Arbetet syftar till att undersöka vad pojkarna läser samt vad de anser att de får ut av sin läsning. Vi har använt oss av enkätundersökningar och kvalitativa intervjusamtal för att uppnå studiens syfte. Resultatet visar sammanfattningsvis att pojkarna i urvalet sällan uppger har läsning som ett prioriterat intresse. Det finns en tydlig trend bland pojkarna där Harry Potter (Rowling) och Kalle Anka (Disney) var de vanligaste förekommande böckerna. Fantasygenren läses för dess möjlighet att fly från verkligheten och serietidningar för det låga engagemang som krävs och lättillgängliga händelseförlopp.

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Le constat d’une difficulté est à l’origine de cette thèse : est-il encore possible de parler de clôture de la fiction face au fonctionnement contemporain des franchises fondées sur le développement transmédiatique d’univers transfictionnels ? Cette thèse traite des problématiques de création dans le cadre des industries culturelles : quelles sont les influences de l’industrie sur la création d’une fiction ? Quelles sont les influences de la fiction sur les médiations et les représentations de l’industrie ? Quelles sont les conséquences de l’industrialisation sur les circulations de la fiction ? Comment comprendre la permanence d’une figure d’auteur dans un régime de création collective ? L’étude se structure autour de quatre hypothèses principales, correspondant à autant de parties : tout d’abord, il est désormais nécessaire de parler de « fictions industrialisées », dans la mesure où la fiction, ses formes et ses contenus sont façonnés par l’industrie. Réciproquement, on constate l’émergence d’une « industrie narrativisée » : l’industrie participe de la création culturelle mais devient aussi objet culturel marqué par les codes de la fiction. La proposition de la notion de « fiction totale » rend nécessaire de repenser les notions de participation et de convergence qui, paradoxalement, ne sont pas incompatibles avec le concept d’autorité ; ainsi, il semble que l’ouverture de la fiction soit le symptôme d’un verrouillage institutionnel accru. Enfin, cette thèse pose l’hypothèse de l’émergence d’une nouvelle forme d’auctorialité, fondée sur l’assimilation de la figure d’auteur à un triple produit. / One main question originated this PhD Thesis : is it still possible to talk about the closure of a fiction when contemporain franchises work on continual developments and expansions ? This document questions the concept of fiction through the notion of cultural industry. How is the creation of fiction influenced by its industrial environment ? What consequences does fiction have on its industrial environment ? What does industrialisation do to the circulation of fiction ? How does evolve the notion of authorship in this collective environment for creation ? Our study is structured around four main hypothesis, which are each studied in a dedicated part of this thesis : firstly, we underline the relevance of the notion of « industrialised fictions » ; indeed, fictional contents and formats’ evolutions are deeply linked to industrial developments. Furthermore, these contents and formats are sometimes shaped accordingly to their potential industrial developments. Reciprocally, we emphasize the notion of « narrated industry » : industry participates in cultural creation and is a cultural creation contaminated by fiction. A new notion is therefore necessary : the « totalizing fiction ». We worked on a renewed approach for the notions of convergence and participatory cultures which are, paradoxically, strongly linked to the concept of authority : the oppenness of fiction would be the symptom of an institutional lockout. Finally, this thesis defines the appareance of a new form of authority, shaped on the assimilation of authorship to a product : the author is produced as a figure, as a comercial and cultural object and as a self-creation.

The aim of this study is to explore the importance of love in its various manifestations in the lives of the Harry Potter characters and its power to consequently influence the paths that they eventually choose to walk. Love is investigated as the reason behind the choice between good and evil as well as paradoxically both a fortifying as well as a destructive force. Furthermore, it attempts to examine the importance that love plays in the healthy or dysfunctional development of the characters. Numerous philosophies and theories that span two different eras will form the theoretical framework of this research paper. There will be a constant interplay between the theories and the main text, that is, the seven Harry Potter books that together represent the Harry Potter series. Additionally, the author‟s opinion acquired from invaluable fan interviews will be utilized in order to improve the understanding of the characters motivations. The introduction is a brief explanation of key terms and theories that are essential to the exploration of love in the Harry Potter series. The study comprises five chapters. The first three chapters are concerned with the three main manifestations of love represented in the series, namely; parental love, friendship and romance respectively. Chapter Four focuses on the adaptation of the novels into movies and the subsequent result that this has on the depiction of love. Chapter Five highlights the finding of the study conducted. / English Studies / M.A. (English)

Each year over 300 million people visit theme parks, making them the major vacation destination worldwide. Theme parks are known for their elaborate spectacle, the creation of artificial realities through intricate immersive experiences including costumed characters, stage shows, and extravagant decor. Though many aspects of the theme park experience have been reviewed, little focus has been given to the role of food in the overall immersion, particularly how food extends the spectacle into a fantastical created reality. This study examined the function of food within a highly immersive theme park setting, and how it contributed to the overall illusion and immersion of the fantasy environment. Research was conducted from December 2014 to March 2015 at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Universal Orlando Resort themed food served three overarching functions: (1) it operated as an experience, (2) it functioned as a conduit to authenticity, and, (3) it extended sensory perceptions. Food immersed tourists in the themed experience, though visual cues remained the primary sensory stimulus. However, guests considered the location to be more authentic when coupled with a themed food item, as opposed to the generic food choices found in other parks. Themed food functions as an extension of the spectacle by maintaining the illusion and contributes to the overall exhibition of the themed space. / Includes bibliography. / Thesis (M.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2015 / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

The aim of this study is to explore the importance of love in its various manifestations in the lives of the Harry Potter characters and its power to consequently influence the paths that they eventually choose to walk. Love is investigated as the reason behind the choice between good and evil as well as paradoxically both a fortifying as well as a destructive force. Furthermore, it attempts to examine the importance that love plays in the healthy or dysfunctional development of the characters. Numerous philosophies and theories that span two different eras will form the theoretical framework of this research paper. There will be a constant interplay between the theories and the main text, that is, the seven Harry Potter books that together represent the Harry Potter series. Additionally, the author‟s opinion acquired from invaluable fan interviews will be utilized in order to improve the understanding of the characters motivations. The introduction is a brief explanation of key terms and theories that are essential to the exploration of love in the Harry Potter series. The study comprises five chapters. The first three chapters are concerned with the three main manifestations of love represented in the series, namely; parental love, friendship and romance respectively. Chapter Four focuses on the adaptation of the novels into movies and the subsequent result that this has on the depiction of love. Chapter Five highlights the finding of the study conducted. / English Studies / M.A. (English)

Thesis (MA (Afrikaans and Dutch))—University of Stellenbosch, 2005. / The purpose of this thesis is to highlight the importance of a consistent translation strategy in the translation of proper names. Coupled with this is the importance of translators having a sound theoretical knowledge that serves as a foundation for the translation of any given text. These aspects are central to the successful realisation of cultural communication seeing that proper names are one of the most important cultural indicators. First, we looked at the first book in the Harry Potter series as to determine the number of proper names that were translated and how many were not translated. Different translation strategies were then looked at to determine whether there was a purposeful and logical explanation, and motivation behind the manner and degree of translation of the proper names. This was followed by a close comparison between book one and book five as to determine whether the inconsistent use of translation strategies, was consistently applied throughout the series. Central to this study is the necessity of successful cultural communication and how the inconsistent use of certain elements can have a negative impact on the cultural communication in any literary work. To establish successful cultural communication, every translator needs a clear skopos/brief for the target text. As a point of departure I will look at certain concepts such as translation norms, culture and translation as well as various translation strategies. The impact of inconsistent translation strategies on texts will be highlighted throughout this thesis.