If you’re the sort of person who believes in the “Great Man” theory of literary history, then you might agree that J.K. Rowling’s name will receive some small mention in the chronicles of English literature at the very least. To be fair, whatever blurb she might receive will most likely match the things said about her now; that is, it will be blown completely out of proportion.

The Harry Potter franchise of novels has entertained millions of children and adults (more on that later) but, more importantly, it has raised some serious questions.

As with any media phenomenon, the usual grumblers came out of the wood- work to decry the books, for their own various reasons. While one might expect hordes of less successful children’s authors, and the usual fundamentalist Christian types to be complaining, a good deal of criticism came from a somewhat surprising source: Adult literary critics.

Literary critics as a rule don’t usually talk much about children’s books. Books for kids, generally, have their own reviewers. The literary establishment doesn’t have much to say about books written for middle-class youngsters, yet Harry Potter wound up being mentioned in their columns. Why?

Well, literary critics tend to be a rather homogenous group; many of them are writers themselves. As a group, they tend to have similar beliefs. Most of them think that books should be “difficult”. They also tend to believe that plot is secondary to “good sentences”. As the quotation marks indicate, these are somewhat spurious designations, the definitions of which are usually of the “I know it when I see it,” variety.

So, while it seemed perfectly obvious to the average person that adults would enjoy the Potter books, literary critics throughout the West were publishing columns expressing their shock (in some cases it was “mock shock”). ”This is surely a sign of the shameful lack of literacy among adults!” some of them cried. Of course, many people were smart enough to figure out that most of these critics were simply complaining about the often poor sales of literary fiction. But, on the whole, very few people were willing to take these arguments seriously, which is a shame. Because they’re right.

A majority of grown-ups have difficulty with literary fiction, what with its lack of plotting and weirdly written sentences (say what you want about Rowling’s lack of “style,” her books at least contain very few grammatical transgressions). It’s no wonder that adults read Harry Potter; many people, though incapable of appreciating James Joyce, still have an active inner-life which requires the occasional, guided, flight of fancy. But since so many books are so incredibly bad, they often get their fix from movies and television.

Public schools don’t teach kids to appreciate books, simply because they can’t. You can’t teach anybody to develop an aesthetic appreciation for anything, any more than you can teach someone to love someone else. It either happens, or it doesn’t. Of course, you can guide people to books, you can show them where to find them, but a long list of little coincidences are what lead certain sensitive souls to decide that reading isn’t just a utilitarian skill, but something that can be done for pleasure as well.

So, we realize now that even if schools were teaching people the basics of reading comprehension and vocabulary (which they certainly don’t) it still wouldn’t be enough to create a nation of readers who are willing to sit still long enough to make it through a Henry James novel.

Appeals to adult illiteracy are as anachronistic as books themselves. A majority of people get their kicks from movies, and television, and read only to learn and gather information. Literature is a very embattled art-form; it faces stiff competition from other media. But, no one (other than people who make money from writing, publishing, and selling books) should be worried about this.

Almost no one reads poetry. Few people go to museums to see paintings, and fewer still can actually afford to own any good ones. And while poets and painters might be bitter about this, no one else seems to care. But, shouldn’t we be concerned about the decline of two artistic mediums which were once seen as fundamental parts of civil society? The answer is no, we shouldn’t; we’re doing just fine, thank you.

Complaining about the fact that few adults read (or, even have the capability to read) literary fiction is like trying to stop a tidal wave by driving your car into it; it’s foolish and ineffective. What all of the arguments boil down to, is that if we stop trying to appreciate literature, we’ll no longer be able to appreciate literature. It’s a bit like saying that if we all don’t learn how to juggle, that as a society, we’ll lose the ability to juggle. If it seems silly, it’s because it is.

I refuse to believe the arguments which claim that our society will be poorer in some way without literature. Beyond summer-season blockbusters and Christmas season pap, there are movies out there which are every bit as moving and thought- provoking as any book. It happens more rarely with television, but it happens. I’m not saying that we should actively dismantle the literary establishment, nor am I claiming that books are terrible things which should be wiped from the face of the Earth. What I am saying is that the current state of modern literature is like a sick pet; you love it dearly, but you know it’s not going to make it. That analogy isn’t quite right, but you get the idea. Literature will always be with us, and people who love it dearly, will always be able find it; but it will exist on the same plain as poetry and lute-playing.

Yes, there is a dumbing-down, Virginia. No, it’s not the end of the world. If there’s one thing that we can learn from history, it’s is that aside from the very real issues of war, death, and privation, the state of the arts isn’t better or worse; it’s just different. So, now we live in a time when adults are incapable of appreciating one of the very best ways that a person can use his brain. But don’t worry; there will be other ways, someday. And you can’t miss what you never had, anyway. If it’s any consolation, future generations won’t despise us for our part in the extinction of an art-form.

-B. C. Silvia