Ann Faye Marie M.

Alcalde 2007-50597 Topic: Models

September 21, 2011 PSY 140 B

Bewitching the World

For a model to be effective, one must be competent enough, gender appropriate, has situational relevance, and has power/prestige. I certainly agree. But then again, it is up to the individual who he/she deems as a good and effective model. Personally, a good and effective model is one who inspires not only me, but a lot of people as well. For me, that model is none other than J.K. Rowling. Harry Potter is the brainchild of J.K. Rowling. And the Harry Potter series is the bestselling series of all time, both the books and the movies. If you dont know who Harry Potter or J.K. Rowling is, then you must be living under a very big rock for the past decade. To say that I am a Harry Potter fan is a very serious understatement. Harry Potter has been integrated in my system for about half of my life. Imagine my sorrow when the series finally ended with the showing of Deathly Hallows part 2. But enough of that. J.K. Rowling is a good model for me because shes such an inspiration. Through her gift with words, she was able to earn millions of money and sow inspiration in the hearts of millions as well. I cannot imagine life without her. I want to be like her not because she has made so much money but because she has touched the lives of countless people in ways she cannot imagine, and I mean this genuinely. Because of her books, I fell in love with writing. Because of her books, my English grades improved. Because of her books, my vocabulary widened. Because of her books, reading became more natural for me. Because of Harry Potter, I met other people sharing same interests with me. Because of Harry Potter, I had every reason to be excited every year (i.e. until the showing of Deathly Hallows part 2). Because of Harry Potter, I had more reason to bond with my family and friends. When Im sad and feel like being alone, I turn to Harry Potter. I might sound obsessed but J.K. Rowling writing the Harry Potter books has done so much for me. I thank her not only for the childhood I had but for the life I am having. J.K. Rowlings rags to riches story is also an inspiration. She is a living proof that living your passion pays off. She is already a self-made billionaire but she has remained down-to-earth unlike many people whose riches has gone to their head. She is contributing portions of her income to charities. She, along with Baroness Nicholson of Winterbourne, founded a charity for institutionalized and marginalized children the Childrens High Level Group (CHLG). The proceeds of Rowlings The Tales of Beedle The Bard published in 2008 became the funds to support CHLGs aim to achieve full implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child across Europe and ultimately around the world. This is one of the reasons why I aspire to work for the UN, specifically the UN Development Programme. The Harry Potter phenomenon has also helped me in my course. The millions of shrieking fans can be explained through theories in Collective Behavior and Social Psychology. I believe that there is the Sociology of Harry Potter. Now that I think of it, I want to be able to write a book about that in the future. J.K. Rowling is certainly a woman of the world. I can write on and on about her, Harry Potter, and how she has been a good and effective model to loads of people. But then again, a critical thinking comment must only be a page. To end this, I can only say that I also aspire to bewitch the world in my own little ways.