Magical Inspiration by Samantha

Magical Inspiration by Samantha - May 2017 Scholarship Essay

I finish my favorite book for what seems like the hundredth time.“The scar had not pained Harry for nineteen years. All was well.” Closing the novel with a smile on my face, I think back to all the good memories Harry Potter has given me.
I used to live the average, dull life of a middle school student; sadly unaware of the true magic of reading. Sure, I liked reading much more than many of my classmates, loved it even, but it served only as a way to pass time. Little did I know, that would quickly change.
Before class one day, my friends and I struck up a conversation about our favorite books. “My favorite character is Percy Jackson,” I stated proudly.
“Oh, Percy Jackson is all you ever talk about,” someone grumbled, “He is nothing compared to Harry Potter!”
Shaking my head I walked to my seat. Yeah right, how could anything beat Percy Jackson? I did not know then that soon my whole perspective would shift. At the end of class my friend hands me a book, Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone. I try to refuse it, but she slipped it into my backpack at the last second.
“I’m not going to read it!” I stated, but nevertheless I took it home with me that night. Later, after finishing my homework, I scanned my bookshelf for something to read, only see titles I had flipped through dozens of times before. I stared at the half empty shelf waiting to fill up with the unreleased Percy Jackson novels. I could see Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone peeking out the top of my unzipped bag. The bright cover beckoned me, and I grabbed out of my backpack. I plopped down in my chair, well aware that it would be full of new characters and adventures, something the books on my shelf could not offer. What harm could it do to read this? At least it will give me something to read while I wait on the next Percy Jackson book to come out. Curling up in my chair I opened the book. As I sat reading that afternoon I laughed along with the characters, and soon became entranced by the story of an orphan boy with a magic wand. For the next few days, that book never left my side. I read as I walked through the busy halls at school, on the noisy bus and even during supper.
I quickly finished the first book, and I waited impatiently to receive the next from a friend or the library. A month passed, and finally I held the last novel in my hands. A whole two inches thick, I hugged it tightly to my chest, excited for the end of the adventure. As I neared the end of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, I realised I did not want my adventures with the Golden Trio to end. I wanted more laughter with Fred and George, more learning with the Hogwarts professors, and more time with all of my new friends. As hard as I had tried to prolong reaching the end, I could not help but finish it within a few, short days.
Inspired by the way J. K. Rowling's words made me feel, I wanted to learn to write something that powerful. I practically studied the series, curious about what made it so special. Every time I discovered something new, my brain immediately started imagining how I could use the technique to enhance my own writing. I found inspiration from all parts of her story, the foreshadowing, the magical world she created, or even the plot. Severus Snape’s character really intrigued me the most. How did she keep his secrets so well? I went back into the earlier books, probing for early hints to Snape's true character. So many little bits of information can be found throughout her books, alluding to events that will happen later, and she does it so precisely that it goes unnoticed by the reader.
Sometimes the series made me laugh, sometimes it made me cry, but most of all it made me think. I found many new possibilities and opportunities from reading Harry Potter. Opening the first book, I did not think it would be anything special, but when I closed the last book, I proved myself wrong. J. K. Rowling puts it this way, “I don’t believe in the kind of magic in my book, but I do believe something very magical can happen when you read a good book.” When I sit down to write, I try to use the same magic she puts in her books. I want to write something that will inspire readers in the same way that her books inspired me.