NotesFAQContact Us
Collection
Advanced
Search Tips
Back to results
Peer reviewed Peer reviewed
Direct linkDirect link
ERIC Number: EJ1264457
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2020-Sep
Pages: 24
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0045-6713
EISSN: N/A
"Magic and the Mind": the Impact of Cultural and Linguistic Background on the Perception of Characters in "Harry Potter"
Stening, Rowena Y. Z.; Stening, Bruce W.
Children's Literature in Education, v51 n3 p285-308 Sep 2020
While there has been a multitude of studies of "Harry Potter" since its first appearance, including studies analyzing individual characters, social classes in the wizarding world, and a number that examine the "'Harry Potter' phenomenon" as a whole, there are none that systematically analyze and compare the characters in terms of how they are perceived. This paper examines and compares the perceptions of the personality of seven characters in "Harry Potter" held by individuals who have read the books or watched the movies of Harry Potter in either English or Chinese language. The study was undertaken through an online survey that used the Ten-Item Personality Inventory as the core instrument. It was found that Chinese respondents were significantly more likely to score the characters higher in Extraversion, Agreeableness and Openness, although other factors, including gender and the respondents' "exposure" to "Harry Potter," also had a significant impact on perceptions. These findings both confirm various other studies that have examined cross-cultural differences in perceptions and extend previous work by applying it to another domain, namely the analysis of fictional characters. The findings carry important implications for, among others, teachers of multicultural student groups and translators of children's fiction.
Springer. Available from: Springer Nature. 233 Spring Street, New York, NY 10013. Tel: 800-777-4643; Tel: 212-460-1500; Fax: 212-348-4505; e-mail: customerservice@springernature.com; Web site: https://link.springer.com/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A