J.K. Rowling

Rowling with her 1st Book (http://www.englishexercises.org/makeagame/viewgame.asp?id=2316)

              "It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live"(Rowling, J. K. "The).She was certainly not one to simply dwell on her dreams. Rowling took action and made them a reality. Joanne Kathleen Rowling is the author of "Harry Potter", a critically acclaimed book series, that's popularity has since sprung into a worldwide phenomenon. Joanne was born in Chipping Sodbury, a small town near Bristol, England in 1965 (K. Rowling). In 1971, her family relocated to nearby Winterbourne, and ironically, Joanne befriended Ian and Vikki Potter (K. Rowling). Shortly after the move, she began writing stories. Rowling moved on to graduate from Exeter University with a bachelor's degree in 1986. In 1990, Rowling first imagined a "fully formed" Harry Potter while on a train that was delayed for hours between Manchester and London (K. Rowling). As a single mother living on welfare at the time; she couldn't afford a typewriter or computer she needed to bring her ideas to life on paper. Nonetheless, she wrote the entire first draft of her book by hand. The tedious task took 6 years to complete, and a grant from the Scottish Arts Council, only to be rejected by 9 different publishers. Bloomsbury finally published Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone in 1996 (K. Rowling). Hardcover sales soon rose into the millions, making Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone the best-selling children's book in decades, with an audience of both children and adults. After having amazing success with the Harry Potter series, Rowling wrote additional books such as Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find Them and Quidditch Through the Ages, both of which are mentioned within the Harry Potter series, with proceeds going to charity. A copy of The Tales of Beedle the Bard was bought by Amazon for 1.95 million British pounds in 2007, making it the most expensive book ever (Rowling, J.K. (1965-). A hero must possess the ability to convey their ideas, which is a task only made simple with creativity. With resilience, a hero can push through the tough times in life. Finally, with humanitarianism, a person can share the wealth of their success with others in need. J.K. Rowling is a hero not only because of her remarkably creative mind and resilient attitude, but also for her work as a humanitarian.  

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (http://reederreads.com/2010/10/21/review-harry-potter-and-the-philosophers-stone-j-k-rowling/)

  Using her natural gift of creativity, J.K. Rowling was able to create an entirely new world through books. Rowling always had a passion for writing at a young age. She began writing her first story, titled Rabbit, about a rabbit with measles, at age 6. As she went through life, Rowling's creativity gave way to an idea that would change her life forever. "In 1990, Rowling first imagined Harry Potter while on a train that was delayed for hours between Manchester and London, and has noted that the character emerged to her "fully formed"(K. Rowling). The fact that Rowling could imagine the physical image of a boy and build an entire story around the picture is astounding. It takes a truly creative mind to be able to visualize such a unique character, inside and out. This truly exhibits that if you open your mind up to imagination, it will do amazing things. The author's first book, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, had instant success. This achievement is mainly fueled by the book's, "vivid descriptions and imaginative story line, it followed the adventures of the unlikely hero Harry Potter, a lonely orphan who discovers that he is actually a wizard and enrolls in the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry"(J.K. Rowling). Not only did Rowling create an entire new world, she created a hero that many people could relate to. Harry Potter has numerous traits that make him a hero, including bravery, a caring heart, and the belief that doing the right thing comes above popularity. Rowling's success as a writer is no secret. However, it did come as a surprise to the single mother with a dream. She was quoted saying, `"I thought I'd written something that a handful of people might quite like. So this has been something of a shock"(K. Rowling). Creativity can bring about incredible things, and that is exactly what it did for J.K. Rowling. Without a doubt, none of these feats would be remotely possible without an immense amount of creativity.

  Without her resilient attitude, Rowling would certainly not be where she is today. Before making her big break as a writer, Rowling's life wasn't easy. "While raising her young daughter by herself and battling fits of depression, she wrote the drafts of her book in longhand because she could not afford a used typewriter, much less a computer. With the help of a grant from the Scottish Arts Council, Rowling finished the book" (K. Rowling). Resilience is someone's ability to become healthy, happy, or strong again after an illness, disappointment, or other problem. In Rowling's case, she had to fight through her depression and lack of money to finish her first book and follow her dreams. Her resilience is fueled by her desire to create a better life for herself and her daughter. However, success doesn't always come quickly. "She spent 6 years writing the 1st book and received 9 publishers' rejections before she introduced the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry to the world"(Rowling, J.K. 1965). Once again, Rowling had to keep a resilient attitude. She could have given up after the first, second, or even sixth publisher's rejection, but she insistently resubmitted her story time and time again. Slowly but surely, Rowling's resilience paid off in the long run.

Harry Potter Series (http://www.afreckledlife.com/2011/07/favorite-books/harry-potter-series/)

  Rowling's work as a humanitarian has benefited many people, including her. Her charitable personality was present even before she was famous. "She first worked for Amnesty International, researching human-rights abuse in French-Speaking parts of Africa" (Rowling, J.K. 1965). It takes a generous person to work to help others when the person doesn't have much itself. Rowling was struggling to get by on her own, but she donated her skills to aid others regardless. She was a liable resource, because she could speak both French and English. Her philanthropic contributions didn't stop once she had reached fame. "Rowling has given a great deal of her money to charities, particularly those involving children's welfare and literacy. In 2007, Rowling created 7 handwritten and illustrated copies of The Tales of Beedle the Bard. The 7^th was auctioned off for charity. The copy was bought by Amazon for 1.95 million British pounds in December of 2007, making it the most expensive book ever. Rowling donated the proceeds to the Children's High Level Group, a children's charity" (J.K. Rowling). Rowling knew what it was like to have nothing. She didn't want others to have to experience that feeling, so she donated large portions of her billions of dollars to charities. A person with that amount of humanity is a rarity, and more people should look up to her as an example. It is safe to say, that Rowling's several accomplishments as a humanitarian make her a hero to many people.

  J.K. Rowling is a generous humanitarian, creative woman, and extremely resilient. As the author of "Harry Potter", Rowling made the unimaginable world of wizards come to life at our fingertips. Through a series of ups and downs in her lifetime, she managed to find the positives in life, and looked at those as inspiration to keep moving forward. Not only does J.K. Rowling exhibit the traits of a hero herself, but she created one of the most well-known heroes in literary history and portrayed his heroism through story-writing. "The Boy Who Lived" was simply an idea formed in a brilliant mind, but he became a beloved character with commendable audacity. Harry Potter taught us all that believing in one's self is a hundred times more powerful than luck. J.K. Rowling is an inspiration, because she never gave up. When she saw an opportunity to get closer to reaching her dreams, she took it. Most importantly, she believed that she could be successful, because she knew she had a talent that should be shared with the world. Without Rowling's resilience, creativity, and humanitarianism, the world would be without two great heroes and role models. J.K. Rowling did not just write a novel, she inspired a generation.

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