QuoteProject
I have met thousands of children now, and not even one time has a child come up to me and said, 'Ms. Rowling, I'm so glad I've read these books because now I want to be a witch.'
J. K. Rowling
ShareWTF𝕏

Interpretation

What this quote means

Children often engage with literature for imagination rather than a desire for real-life outcomes.

J.K. Rowling's quote emphasizes the idea that children approach stories from a perspective of imagination and wonder, rather than taking them literally or aspiring to live out the magical lives portrayed in literature. This suggests that the impact of reading is more about inspiring creativity and exploration than simply wishing to emulate characters or situations.

Themes

ChildrenLiteratureImaginationReadingFantasy

In practice

Example use cases

In a speech about the importance of reading in schools.

More from J. K. Rowling

By all means continue destroying my possessions. I daresay I have too many.
J. K. RowlingRead
Where are you heading, if you’ve got the choice?” James lifted an invisible sword. “‘Gryffindor, where dwell the brave at heart!’ Like my dad.” Snape made a small, disparaging noise. James turned on him. “Got a problem with that?” “No,” said Snape, though his slight sneer said otherwise. “If you’d rather be brawny than brainy —” “Where’re you hoping to go, seeing as you’re neither?” interjected Sirius.
J. K. RowlingRead
Depression isn't just being a bit sad. It's feeling nothing. It's not wanting to be alive anymore.
J. K. RowlingRead
I tell you, that dragon's the most horrible animal I've ever met, but the way Hagrid goes on about it, you'd think it was a fluffy little bunny rabbit.
J. K. RowlingRead
Imagine losing fingernails, Harry! That really puts our sufferings into perspective, doesn't it?
J. K. RowlingRead
The consequences of our actions are always so complicated, so diverse, that predicting the future is a very difficult business indeed.
J. K. RowlingRead

Similar quotes

After a while, your coaching development ceases to be about finding newer ways to organize practice. In other words, you soon stop collecting drills. Your development as a coach shifts to observing how great coaches teach, motivate, lead, and drive players to performances at higher and higher levels
Anson DorranceRead
Read absolutely everything you get your hands on because you'll never know where you'll get an idea from.
Malcolm XRead
True education is awakening a love for truth...opening the eyes of the soul to the great purpose and end of life.
David O. MckayRead
There is not human being from whom we cannot learn something if we are interested enough to dig deep.
Eleanor RooseveltRead
Even though I only have a high-school degree, I'm a professional student.
Bill GatesRead
What teachers and the administration in that era never seemed to see was that the mental work of what they called daydreaming often required more effort and concentration than it would have taken simply to listen in class. Laziness is not the issue. It is just not the work dictated by the administration.
David Foster WallaceRead

A little wisdom, now and then

Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.