J. K. Rowling has given fans of the Harry Potter franchise plenty of extra details well after the series of books were finished. Most recently she's revealed Moaning Myrtle's full name, but has also stated that Dumbledore is gay and said she regrets killing Florean Fortescue. What is the purpose of these additional details, and is she right to give them?
It is good to keep in mind that some writers make their world so big, that they have to leave out a lot of small, but interesting details. This why fans love Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter, because there is so much fun and interesting facts hidden in these series. – Aaron Hatch10 years ago
Is it ever possible to create a world so fully developed that no details go unquestioned? Rowling feeds the Harry Potter-starved masses by giving little snippets of the untold story in short bursts and I think she does it because she genuinely loves that world and the audience who embraced that world. There is however, 5% of me that says she is leveraging her audience to maintain relevant in literature - and I applaud her for it. If your hard work created this huge fanbase, use it! – CDASUN10 years ago
As to the purpose/existence of these tidbits: Rowling created a whole universe, and thus she would have known these kinds of facts for years as she was writing. Releasing this info after the fact ought not to change one's attitude or perspective of the character--the trait existed all along despite our lack of awareness. This universe was so expansive that she would have HAD to know information like this to keep her characters from blending into one another. For example, I've heard that George RR Martin has massive, copious notes about all of his characters (yes, ALL of them) in order to keep the most integrity with each character's portrayal. Is she right to announce this? Well, who else would be! As one who grew up with Harry, Ron, & Hermione, I love hearing these little snippets as she releases them. It's like getting an update about lifelong friends who have only just kept in touch. It also is probably cathartic for her to revive the magic on occasion for herself and her fans. – Nicole10 years ago
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