Should J.K. Rowling win a Nobel Prize in Literature?

Does the author of the most popular story of our time, J.K. Rowling, deserve to get a Nobel Prize for Literature? While this certainly could raise plenty of debate, there are some merits for her to be at least considered for this highest honor.

In a recent article, Jeff O’Neal of The Huffington Post, ponders this question and lays out the facts and background of the Nobel Prize in great detail.

Alfred Nobel wanted the literature award to go to “the person who shall have produced in the field of literature the most outstanding work in an ideal direction.” Certainly, the Harry Potter series has inspired people around the world to read and this does follow the guideline of “an ideal direction.” Additionally, the characters, stories and values in the series have resonated with the world. So why not consider her for the highest honor?

J.R.R. Tolkien was nominated for the nobel prize by C.S. Lewis in 1961 and the nominating committee completely dismissed the nomination. Perhaps they will dismiss a nod to Miss Rowling, but in the end there are some seriously ingenious methods used by Rowling in her literature, which has created intrigue and a thirst for knowledge by some of today’s great literary minds. The Harry Potter series itself is the subject of classroom discussion on many Universities and College campuses across the globe.

Recently, we had a literary discussion with author John Granger, which you can listen to right here, on the subject of Rowling’s use of alchemy and the Ring Composition along the lines of C.S. Lewis, Shakespeare, Homer, The Bible, Chaucer, Jules Verne and Louise May Alcott. If the Harry Potter series can be discussed for its literary prowess in the same sentence as those names, then maybe she does deserve a nomination for the Nobel Prize in Literature.

What are your thoughts on this subject? Does J.K. Rowling deserve a nomination for the greatest literary prize? Let us know in the comments below.