J.K. Rowling worked for a long time developing the magical world of Harry Potter. All of the details and intricacies that she puts into the stories make it easy to become completely engrossed in this world.
Iser saying that "text and reader no longer confront each other as object and subject, but instead the 'divison' takes place within the reader himself" is an interesting concept. When I first read the books, I would constantly walk around my house literally with my nose in the book. My mom would always get so frustrated with me because I wouldn't even realize she was talking to me. In this way, the division does take place within the reader. The reader gets to leave reality and enter a magical world.
I definitely agree that your own experiences alter the way you read Harry Potter. For example, when Harry first gets to move out of the cupboard and into the smallest room in Privet Drive, I imagined the room being in the same location in the house as my room. Also, going back and reading the first two books again, the books always read slightly differently. For example, when I re-read, I may empathize with a character more than I had than before because of a new experience I had. There have been many times when I would re-read and suddenly spot a joke that I did not understand before. Also, just knowing the plot lines when you re-read, you always spot a key point to the plot that you had missed. I started reading Harry Potter when I was 9 so I was younger than Harry. Now, I am 10 years older than Harry from Sorcerer's Stone, but I am still able to relate because it reminds me of my childhood.
I feel like I am able to connect with many of the characters within the Harry Potter series. I have always been able to identify with Ron because he is the youngest boy in his family and I am the youngest girl. We both feel pressures to rise above our siblings and shine. We both also come from poor families. Nearly everything Ron owns at one point belonged to one of his older brothers, which can make you feel undervalued. Also, Ron becomes best friends with Harry, who is famous, and when I was growing up I was friends with popular kids and I always felt second to them.
The first two books in the Harry Potter series introduce a lot of characters and I don't think it would be too difficult to find someone to relate to. Whether you are old or young, male or female, outgoing or shy, brave or cowardly, there is someone in this series that you can relate to.
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