The latest relay message going around Facebook is the list of 10 book which 'stayed with you' or 'affected you' or 'changed your thinking'. As usual now articles criticizing the tend have started appearing, decrying the fact that people are using it to humble-brag (pretending they are being humble but actually just bragging) about the great works of literature they have read and been 'affected by' when really they probably bought it but never managed to read to the end or were forced to read them in school and found them boring. People lie about it since despite the boring or incomprehensible nature of many classic literature they are traditionally regarded as superior to other works of fiction (eg. genre fiction & popular fiction).
The derision of genre and popular fiction is epitomized by one of the comments to the article which proclaims: "I really hope HARRY POTTER did not actually change anyone's thinking." However, nobody would dare to say the same about To Kill a Mocking Bird despite the similarities in terms of themes and messaging between the two novel. Indeed To Kill a Mocking Bird is one of the most frequently praised novels in the comments and appears on a vast number of people's lists.
There are several thematic similarities between Harry Potter and To Kill a Mocking Bird. Both are written from the perspective of children and the primary message is about self-sacrifice and standing up to discrimination and injustice rather than turning a blind eye or just tolerating it. Harry Potter is written from the perspective of the eponymous boy who fights and defeats the racist Voldemort who wants to exterminate wizards who are from a pure wizarding family he is killed by the villain (deliberately sacrificing himself) but prevails in the end. To Kill a Mocking Bird is written from the perspective of Scout whose father fights on behalf of a black man unfairly accused of rape in the racist south of the USA then eventually lose and the black man is killed. Both also deal with the judging-a-book-by-its-cover theme with Professor Snape who is constantly thought to be a villain by Harry until in the final book it is revealed that he was actually helping their cause the whole time and Boo Radley who is initially thought to be an evil deformed creature of a man but ends up saving Scout & her friends' lives.
Harry Potter also explores many other themes and espouses other messages many people would consider valuable: negative consequences of superweapons (constant killing over the Elder Wand), not dwelling on the past or in fictions (mirror of Erised), dangers of online relationships (Ginni & Tom Riddle's diary), value of cooperation over competition (Triwizard Tournament), different kinds of loyalty and courage (Neville vs Harry), etc.... Thus there is much to be learned or absorbed from Harry Potter.
However, I have to admit I rather hope most people don't learn that much from either novel since I would hope that in the 21st century nobody needs to read a book to know that racism and punishing someone unfairly is wrong (which is why neither book appeared on my list) and that you should stand up to defend those who are victims of it.
