It is impossible to live without failing at something … unless you live so cautiously that you might as well as not have lived at all – in which case you fail by default.
Behind the magical world of Harry Potter is a woman who used to live on social welfare with an infant to take care of. Word has it that she ran away from the child’s father when he started becoming abusive.
Whatever the cause of their divorce was, the fail out left Joanne Rowling emotionally devastated, broke, and struggle with deep depression. Having an infant daughter made looking for a job impossible and so she did the only thing she knew and loved. She wrote.
With nowhere to go and zero income, she completed a manuscript of her book, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, and presented it to numerous publishers. However, she received only rejection and discouraging remarks.
Most of them said that there was no future for her in children’s books and that no sane writer should expect success in the genre she was writing. But with her back against the wall, she had no choice but to keep on going and hope that someone would see value in her work.
When a publisher finally gave her story the opportunity to get published, she was more than happy for the meager $4,000 she received. But Harry Potter worked its own magic on the readers – they couldn’t get enough of the world and characters that she had created and wanted to know what would happen next.
What would you say was the most difficult thing J.K. Rowling overcame?
J.K.ローリングが克服した最も困難なことは何だと思いますか?
I think the most difficult thing J.K.Rowling overcame was her divorce. The article says that her divorce make caused her emotionally devastated, broke, and struggling with deep depression. So her divorce might be the most difficult thing for her, I think.
Have you ever read or seen any Harry Potter books or movies?
ハリーポッターの本や映画を読んだり見たりしたことがありますか?
ありますね。
ほぼすべての映画を見ました。
でも、ぼんやり見ていたように思うので、内容の細かいところまで覚えていません。
Yes, I have. I have ever seen almost all Harry Potter movies. All of them are a lot of fun and it was really interested the characters had grown up with same as the story.
Outlet to help my cope with hard time is that going to Jim and watching American drama or movies while doing training. I can refresh and forget my fatigue doing such a things.
No, I have never. Because I had no sense of artistic aspects, so I have never wanted to do something creative. But I like to experience variety of artistic productions.
あと、芸術作品を見るのは好きなので、「例えば、歌舞伎(”Japanese traditional play”と説明した)を観るのは好きだといったところ、歌舞伎はよくわからなかったみたいでした。
今日の最後の質問になります。
J.K. Rowling has openly talked about her struggle with depression. What are your thoughts on this issue and what do you think is the best way to overcome or deal with this effectively?
It is really difficult question, I think. It is very hard to be understood by people about mental disease, and in worst case, he or she will gaindiscriminations from others. I think the best way to overcome or deal with this problem is doing themselves what they want to do. If they could make themselves always relax and enjoy themselves, they can spend always happy time, I think.
Time moves so quickly and already it’s the start of the weekend. I am happy that you use your time effectively always. Let’s keep building one block at a time each morning by growing and expanding our perspectives. I honestly like your thought processes. Keep it up!
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