The Role of Reading and Megatext in Enhancing English Language Skills: A Study of Harry Potter and The Chronicles of Narnia

Abstract

               In the present globalized world, English functions as the primary language of education, employment, technology, and communication. Yet, students across regions continue to struggle with fluency, especially in oral communication. A common problem is hesitation to speak, caused largely by the fear of making mistakes. This difficulty is observed prominently among students in Tamil Nadu, where both Tamil medium and English medium learners experience the same challenge. The underlying cause is not a lack of intelligence or motivation, but rather the absence of consistent reading habits. Reading is the foundation of all four language skills, listening, speaking, reading, and writing, and without it, learners cannot internalize the structures of English. Interestingly, while only a small proportion of students in Tamil Nadu have cultivated reading habits in English, many among them have shown a strong preference for the Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling. This global success story reveals that the genre of speculative fiction, though often categorized as children literature, has unique qualities that stimulate curiosity and sustain long term engagement. The narrative devices of foreshadowing, payoff, and backshadowing make Harry Potter a richer megatext than The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis, which is also a classic of children literature but episodic in structure. By exploring these differences with concrete examples, this paper argues that the introduction of engaging speculative fiction into language classrooms can create a culture of reading that builds vocabulary, reduces hesitation, and fosters communicative competence in English.