The novels of Harry Potter, written by J. K. Rowling are constantly in debate among Christians whether Harry Potter is preaching sorcery and paganism or that the books have a spiritual meaning deeper than most care to look at. It is easy to look through the books and find sources of witchcraft but one could say the same for sources of the gospel. Author, J.K. Rowland has stated that her own Christian faith has in fact informed her writing of the popular series. Many Christians say Harry Potter is incomparable to Christ, being far from perfection while Voldemort seems to strike a different chord of response as far as his character representing The Devil himself.
The books describe the struggle between good and evil and the ultimate victory of good over evil through Harry’s courage and the undeniable fact of his love for the human spirit. Good triumphs evil when infant Harry’s life is spared by his parents, especially his mother who sacrifices herself for him, protecting him with love-the only thing that can stop evil. At Hogwarts, good and evil is separated into houses, the two mainly being Gryffindor and Slytherin. The sorting hat is a hat that decides on what house a student is to reside in. It seems that the hat already knows which house the students are already going to be in, with the exception of Harry, so an idea of predestination is introduced. How would the hat know where the student is to go? In Harry’s situation, he showed interest in Gryffindor even though the hat said Slytherin. In the end he was granted Gryffindor so it sort of counters the idea of predestination and the sorting hat. Regardless, it stands that whatever we think we are destined for in life- good or evil- we can always make the morally right choice i...
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...get to Hogwartz, students must board the Hogwartz Express which departs from Platform 9 ¾, the secret platform accessed between stations 9 and 10 through a brick wall. It is clear the Hogwartz is purely fiction, full of mythical creatures and imaginary spells and charms however the setting that it takes place in is very real, as most of the footage from the movies was filmed in Britain.
If it isn’t clear the gospel is evident in Harry Potter, by the seventh book it should be evident. There is a scene in the book (which was left out in the movie) where Harry reads on Dumbledore’s mother’s tombstone “Where your treasure is, there you heart will be also.” This inscription comes directly from Matthew 6:21. Another direct source from the bible is found on the tombstone of Harry’s mother stating "And the last enemy that shall be destroyed is death", 1 Corinthians 15:26.
In movies, novels, and life, people are named as heroes. The heroes we establish and the heroes we recognize, however, may not meet the criteria for a mythic hero. A mythic hero ventures forth on his journey, and comes forth from the hero’s path to greatness. Joseph Campbell, a mythologist who studied many of the great human myths and religious tales, realized, in studying these myths and tales, that there were certain steps that every hero went through. Campbell called this “The Hero’s Journey”; it is based on Carl Jung's idea that all human beings have an archetype. After Campbell studied a lot of the great myths and realized this pattern, he published his findings in his book The Hero with a Thousand Faces. Ever since then, authors have used “The Hero’s Journey” as an outline to tell their stories. “It is important to note that not all of these individual steps are present in every hero’s tale, nor is it important that they be in this exact order” (Vogler 20). The Hero with a Thousand Faces gives a sense of significance as it looks into the inner mind and soul. The author, Joseph Campbell, performs two extraordinary accomplishments: compelling his readers that myth and dream, those are the most effective and everlasting forces in life and a unification of mythology and psychoanalysis with a gripping narrative. One well-known example of “The Hero’s Journey” from popular culture is the Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, by J.K. Rowling. In the novel, Harry Potter, the main character, is the chosen one and “The Hero’s Journey” applies to his life from the moment he is attacked by He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named as a baby.
The Sorting Hat of J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter The Sorcerer’s Stone sings to the students attending Hogwarts in Harry’s first year, “There’s nothing hidden in our head the Sorting Hat can’t see, so try me on and I will tell you where you ought to be. […] You might belong in Hufflepuff, where they are just and loyal, those patient Hufflepuffs are trues and unafraid of toil” (118). This magical hat looks into each student’s minds, putting him or her into the best fitting house for their own personality. If placed into the alternate universe of Harry Potter, Haimon would be placed into Hufflepuff because each the characteristics of the house are quite evident inside the prince of Thebes. In Sophocles’ tragic play, Antigone, Haimon is a loyal individual, faithful to his commitments and will stick with them, which is portrayed through his loyalty to his father, Creon, justice, and Antigone, his fiancé.
Harry’s frequently experienced injustice is witnessed since the very beginning of the novel. His alienation from both the wizarding world and muggle (non magical) world cause Harry to long for the acceptance of his truthful story. Since Voldemort’s return occurred at the end of Harry’s fourth year at Hogwarts, his summer at Number 4 Privet Drive has been far from enjoyable (Chappell). If anything, it caused Harry anxiety, frustration, and anticipation of the horrible events to come (Chappell). Harry’s alienation first stems from the Ministry of Magic. When two dementors (magical hooded figures who guard the wizard prison, Azkaban) wandered into Harry’s neighborhood, he used magic to defend himself and his cousin, Dudley (Rowling 17). Because of this, the Ministry of Magic accused Harry of breaking the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery (Rowling 27). They made sure to enforce the “illegality” of Harry’s actions when they threatened to confiscate and destroy his wand (Rowling 62, 27). Harry, who had done nothing except defend himself in a life-threatening situation, felt alienated when the Minister of Magic himself would not believe his
How Pharr off is Mary Pharr on the significance of the novel about Harry Potter? I believe very far off. I think the argument Pharr makes is not connected to the educational benefits of Harry Potter. Rather she argues the morality presented throughout Harry Potter by saying this is what all readers crave. “In Medias Res” by Mary Pharr is a response to critics’ critical analysis of the Harry Potter (HP) series’ ability to educate readers. After thinking and reading Mary Pharr’s text about the ‘educational value’ has concluded with few, if any educational benefits through Harry Potter. Though these lessons exist they are typically taught by parents not school, not quantitative skills or tools that are typically taught in schools,
Many have come to know and love the stories of Harry Potter, the boy who lived, but what most may not realize is that Harry Potter can have a bad influence on young children and adults. Though the Harry Potter series is a children’s book that is meant to enlighten the imagination of young viewers, it can be misguiding to those cannot comprehend the difference between imagination and real life. The beloved story of Harry Potter can have a negative influence on young children and adults for a variety of reasons.
...y for the lunatic fringes of my own religion” (“'Harry Potter' Author J.K. Rowling Opens Up About Books' Christian Imagery”).
For years, religion has played a role in the lives of many, after all, there are hundreds of religions being practiced around the world. From the celebrations of special birthdays by the Jewish or Hispanic cultures or the celebration of holidays by Christians and many other religions. There is a great amount of differences when it comes to religion, whether it be beliefs or religious traditions, but contemporary society has become more aware the impact that religion can have on numerous different things. Additionally, religion has been a vast role when it comes to literature. In countless stories, readers will find the topic of religion being influential aspect. For example, in Beowulf and The Canterbury Tales there were influences from the
In J.K Rowling’s famous series, Harry Potter, there are many noticeable parallels between the story of Jesus Christ, Savior of the world, and Harry Potter, savior of Hogwarts. J.K. Rowling herself stated, “To me [the religious parallels have] always been obvious.” Harry Potter, although he is clearly not the Son of God, is very much a messianic figure in the series. His birth, life, death, and resurrection are similar to those of Jesus. Harry Potter ultimately sacrifices himself for others much like Jesus did, and is then resurrected due to the power of the Deathly Hallows, or in Jesus’s case, the Holy Trinity. Since Harry is not the Son of God, there are still differences between him and the actual Son of God; however, there are still many similarities. Jesus and Harry had similar births, lives, abilities, enemies, and deaths/resurrections.
How did Harry Potter effect children in a positive way? What elements found within the series could be factors of this influence? Are there Christian elements to be found within Harry Potter? In order to answer these questions, I plan to research interviews with the author of Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling, the views of the church, and those of Harry’s supporters. The two central sources that I plan to use are The Bible and Harry Potter itself. The Bible will mainly be used in order to portray the views of the church, while Harry Potter will provide the basis of the entire argument. Some other sources that I plan to utilize include books by John Granger such as “Looking for God in Harry Potter” and “The Hidden Key to Harry Potter,” which analyze Harry Potter, and interviews and articles from several different viewpoints. I also plan to research how literacy rates have changed since the release in the series, and teachers’ views on the influence of Harry Potter on their students’ reading. The only problem that I can foresee is the fact that the Bible states that witchcraft is of Satan, but with logic and research on the subject, I should be able to dispute this
Such is the case in the tragic story "I, Tituba, Black Witch of Salem" by Maryse Conde. Certain groups and individuals in the book, have contradicting thoughts of witchery."I can not describe the effect this unfortunate black cat had on the children, as well as on Elizabeth and Samuel. Samuel Parris seized his prayer book and began to recite a seemingly endless prayer."pg 44 This is how sensitive the Puritans were. Their fear of the Devil is so great, it hindered them of pleasures and entertainments since these are also elements which they believed are inherited from the Satan thus making them sinful.
The first main controversy of the Harry Potter series is the argument that Rowling’s stories promote paganism, which is against Christian beliefs. The Bible specifically states in Leviticus 20:26, “You shall not practice augury or witchcraft” (“Reading Matters”). Furthermore, the Bible supports the resentment towards paganism in Deuteronomy 18:10-12, stating that those found practicing witchcraft, casting spells, or contacting spirits are a disgrace to the Lord and will be driven out (qtd. in Mahoney). In Rowling’s book, witchcraft is an alluring practice. For instance, Hogwarts is described as a magical place one might wish to visit if the school existed. Consequently, many parents fear children who read these books will become intrigued by wizardry and attempt to learn these practices (Wilder Gish). Even J. K. Rowling has admitted that some readers are so convinced by the books that they believe the wizard world is real. These readers have sent...
The entire semester we have talked about how modern superheroes are completely rooted in Greek mythology. We have discussed the comparison between weapons, the end of the world, but most importantly we have talked about the hero’s journey. Every great superhero has an intriguing backstory, as well as an emotional, adventurous journey that keeps the reader coming back for more. J.K. Rowling knew of the lasting effect of myths in modern literature, and she included many hidden comparisons between characters and Greek myths into her own work. When first analyzing the journey of Harry Potter, you may be tempted to compare the character closely to Achilles. Thetis,
...ctions by stating, “The Devil struts his wide estate, and the law of God are mocked”, (pg 20). All his decisions are made upon his religion no matter what it may be. Also those who looked different were judged upon religion and not by whom they really were in the inside, but instead a Deviation. Through these examples it clearly shows that religion often influences one’s point of view.
Two of the best things in the world, “Monty Python and the Holy Grail” and “Harry Potter,” have a good deal in common. Other than the vast amount of space reserved in my brain for storing quotes and random facts from these two stories, both tales share many similar objects, plot devices, character attributes, and themes. Even though Python's “Holy Grail” is an exact historical representation of the Arthurian Grail legend, some might argue that the “Harry Potter” story is more reflective of the actual ancient texts than the 1974 film.
In J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter book series, fate plays a large part in the life of Harry Potter. As soon as Voldemort chose Harry to be the “Chosen One”, his fate as the defender of wizardkind was sealed. Harry must be the one to defeat Voldemort, or vice versa. However, although Harry’s fate was seemingly sealed from the time he was one year old, he still had free will throughout the series.