If you're at all interested in reading Harry Potter you've probably read HP7 by now. If not, and you're still interested in finding out what happens later, then DO NOT CLICK ON THE COMMENTS SECTION OF THIS POST, which is where I'm going to tell ya 'what I thought' :) If you HAVE read it, click and comment away!!!
NOTE: After (yep, AFTER) I wrote this I was sent the following article:
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Harry Potter - movie and book release
The film of the fifth Harry Potter book ‘Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix’ has just been released.
The seventh, and final, book in J K Rowling’s series about Harry Potter, titled ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows’, is scheduled for release this Saturday 21 July 2007.
We are concerned about the promotion and practice of witchcraft in these books/movies by the hero. Our primary principle in this situation is that the Bible tells us to have nothing to do with witchcraft.
Young people are often enticed to further explore the occult. For instance, Fiona Horne's book on being a 'Teen Witch' teaches girls how to be a witch and cast spells.
We have a page on our website which contains an analysis of the 'Harry Potter series.
It contains the following newly-added articles as well as a range of previous articles, and references and a list of books/videos that we stock.
See http://www.saltshakers.org.au/html/P/12/B/79/
We urge parents to carefully analyse this situation and read the following information - especially if your children are asking to see the movie(s) or read the books.
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What do you think???
5 comments:
Brilliant. She’s amazing. As we were reading Jordan and I were continually surprised by plans she must’ve had sprawled out on butcher’s paper somewhere in her study since the 1990’s.
I cried for poor Hedwig (we received a stuffed beanie-owl with our book…pretty insensitive) and Dobby and was outraged at the stupidity of Tonks and Remus’ deaths. I heaved a sigh of relief when Ron and Hermione finally got their act together and made out and I even came to like poor Kreacher. I laughed like crazy at McGonagall and the little elves, stabbing at people’s ankles and at Grawp yelling ‘HAGGER!’. Mrs. Weasley kicked butt, and Sirius? Well, I stood by his innocence all along. Dumbledore’s death didn’t make sense, but I knew it had to be part of the plan (I just hoped he’d rise again! Still, I’m happy he made the book at all. He had to!). I was even impressed with Rowling’s clever and subtle subject headings, which forced you to make assumptions and then turned them on their head!
I’d love to list all of my highlights, but moreso I want to defend these books. As I thought about it in the shower (what is it about hot water that kicks my brain into gear?!) I was overwhelmed by the Christian themes and became defensive of those, who have not read them, questioning their ‘purity’. Now perhaps I’m trying to ‘spiritualise’ everything a bit much, or maybe, just maybe, the themes of good, evil and sacrifice are so deeply embedded inside of us that we cannot write great fantasy without them?
For those Narnia fans out there I cannot help but draw similarities between the Battle of Hogwarts and the last battle in the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (written by a Christian, C.S. Lewis) and, of course, the Gospel. Our ‘hero’ or Jesus figure (Aslan/ Harry) has willingly led himself to the slaughter (both with heavy hearts, accompanied by loved ones –Disciples/ Susan and Lucy/ Harry’s deceased friends and family), whereby there is a stomping of feet, a laughing and cackling by the enemy (those who condemned Jesus/ the White Witch/Voldemort and their cronies) as he offers his life for those they seek to destroy (everyone, really. Rowling even writes explicitly that those Harry has sacrificed himself for can no longer be harmed by Voldemort or his followers). Upon seeing their beloved dead, his loved ones (Mary and Mary, the disciples/ Susan and Lucy/ Ron, Hermione and Hagrid) cry for his sacrifice. At this point a battle ensues (in the Bible it is a spiritual battle, fought ‘beneath the earth’). Somewhere in the battle our hero is ‘raised to life’ (though Aslan and Jesus’ deaths were more final than Harry’s) and the hero joins the battle, inspiring hope and coincidentally at this point, reinforcements join the battle (though at Hogwarts we know not where they came from). The final battle lies between the hero and the enemy, the hero being the one to finish evil for good and thus, saving humanity. We skip ahead many years and our protagonists are happy and healthy and have lived this way since the death of ‘evil’.
Coincidentally, both enemies came to ‘power’ in the same way as lucifer, both demanding power and asserting their supremity (here Rowling also includes Nazi themes, particularly with her Stasi/ Screamers). Funnily enough, Rowling’s Voldemort is perhaps more like lucifer than the White Witch, having ‘fallen’ from grace (and Dumbledore’s favour) when he felt himself above mudbloods and wizards alike and attempted to seize powers beyond his control. A brilliant student gone bad; a fallen angel. One could go so far as to assume Dumbledore to be the Father, instructing Harry from his mind as to his ultimate destiny, guiding him along the way and giving him the tools to complete his final journey. Of course, Dumbledore is with fault and cannot quite fit the ‘sinless’ description of the Father, but if you wanted to…;)
Don’t get me wrong, as I read the books these thoughts only sparkle in my mind momentarily, I AM able to enjoy fiction for fiction, but I wanted to point this out; these books are not evil. They tell the story of evil impeccably. When our children do decide to read these, I plan on being beside them, reading them again and using Rowling’s words as a tool to explain the pitfalls of power, the sacrifice of our Hero and the joy we should live with because of this sacrifice. After we’re read The Chronicles of Narnia, of course ;)
Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant books.
Did H.P. die??? I might be keen to buy the book from you - is it hard or paperback? friend of mine in Germany wants a copy. hope all is well. jess
My dad doesn't like the Harry Potter series because he thinks it promotes witchcraft. Pfft!
I was also thinking about the parallels between HP and the Jesus/good vs. evil story. It's a very popular theme in literature.
I'm going to read the book again. I think I flew through it too quickly the first time. :)
Thanks Ellie for saving me the time of having to go and read all 700+ pages of it.
You wait - if some of the book's critics actually read it and find out about the resurrection business (if that is what happens) - they will suggest that Harry is trying to usurp Jesus!
It is a very good idea to know what younger generations are reading and be able to speak to them through it. Through knowing the shortcomings of those who "would be" images of God and Jesus, we can explain why the real God is better.
I must say I am still not likely to read any of the books - in part because I know I'd probably get hooked and read them all.
See you round like a rissole.
brilliant analysis, ellie, really.
I liked what you said about HP being about "the story of evil" and not evil in and of itself.
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