Themes in Harry Potter

[inked]

JK ROWLING set the parameters of magic in her world to be what they are in the Potterverse. These do not correspond by necessity to those of the Tolkienverse.

The nature of magic in the Potterverse is very like that of technology in our culture and its scientism. In fact, the proper use of and identifying the abuses of magic correspond very closely to the proper use of and abuses of technology in our society. The theme of social commentary is NOT limited to racism and classism or sexism in HP.

The Philosopher's Stone is the product of alchemical restructuring of the soul into the Edenic state in which the created intended relations of humanity to the Creation, self, and others, and God, is restored. Thus the Philosopher's Stone was a rare item produced by few individuals. Harry, you will note, is the master of the Philosopher's Stone in a unique mode. See Dumbledore's commentary in THE HALFBLOOD PRINCE. Harry, symbolically and alchemically, is the Philosopher's Stone, or becomes the life-giving humanly enfleshed stone by his surrender to death and triumph over death and evil. See what happens at the battle of Hogwarts.

Harry is Everyman ... the Christian striving to become as the Master (who said that to follow Him was to "take up your cross" and thereby indicated the path He and all his disciples would trod) and to experience passion, death, and Resurrection into the very Life of God - Love (the deepest magic -multiple citations through the HP series).

[Coffeehouse]

Originally Posted by inked

JK ROWLING set the parameters of magic in her world to be what they are in the Potterverse. These do not correspond by necessity to those of the Tolkienverse.

Obviously!

Haha... here come the Christian allegory, or should I say pseudo-Biblical interpretation.

The bottom-line here is, and I hate to break to you, but that as a Christian you are hard-wired to find your belief system and corresponding motifs/allergories in the type of literature that Harry Potter is. So I'm not surprised. When I say these words: Self-sacrifice... celebration of humanity... brotherly (and sisterly) love... dying and resurrecting... I'm pretty sure Jesus jumped right into your mind on at least one occasion

The point is that none of the above words are unique to Christianity. If there is an allegory to Christianity in Harry Potter it is at best microscopically weak.

Now, although I'm no Christian I have been one, and I know a Christian allegory when I see one: It should dawn on the vast majority of readers when they read Harry Potter that there's something profoundly Christian. It hasn't happened. Having finished Harry Potter my feeling was that JK Rowling had written a very good book and dealt with some very interesting themes, but Christianity isn't it. Anyways, finding hidden messages in works like Harry Potter usually reflects more on the beliefs of the reader than what is written in the book!

[inked]

Coffeehouse, you probably say the same things about Tolkien and CS Lewis. But this thread has connections to the Christian themes in HP which you can peruse and refute one by one should you care to do so. Also, JK ROWLING contradicts you herself.

But, hey, you are entitled to your opinion! However wrong it may be!