Themes in Harry Potter

[Gordis]

You know what has happened to me? I have just read Harry Potter.

It has happened to me rather late in life: my son has got the first book for his eight birthday and read it in two days. Then he made me buy all the rest of the series in the space of two weeks. To my wonder I found out that he became able to read 400 pages in one evening forgoing food, sleep, and homework ...

Thrilled by my son's enthusiasm, I decided to follow suite and also read the series. And you know what? - I liked the books a lot.
I have not yet seen any of the films, though...

So, what are the major themes?

I would say that one very noticeable theme in HP is that bad guys sometimes turn good. Not only do rather unpleasant kids (like James Potter) turn much better adults without much ado, but actual Death Eaters may reconsider and genuinely turn to the light.
Why I mention this theme first is because in my much beloved Tolkien's world it almost never happens: good guys quite often turn bad, but never the opposite. Once you turned evil, there is practically no return. This is somehow strange, given the pronounced Christian strain in Tolkien books. I feel that one repented Balrog or a Black Numenorean would have been nice in there somewhere.

The theme of love and its impact on personality is also quite prominent in HP, more prominent, I think than in LOTR.
In HP we see all kinds of love starting with childish crushes on a pretty girl or an accomplished Quiddich player, to normal adult love (like between the Weasley parents), to all-consuming obsessive love like with Snape and Lily, or Beatrix ad Voldemort for that matter.

Magic in HP is distinctly different from that in LOTR, less subtle, less "realistic"... I feel that on the whole there is too much magic in HP, and it is far TOO EASY. What boggles me is that magic seemingly involves no expenditure of force: one can throw as much Avada Kedavra's in the space of a minute as one likes, without even feeling tired. I immediately remember how drained was the Maia Gandalf after having only locked one door in Moria. He had to recharge his batteries for quite some time before lighting his staff again.

Well, enough of this rant.