Defending Harry Potter from Christian naysayers (rated 3 stars)
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Looking for God in Harry Potter
by John Granger
My dad recommended this book to me. My folks and I have all read all of the Potter books to date. I’ve pre-ordered the newest one to be released this summer.
I didn’t really need a book that set out to defend Harry Potter from well-intentioned Christians. I don’t mind if people don’t want to read the book. I even don’t mind if folks cast stones at those who do.
However, Dad kept harping about it, so I read it… or tried to. This guy is either a LOT smarter than me, or this book was a real snoozer. He deftly takes the Potter series and claims classic status for it, showing how it uses classical Greek and Latin symbolism as do many of the greats of literature. I was a little surprised by that. Perhaps Mark could speak to some of that. I was bewildered by it.
The author also proceeds to demonstrate how the consistent use of imagery, symbolism, names, and plot actually serve to illuminate and consistently reveal Christian themes. Ideas such as atonement, resurrection, good vs. evil, hope, incarnation, sacrfice, and love are consistent in the Potter books. The author claims these themes and their treatment should draw Christian readers to use them as analogies and allegories, much as pastors and churches have found similar themes in Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings Trilogy and C.S. Lewis’ Narnia series.
I can’t necessarily recommend the book to you if you already like Harry. It’s a snoozer, and not nearly as entertaining as reading about muggles. However, if you have previously sworn off of Potter for fear of being indiscriminate, I would urge you to give this book a good reading. It might be illuminating for you though I doubt you’ll enroll at Hogwarts anytime soon.
May 1st, 2007 at 7:29 am
Sorry,already a Potter fan.:)
May 1st, 2007 at 8:58 am
Jeff,
You shouldn’t be too surprised that J. K. Rowling makes ues of “classical Greek and Latin symbolism.” Any good writer does. Poetics have not developed all that much since Aristotle’s time, and the Greeks and Romans were masters of the narrative arts. All European scholarship is also based solidly upon studying the “classics,” so all this proves is that Rowling is educated in the art of writing. I think that the following her books have gathered in the past several years also speaks to her skills as a master storyteller.
I must say that I don’t at all agree with the implication of your claim that, “This guy is either a LOT smarter than me, or this book was a real snoozer.” Since when does high-level intellectual discourse get lumped together with awful, boring writing? IF the guy was smart, his writing would reflect it. If it was especially dry, let me tell you, it had nothing to do with his smarts and everything to do with poor writing skills. As there are probably not a lot of people itching to write a book on this exact topic though, I guess you’ve got to deal with the writing of the person who is willing to make the effort.
As for Harry Potter, in general: I’, with K.T. - Harry is cool…I also want his invisibility cloak so badly!
May 1st, 2007 at 1:22 pm
Great corrective, Mark. You’re right. He COULD have written in a way that would be vastly more engaging. However, it WAS obvious the guy knew his stuff.
His material fills a niche. Perhaps someone else will build on his work in a way that will work “magic” with it?
May 1st, 2007 at 8:11 pm
We’ve also pre-ordered the lastest Harry Potter. I did it last night at B & N.
Now, of course, you need to re-read “The Order of the Phoenix” before you see the movie in July. That’s the rule around our house - re-read before seeing the movie.
May 2nd, 2007 at 2:29 pm
sorry - NOT a fan of harry (long time, no write. i know :)
not a fan of alot of things that promote witchcraft, warlocks, etc. i don’t necessarily get ticked at Christians who do, since they have the same Holy Spirit I do, and they know what their convictions are. at least i hope they do. i think i worry that Christians are becoming a little too passive in recognizing what satan can do and what he does do. he preys on adults AND children, and will use many avenues to do so. will he do so without harry? of course, but why open a child’s mind up to that? imagination is good, but parents must be careful in what their child’s mind is imagining about. that’s the main concern i have about harry. yes, he’s different from CS Lewis, in that it was a CLEAR picture of Christ in the Lion, witch and wardrobe, and Lewis was a Christian when he wrote it. same with tolkien. i know i’m probably the minority in the readers of your site, but it wouldn’t be me if i didn’t express myself. LOL