Redeeming Harry PotterThe initial Christian outcry against the boy wizard seems to be dying down. Maybe that's because more and more of us are discovering multiple redemptive themes in the series.Russ Breimeier |
posted 11/15/2005
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The magic wands are only used for good, never for evil
When a character casts a spell, they simply wave their wand and recite a Latin word/phrase taught in school. When Harry breaks his glasses, his friend Hermione says Reparo and they're fixed. By reciting Lumos, students can use their wands as flashlights; to light the fireplace, Incendio.
The exception is the Patronus charm, which is used to ward off the Dementors—dark creatures that cause despair, capable of stealing the soul. Harry is taught to think happy memories while reciting Expecto Patronum, which literally means, "to throw forward a guardian." Interestingly, John Granger explains in his book Looking for God in Harry Potter that it can also be interpreted as "I look/long for my savior and deliverer." Incantational magic or prayer? You decide.
Ultimately, the source of the characters' powers isn't really addressed, and that's fine for the purpose of the story. Rowling places far more emphasis on how the individuals choose to use their powers and abilities in relation to others. Magic has traditionally been used in this way as a metaphor in classic literature, as something that can hold meaning in our own lives.
Animal Symbolism
Speaking of magical metaphors, the Harry Potter series is chock full of medieval Christian iconography. In light of the other themes in the series, one might argue that there are too many to be a coincidence.
Christianity Today ran an excerpt from John Granger's book, summarizing how animal symbols in Potterdom point Christian reality. My favorite example is that of the unicorn from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, in which our hero learns that Lord Voldemort (the series' evil villain) has been sustaining himself by slaying unicorns and drinking their blood. In medieval literature, the unicorn was considered a symbol of Christ, and the Potterian explanation of the life-giving properties of unicorn blood and its consequences for those who drink of it selfishly bears strong resemblance to Paul's explanation of Holy Communion in 1 Corinthians 11:23-29.
The Griffin was once considered a Christ symbol
And talk about your white and black hats. The good guys live in the Gryffindor house at Hogwarts School of Magic, symbolized by the Griffin, considered a symbol of Christ back in the day—part eagle and part lion, or lord of the heavens and lord of the earth. Meanwhile, the bad guys of Slytherin are represented by a snake. Astute readers looking for subtext to Rowling's novels will find plenty to carry the deeper thematic elements.
Good vs. Evil
One of the greatest strengths of the Potter series is its treatment of right and wrong. Rowling loves playing with duality in the characters, showing that we're all capable of good or evil, yet always clearly distinguishing the two. Things aren't always as they seem in Harry Potter, but we're always clear on right and wrong. It is, in fact, a key line to look for in Goblet of Fire, when wise mentor Professor Dumbledore explains to Harry that he will face the choice between doing what is right and what is easy.
It's a choice Harry has faced since first arriving at Hogwarts when the Sorting Hat chooses the living quarters for each student. At first, the Hat seems ready to place Harry in Slytherin, because the boy has qualities that would serve him well there. But Harry begs to be put in Gryffindor instead, and though he fears that he really should have been put in Slytherin, Dumbledore explains in Chamber of Secrets that it's for sense of morality that Harry is right for Gryffindor. It reminds me of one of my favorite quotes in Lewis' Mere Christianity: "When a man is getting better, he understands more and more clearly the evil that is still left in him … Good people know about both good and evil; bad people do not know about either."
Throughout the series, Rowling uses her heroes to champion the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. And conversely, evil is characterized by common sins like pride, wrath, and selfishness—all things that Harry faces and learns to overcome. Harry's growth in character from an uncertain boy into a man of virtue is central to the books and films.
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