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[CCBC-Net] CCBC-Net Digest, Vol 25, Issue 6
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From: maggie_bo at comcast.net <maggie_bo>
Date: Mon, 06 Aug 2007 21:14:47 +0000
Richard Gawel writes: "And if I were still in college, I'd look for any excuse to write a paper comparing and contrasting Aslan from Narnia and Harry as Christ figures. That's an angle that could use a thesis or two."
Me, too! I don't see Harry as an allegorical Christ figure the way Aslan is, and yet there are some undeniable parallels. Harry must sacrifice himself to save the Wizarding world; he is willing to die, and then, in a sense, is resurrected. I'd love to go back and look at the Christian themes in Harry Potter more closely.
Maggie Bokelman Librarian, Eagle View Middle School Carlisle, PA
_______________________________________________
-------------- Original message -------------- From: "Gawel, Richard" <rgawel at penton.com>
> Wow, there's a lot to digest when it comes to Harry Potter. Where to begin?
>
> I think the greatest part of the phenomenon (aside from the books themselves and
> the generations of kids turned on to reading) is JK Rowling's fame. She's a
> writer, and she's treated like a rock star. She has more money than the Queen of
> England. And unlike a million other celebrities who cruise by on a family name
> or good looks, she earned it all by being such a d*** good writer. Last summer,
> my wife (Trish Jarrach, also on the list) and I got to see her at a reading at
> Radio City Music Hall with Stephen King and John Irving. They sold out two
> nights, and since then, I keep wondering why A-list writers like them don't do
> events like that more often. Go on tour. Meet thousands of fans. Sure, it may
> take the caliber of JK and Mr. King to get such sellout crowds, but it was about
> as good as any rock concert I've ever seen. I'd love to see more events like
> that.
>
> There's been some debate about Mrs. Weasley's use of the "b" word. Bad authors
> steal. Good autors "pay homage." And I really think JK was paying homage to
> Sigourney Weaver in Aliens. And while I would have preferred to see Neville open
> a can of whoop-*** on Bellatrix since they have so much history, one of the
> themes of Book 7 was the deconstruction of Harry's perception of the adults
> around him. And seeing a kindly housewife like Mrs. Weasley turn lethal to
> protect her children is another example of Harry's expectations getting
> overturned. The use of the "B" word was completely appropriate. (And it's
> interesting that the debate is about Mrs. Weasley's choice of vocabulary and not
> that she probably used one of the three Unforgivable Curses to kill Bellatrix.
> Bad language? Terrible! Questionable use of overwhelming force when a stunning
> spell would do? *shrug...*)
>
> And to take up Trish's suggestion, I'd agree that the only other pop culture
> phenomenon that comes close would be Star Wars. People similarly lined up for
> midnight showings and countdowns of all six movies now, and the cottage
> industries they've spawned in their own right have legions of fans of their own.
> In fact, there are different kinds of SW fans: do you write fanfiction? play the
> games? read the novels and comics? collect the toys? take part in costuming?
> dabble in a little of each, or do something entirely different? The difference
> is that while just about everybody went to see the movies, the hardcore fans are
> still "geeks" in the general public's perception. Meanwhile, while just about
> everybody reads Harry Potter now, the hardcore Harry Potter fans (who go to
> midnight sales, debate online, etc.) are more accepted by the mainstream. The
> difference in perception is interesting.
>
> And if I were still in college, I'd look for any excuse to write a paper
> comparing and contrasting Aslan from Narnia and Harry as Christ figures. That's
> an angle that could use a thesis or two.
> _______________________________________________
> CCBC-Net mailing list
> CCBC-Net at ccbc.education.wisc.edu
> Visit this link to read archives or to unsubscribe...
> http://ccbc.education.wisc.edu/mailman/listinfo/ccbc-net
Received on Mon 06 Aug 2007 04:14:47 PM CDT
Date: Mon, 06 Aug 2007 21:14:47 +0000
Richard Gawel writes: "And if I were still in college, I'd look for any excuse to write a paper comparing and contrasting Aslan from Narnia and Harry as Christ figures. That's an angle that could use a thesis or two."
Me, too! I don't see Harry as an allegorical Christ figure the way Aslan is, and yet there are some undeniable parallels. Harry must sacrifice himself to save the Wizarding world; he is willing to die, and then, in a sense, is resurrected. I'd love to go back and look at the Christian themes in Harry Potter more closely.
Maggie Bokelman Librarian, Eagle View Middle School Carlisle, PA
_______________________________________________
-------------- Original message -------------- From: "Gawel, Richard" <rgawel at penton.com>
> Wow, there's a lot to digest when it comes to Harry Potter. Where to begin?
>
> I think the greatest part of the phenomenon (aside from the books themselves and
> the generations of kids turned on to reading) is JK Rowling's fame. She's a
> writer, and she's treated like a rock star. She has more money than the Queen of
> England. And unlike a million other celebrities who cruise by on a family name
> or good looks, she earned it all by being such a d*** good writer. Last summer,
> my wife (Trish Jarrach, also on the list) and I got to see her at a reading at
> Radio City Music Hall with Stephen King and John Irving. They sold out two
> nights, and since then, I keep wondering why A-list writers like them don't do
> events like that more often. Go on tour. Meet thousands of fans. Sure, it may
> take the caliber of JK and Mr. King to get such sellout crowds, but it was about
> as good as any rock concert I've ever seen. I'd love to see more events like
> that.
>
> There's been some debate about Mrs. Weasley's use of the "b" word. Bad authors
> steal. Good autors "pay homage." And I really think JK was paying homage to
> Sigourney Weaver in Aliens. And while I would have preferred to see Neville open
> a can of whoop-*** on Bellatrix since they have so much history, one of the
> themes of Book 7 was the deconstruction of Harry's perception of the adults
> around him. And seeing a kindly housewife like Mrs. Weasley turn lethal to
> protect her children is another example of Harry's expectations getting
> overturned. The use of the "B" word was completely appropriate. (And it's
> interesting that the debate is about Mrs. Weasley's choice of vocabulary and not
> that she probably used one of the three Unforgivable Curses to kill Bellatrix.
> Bad language? Terrible! Questionable use of overwhelming force when a stunning
> spell would do? *shrug...*)
>
> And to take up Trish's suggestion, I'd agree that the only other pop culture
> phenomenon that comes close would be Star Wars. People similarly lined up for
> midnight showings and countdowns of all six movies now, and the cottage
> industries they've spawned in their own right have legions of fans of their own.
> In fact, there are different kinds of SW fans: do you write fanfiction? play the
> games? read the novels and comics? collect the toys? take part in costuming?
> dabble in a little of each, or do something entirely different? The difference
> is that while just about everybody went to see the movies, the hardcore fans are
> still "geeks" in the general public's perception. Meanwhile, while just about
> everybody reads Harry Potter now, the hardcore Harry Potter fans (who go to
> midnight sales, debate online, etc.) are more accepted by the mainstream. The
> difference in perception is interesting.
>
> And if I were still in college, I'd look for any excuse to write a paper
> comparing and contrasting Aslan from Narnia and Harry as Christ figures. That's
> an angle that could use a thesis or two.
> _______________________________________________
> CCBC-Net mailing list
> CCBC-Net at ccbc.education.wisc.edu
> Visit this link to read archives or to unsubscribe...
> http://ccbc.education.wisc.edu/mailman/listinfo/ccbc-net
Received on Mon 06 Aug 2007 04:14:47 PM CDT
