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Written By: Father Abraham
I'm Fr. Abraham Arganiosa, CRS a religious priest assigned in a school for children. For the past three years I have been using the Harry Potter books for stories and values education with children and I found them very effective. The children simply so magnetized by Harry Potter, so that until now they are still bombarding me with questions about it.
I found out about your site from them. Also, people are asking my views concerning the concerted efforts of some groups to ban Harry Potter in religious schools. Im glad to share to you that my religion, the Roman Catholic Church has presented a very positive opinion about the book. Here in the Philippines, the Catholic Bishop Conference of the Philippines even issued guidelines for parents in helping their children watch the Harry Potter movies. But, from the Catholic News website I found this wonderful positive critique of Harry Potter in Catholic viewpoint entitled 'In Defense of Harry Potter'. On behalf of my students I hereby share this material to you; hoping that it will help other Catholics realize the beauty of Harry Potter and its contribution in favor of the Christian faith and values. Thank you very much.
In Defense of Harry Potter
Professors Defend Fiction's Famous Wizard
ST. PAUL, Minnesota, MARCH 16, 2003 (Zenit.org).- Monsignor Peter Fleetwood made headlines around the world when he appeared to give the Vatican's official blessing to the Harry Potter series.
At a news conference Feb. 3 on a Vatican document on New Age, he was asked about the fictional adolescent wizard. Monsignor Fleetwood, who helped draft the New Age document when he was a member of the Pontifical Council for Culture, responded: "Harry Potter does not represent a problem."
That seemed to cap -- or reignite -- the long debate among Christians over the appropriateness of the Potter series for children. Some have condemned its author J.K. Rowling for promoting relativism and sorcery.
Catherine and David Deavel see things differently. Professors at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota, they have written and spoken on the merits of the series and are contributors to a forthcoming book on "philosophy and Harry Potter" to be released by Open Court Publishing. They recently shared their views, in writing, with ZENIT.
Q: Father Fleetwood noted that J.K. Rowling was Christian in her manner of writing. What do you think he was describing?
A: The books are Christian in at least two senses. First, the books place love and truth as the objective goods at the heart of what it means to be a human, magical or otherwise.
The initial premise of the series is that the infant Harry has survived the attack of the evil wizard Voldemort through his parents' sacrificial love. And Albus Dumbledore, the wise headmaster of Hogwarts, cautions Harry repeatedly to always prize truth. Give things their proper names, is Dumbledore's advice. In other words, don't be afraid to name evil for what it is.
Second, the books are coming-of-age stories that follow the development of Harry Potter and his friends, particularly their moral development. It's important to note that nowhere in the books published thus far does Harry or any of his friends defeat the forces of evil through their own magical skills.
Instead, the characters always find victory through universal virtues such as courage in the service of honesty or friendship. Self-sacrifice, the willingness to put oneself in danger for another's sake, is one of the constant threads running through the series.
Q: How should readers understand the use of magic and witchcraft in the books?
A: One almost wants to say that it's simply a whimsical plot device that helps transport readers to the wonderful place Chesterton called "Elfland" in his book "Orthodoxy." But magic also raises the stakes of the moral tale.
Magic really is a talent, something like mathematical ability or perfect pitch, but with a much greater possibility for good or evil use. Rowling certainly uses details from the history of the occult, for example, names, figures of speech and certain paraphernalia, but it is not the case that Rowling is promoting "real-life magic."
Most of her spells have no real-world parallels; and perhaps the only one that does, divination, is represented by a figure -- professor Sibyl Trelawney -- who has only made a couple of accurate predictions in her life, and is generally treated with skepticism by students and faculty alike.
Rowling even has Dumbledore tell us that prediction of the future is most difficult because of the diversity and complexity of the consequences of any of our actions. Not only is divination mocked, but knowledge of how to use the dark arts is considered too dangerous for the curriculum, even if learned only for self-defense.
Q: Is the interest in the books endemic of the growth in New Age spirituality the Vatican recently condemned?
A: Undoubtedly some children (and adults) are going to be interested in the books because of their magical quality. Again, to cite Chesterton, what is so intriguing about fairy tales is that they assume, roughly, the same rules of logic and morality, but don't assume that the world of physics or biology or chemistry have to be the way they are in our world. This is the basic story of these books.
They could be thought of as a world in which magic simply proved to be like the natural sciences, another way of manipulating the world around us. But to say that these books promote or even encourage New Age spirituality seems laughable.
As we pointed out, divination and fortunetelling are pretty much dismissed out of hand -- and for what seems to be a sound philosophical observation about the complexity of free will.
The spirituality of the books, if such a thing can be found, is concentrated almost wholly on good old-fashioned virtues and vices, which are developed in the normal human way.
Q: What are the particular virtues of the Harry Potter series? Are they good literature?
A: J. Bottum had a wonderful comment in the Weekly Standard about how Rowling's books are like the classics in that she has a wonderful way of putting together clichés. This is a good way of thinking about it.
Her plots are simple -- in fact, the first two books have almost identical plots, formally speaking -- yet have delightful twists and turns in them. She gives names in a way that one can only label Dickensian.
The wording of the spells is done in a sort of mock-Latin and the spells and magical items are a nice mix of the practical and the ridiculous. The characters themselves remind one of so many characters of classic literature -- we have several times said or written "Gandalf," from "The Lord of the Rings," when we meant to refer to Dumbledore -- and yet, through it all, the books are charmingly unique.
The simple plots really do work -- in part because the books build upon each other -- and the dialogue, particularly that of the children, is both funny and realistic.
Rowling juxtaposes the mundane and the epic. The children alternate their efforts between studying for their courses and defending against Voldemort's return. Finally, the books teach the lesson that people cannot be judged by first impressions.
Q: The books have been often criticized for allegedly promoting relativism and teaching children to subvert authority. Why do you think the books promote freedom in the service of truth and the good?
A: We really haven't been convinced by those who have said the books promote relativism. As we noted earlier, the books clearly assume that goods such as love and truth are objective.
But generally the complaints about the Potter books focus not on any real evil deeds, but on infractions such as breaking the school curfew; and these cases of rule-breaking are overwhelmingly attempts to block some great harm.
Even if Harry did get away with real moral mischief -- which his detractors have not convincingly shown -- the point of literature, even literature that has explicitly moral themes, is not to show that in every case crime, or perhaps sin, doesn't pay. Sometimes it does in the short run, but it never does in the long run.
The way one portrays moral development in literature is to make it like moral development in real life. People make choices for good or ill. Sometimes they learn lessons immediately and sometimes they don't. Mostly they grow morally in fits and starts as they reflect on long chains of events in the light of good advice. And even the good advice is not always comprehended immediately.
But with the advice that has already been given by Dumbledore regarding the duty to always seek and tell the truth, and always use one's freedom to serve that truth, we can see that the lessons Harry can and will gain are significant.
For example, Harry refrains from an act of vengeful killing at the end of the third book. The person in question set up his parents' murder and the murder of numerous others, yet Harry refuses to take this revenge himself.
He cannot articulate why, but he concludes, from reflecting on his parents' self-sacrificial lives, that such acts of vengeance are wrong. This type of moral learning is profoundly Catholic in that one watches virtuous lives and learns to do as they do, while the intellect catches up with the habit.
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:::>^..^<::: ~*~The Journey is more important than the end or the start~*~ :::>^..^<::: |
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08-25-2003 05:46 PM
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Lawless
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An original editorial by Jeff Stoyanoff
While we all agree that reading any of the Harry Potter books is quite an enjoyable experience, I do not think that we all realize how it affects our mental health. Ask yourself: If I am sad/depressed and then read Harry Potter, do I feel better? I think that the answer you will find almost without exception will be: Yes, I do feel better. (Of course a possible exception would be after finishing Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire for the hundredth time in eager anticipation for Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix to be released.) The wonderful story of Harry Potter, "The Boy Who Lived," is inspirational and it acts as a source of positive feelings and happiness.
I personally have recommended to friends having troubles their lives or are just feeling down that they should try reading the Harry Potter series. When a friend has taken my advice and read one of the books, or the entire series as it usually turns-out, he or she feels noticeably better afterwards. Am I saying that Harry Potter is a miracle drug for those who are depressed or have mental problems? Well, in the words of Albus Dumbledore, "Yes... and no." Harry Potter could very well be a treatment for minor/low-grade depression. The uplifting story, the good morals, and the wonderful camaraderie between all of the good characters might very well be something that makes one who is depressed regain confidence in themselves or faith in the world, amongst other things, to a degree that could significantly improve their attitude and mood.
In any event, if you or someone you know is severely depressed, professional help should be sought. I am only suggesting that the wonderful story of Harry Potter could be not only a great reading experience, but also a refreshing experience that could brighten a person's spirit and make that person feel better about life and him/herself. Undoubtedly the Harry Potter series is magical in a literary sense, yet it also holds great power in its affect upon all of us.
4/21/2003
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08-25-2003 05:48 PM
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Lawless
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An original editorial by Phillip Burleigh
The most perplexing aspect of reviewing any piece of literature is the basic question, where to begin? When examining the Harry Potter series one would be tempted to focus first on the popular culture perspective of Harry Potter that is predominantly based upon the movies. Instead I'd rather focus on the more in depth and much more pleasing aspects of the literature.
J.K.R. has followed in a very established literary/hero tradition of having her main character as an orphan. This can be traced to such noteworthy and long lasting hero's as Hercules and Oedipus. Or, as modern as Oliver twist and even more recently the many hero's of Roald Dahl. The story tellers are aware of not only the emotional aspects that are instilled within the reader by an orphaned child, but the inherent flexibility to the writer's craft by the orphans condition.
The writer can control and guide the reader's emotions by the invocation of loneliness or abandonment. The character may go through bouts of the "cold cruel world" which we must all live within and is especially effective in youth to young adult literature where these emotions and feeling of separation are most strong.
The writer can also introduce relatives that have been "lost" or other family like relations as needed for plot device or character enhancement.
It is to great applause that JKR has put little to no emphasis on the emotional aspects of Harry as orphan. She does not slip into the Oprah sensationalistic view of the lost child. She does not produce a pathetic character that demands the extremes of sympathy. She allows the reader to instill his or her own intensity and importance as to Harry's condition.
And even though she allows the reader the freedom of interpretation she does not allow the reader to forget that Harry is an orphan. This is not to re-enforce our sympathy but often to restate character motivation. Why does Harry do what he does? Why do these things happen to Harry? It is not the imbedded fact of his being orphaned but the reasons that caused the death of his parents. Any mention of the deaths is to reintroduce the sub-plot surrounding Lilly and James' death, not to jerk a tear from the reader.
Likewise, JKR is taking a limited, and therefore more creative, use of Harry's singularity. The introduction of Sirius Black as Harry's godfather is effective, practical and believable. By not giving Harry any human relationship until later in the series (the Dursley's can not be construed in any fashion as being human) establishes Harry within the minds of the reader as a true orphan but simultaneously gives Harry a de facto family. Thus humanizing Harry to a greater degree and lessening a certain human tension within the readers. It is to be noted that until the appearance of Sirius, Mrs. Weasley filled this position of family attachment for Harry and it is perhaps for this reason that so many readers are rooting for Ginny as Harry's love interest.
It is further noted that Harry shares many similarities with other hero's. From his friendship with Ron and Hermione being likened to those of Han and Leia for Luke in the Star Wars series. The many similarities beg the question is JKR a copycat and taking the easy way out? Or is there something else. Obviously, it is something else.
It has been said that there is nothing new under the sun. This is as true for the writer as for anything else. An artist reveals themselves by not producing something new, but how they handle what has been done and giving it a new voice. It is by this process that Harry shares so many characteristics with other hero's.
One comparison that I have not encountered in my readings is one that actually exists between genres. For those who read Science Fiction as well as Fantasy may be aware of the novel Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card. There was also a sequel of types called Ender's Shadow that centers on a character called Bean. If you consider Bean and Ender as two sides of the same person than the similarities are even greater.
It is easy to find comparisons within Harry Potter at many levels, not just between main characters. For those who enjoy reading JKR will find kindred souls within the works of many authors. Pick up the Xanth series by Piers Anthony and walk across the pun filled landscapes. Just as Harry is a parcelmouth, each character in Xanth is endowed with a special talent-perhaps this is true within the Harry universe just no one has ever made the connection. If Hermione has a special talent it is that of Knowledge. The good Magician Humphrey from Xanth and Hermione must have a shared ancestor. One would wonder just what Hermione might do with Humphrey's book of Knowledge?
Also from Piers Anthony would be the Incarnations of Immortality, if not the specific characters of the books but the societies in which they live, a world where science and magic live side by side. In Harry's world it is a covert symbiosis, in Piers it's overt.
Also of note would be such diverse readings as Roger Zelazny's Amber and Madwand series, David Edding's Belgariad, Robert Lynn Asprin's Myth Adventures, the Pini's Elfquest and any number of other well read and entertaining pieces of literature.
With such an extent of prior works that all deal with magic and those who use it, one would be at least surprised by the controversy that has reared concerning Harry's use of magic. How can the cultures of Britain, America and the rest of the world embrace Mary Poppins, The Wizard of Oz or Bed knobs and Broomsticks and then complain and vent about Harry Potter?
Any condemnation by the Christian, or any other religious community, is going to be inconsistent at best. Do those who condemn, or even burn, the Harry Potter novels destroy their copies of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom? Professor Jones clearly uses magic at the end of Temple of Doom when he invokes the power of the stone.
Do they turn off or cancel the Disney Channel when they run Halloweentown, a show that clearly shows witchcraft? Or the TV shows of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Charmed or any of the myriad of shows that include beautiful young magic users?
An intelligent and mature individual would have to ask what is the moral difference between Mickey Mouse in Fantasia as the Magician's Apprentice and Harry Potter? Magic is magic and to single out the Harry Potters series is inconsistent and rather narrow minded.
JKR has opted to utilized the most common and flexible of all forms of magic. In the world of popular culture there are three basic forms of Magic, the ethereal, the arcane and sorcerial.
Within the technologically advanced societies there is an accepted perception that energy is contained and flows within the natural world-there is no morality that is inherent in those energies but rather in how those energies are used.
Electricity has always been present but not always harnessed. There is no morality to electricity. It can be used for good or bad. The user decides how to use the energy.
Likewise, for those who believe, there is another form of energy that is inherent in the world. The undefined and little used energy that is referred to as magic. As mentioned above these can be broken down to three basic forms.
The first, the common magic that flows through everything and can be used by those who are attuned would be the Ethereal. This is the power which is harnessed by the wands, the staves, cloaks and spells and is available to all those who can and wish to use it. In the world of Science Fiction it would be likened to "the force" within the Star Wars universe.
(Of particular note is a cross over of concepts between Potter and the aforementioned works of David Eddings. The concept of the "will and the word" is of particular interest to the Harry Potter universe. The book "Where there's a Wand there's a Way" may well exist in the Potter world but we have seen on several occasions that a wand is not necessary to accomplish magic. There have been several incidents of magic with no defining instrument, such as when the glass at the zoo disappears. JKR says that when magic is uncontrolled or chaotic this is possible, more than likely she means that there needs to be some focusing element required to do more advanced magic.
This brings to light the questions of the wands and how the focus the powers ethereal. The strength of the wood is the containing element, the stronger the wood, the greater the level of power that can be controlled. The core of the wand is amplifying element. The power of the user is shunted into the core for amplification and defining. How one moves the wand and what words are spoken operate as a form of defining the power.
A simplified analogy would be to compare the magical process to the world of computers. The wizard can be compared to a modem on the computer world, he/she acts as a gateway of the ethereal power into the world. The wand could be construed as the motherboard. The devise that gives the power direction and containment. The spell would then act as the software, the item that causes the power to take a recognizable and useful shape.
How does this all figure into the concept of the "will and the word?" Simple, it is all the same thing. In Mr. Edding's novels the characters can gather their will and focus the ethereal power and then use the "word" as a focusing devise. Harry's world operated roughly the same way.
It has never been demonstrated in any of the novels but a well read fan would have to wonder what would occur if a first year student picked up a wand and simple said a spell that they had heard but were unaware of what the intent of the spell was? If Harry picks up his wand, gives it a "flick and swish" and says "Incognitum" without knowing in the least what it means, will he in fact change his appearance?
This begs the question, does the word of the spell hold power in and of itself, or, does the knowledge of the student and their attempts to focus the power create the desired effect? Chances are it's the latter. And if so, then the concept of the "will and the word" come into effect.
If Harry is ever caught without his wand, this does not by necessity dictate that he helpless, he is only without one tool for focusing his power. He could open doors, levitate feathers and any other spell just as effectively by learning to use his mind as the focusing element rather than using the wand. The wand is just an easier tool to begin with and supplies the students with the knowledge and confidence needed to advance to further stages of magic use.
(As a further aside is the question of whether Harry is the heir to Griffendor just as Riddle was the heir to Slytherin. After having read all the views on the topic at MUGGLENET.COM two basic observations seem to be missing.
The first is the question of the wands. Harry has a wand with a feather from Fawlks and so does Riddle. The wand chooses the wizard. So if one wand would choose the heir of Slytherin, then perhaps its brother would choose the heir to Griffendor.
Second, and more importantly, we as the readers have been educated several times at to the four founders of Hogwarts, but there is someone else to whom Harry may be a descendant.
It is little known that Merlin had a teacher, Blaise, that taught him the arts of the magic ethereal. Likewise, it is to be presumed that the four founders might well also of had such a great and insightful teacher. Perhaps they had so much respect for their instructor that they named their school after him. Perhaps Harry is the heir of Hogwart?"))
Second would be the power granted by greater forces. These greater forces being commonly known as gods or deities. If you are a disciple, priest or follower and pray for assistance and the power is given or granted from this faithful affiliation is referred to as the Arcane.
These are the two most common types and appear in any number of works and media. But Terry Prachet defined the third in his Discworld series. In his series he allows that the powers Ethereal must have a source. He supplies a person that is a human gate of the magic that allows the power to flow into the world. The source of the magic is title a Sorcerer. So being aware of this distinction I include it as a footnote to the other two major types of magic.
Having a basic understanding of these conventions allows the educated reader to understand that to take moral exception to the Harry Potters series is the same as being morally indignant at turning on a light and activating electrical power.
Once the reader understands that there is nothing immoral nor unchristian within the world of Hogwarts it allows a greater enthusiasm and deeper level of entertainment.
This is all truly and fully a moot point because any definition or parameter to magic and the uses of magic are imaginary. In the real world I have been unable to find any proof of existence of magic of any time and anyone who takes moral objection to imaginary power or an imaginary anything is way to uptight and needs to come down and smell the mandrake.
At the time of this writing book five is looming on the distant horizon and there is some controversy as to how the longer book will be received. I can only presume that those who believe that a longer visit to Hogwarts or a greater telling will find the readership daunted are not readers themselves. These predictions can only be made from those who find literature to be a thing of the past, or perhaps fill their days with alcoholic beverages in abundance while barking at their favorite team as the crash bestially across the field. Or perhaps by those who are overly concerned with the dating habits of inconsequential celebrities. Neither group can conceive why there would be those who not only pick up books and actually read them, but also enjoy them and eagerly anticipate the next volume and gladly embrace a longer story.
In concluding this I would like to invoke the spirit of Mark Twain. To paraphrase he says "when writing, the difference between using the right word, and almost the right word, is the difference between a lighting bolt and a lightning bug." It is no small coincidence that JKR chose the lightning bolt to be Harry's symbol. It is my great pleasure to ensure you, our dear Ms. Rowling, that instead of a tiny flittering light you have most certainly filled each and every page with lightning. With the argent glow and the supreme power of the sudden strike. And like a bold of lighting you leave your readers with an after image that pulses long after the power goes away.
Posted 2/11/2003
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:::>^..^<::: ~*~The Journey is more important than the end or the start~*~ :::>^..^<::: |
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08-25-2003 05:49 PM
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Lawless
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An original editorial by Evon Donnell
A fourteen-year-old boy I know asked me the other day if I thought his teacher would let him do his book report on Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. I told him to ask her, but in the back of my mind I thought, If she's smart she will! As a graduate student in literature and a teacher of college-level composition and literature, I sometimes forget how restricted my colleagues in the elementary and secondary education systems are in what they can teach. Rightly so in many instances, of course; I'm even disturbed and embarrassed by some of the graphic and sexually explicit texts I read in my graduate courses, and parents would understandably object to that kind of material being brought into their children's classrooms. However, I don't think the Harry Potter series qualifies as either sexually explicit or graphically violent, and here is the case I put forth for using the series as a teaching tool.
A friend of mine, Janet, has taught seventh- and eighth-grade literature at a rural Southern Illinois public school for twelve years. Two years ago, during the summer, one of Janet's eighth-grade students emailed her to ask if it would be possible to start a Harry Potter book club at their school. Janet had read the books, and knew how much many of her students enjoyed them, but she also knew how controversial the series was with many parents; so she took the idea to the school board, and to their credit, they agreed to let her start the club, so long as it was a completely voluntary and extracurricular activity with no impact on the students' grades, and that each student who wished to join brought in a signed permission slip from his or her parents. On the first day of school Janet put up flyers advertising the book club and handed out permission slips to interested students, but to be honest, she wasn't expecting much interest - after all, don't junior high students have better things to do than discuss literature outside of the classroom?
But at the first meeting the next week, Janet was pleasantly surprised when ten students showed up promptly at three-fifteen in the school library. After thirty minutes or so of discussing the reasons they all enjoyed the Potter books, Janet asked them what they would like to do in the club. One girl, the one who had initiated the club idea, said she wanted to find out more about the ideas behind Rowling's books - in other words, Rowling's source material, most of which is based in mythology. Another student said he wanted to investigate the "clues" in each book that foreshadowed what would happen next. Janet then gave the club its first assignment: five of them would do a search, in the library and on the Internet, for the mythological sources behind some of the characters and events in the first book, and the other five would make a list of possible clues from the first half of that book. She sent them off without daring to hope that they would put much effort into the exercise, thinking it probably smacked too much of homework - and when it came down to either doing the assignment for the club or watching TV, she was certain which would win out.
O ye of little faith! The next week, Janet was astounded to not only have another six students in addition to the returning ten, but also to find that her club members had certainly done their homework. And so it began. For the first three months they maintained an average fourteen-member attendance, studied Greek, Celtic, and Norse myths that might have influenced Rowling's books, completed an intertextual analysis of the first two books, and made their own "Harry Potter Book Club" tee-shirts, which they proudly wore around the school. This last project was what started what could have been the club's downfall.
A parent, whose child was not in the club, telephoned the school and demanded to know why they were allowing a teacher to encourage students' forays into the occult; this mother accused Janet of practicing Satanism and instructing her students in those dark arts. Ridiculous as that sounds, it was the first real opposition the club had faced, and when the mother threatened to sue if the principal didn't disband the club immediately, Janet feared that the Harry Potter Book Club had met its end. She was devastated because, as she puts it, the hour-and-a-half she spent with the club each week was the most fulfilling and stimulating teaching experience she'd had in twelve years.
To Janet's surprise, she wasn't the only one who didn't want to let the club die without a fight. The members called an emergency meeting and planned their strategy; they researched the controversy surrounding the Potter books, using newspapers, magazines, and websites, and put together a very sophisticated and intelligent counterargument based on articles from Rowling's supporters (including several noted scholars) and from their own observations about the books. Armed with this information in a PowerPoint presentation, signatures from one hundred and eighty of the school's four hundred students in support of the club, and a lot of passion, these fourteen students accompanied Janet to the school board's next meeting, where the fate of their club was to be decided. Janet said she knew right from the start that the effort the students had put into their presentation was going to pay off; a school board member (who also happens to be the mother of a teenage boy) told Janet later that she was astonished to see all vestiges of apathetic adolescence shrugged off as these young people presented their case to the board. And it certainly did pay off. The board decided that the Potter books were not teaching Satanism, and since Janet had kept careful notes on each of the club's meetings, they could also see that she wasn't trying to entice the students into practicing witchcraft. So they announced that the club could continue to meet.
Since Janet's home is a small town, the controversy had sparked quite a bit of local media coverage, and the junior high was abuzz before and after the meeting. Janet expected a quick peak in attendance at the meetings that would taper off once the threatened lawsuit became old news, so she wasn't surprised when at the next meeting twenty-one new students showed up. She was surprised, however, that six of those students were from the high school: one freshman, two sophomores, two juniors, and one senior. It seemed that Harry's appeal reached beyond the eleven-, twelve-, and thirteen-year-old demographic, and older students wanted to get involved with the club as well. With the principals' and their parents' permission, they were allowed to join.
Then things got really exciting. The senior who had joined their ranks was an avid athlete, and part of the Potter series' appeal for him was Quidditch; with three other club members, he began to investigate how Quidditch might be played without broomsticks, and started putting together a Quidditch rule book for an actual team. One of the new eighth-grade members was interested in cartography and began making maps of the wizards' world, showing, for example, Diagon Alley in relation to Hogwarts, based on geographic clues from the books; several other students began to experiment with art work based on the characters and scenes in the books. Thrilled by all of these creative endeavors, Janet wanted to give her students a chance to showcase their work and talent, so she convinced the school to allow them to have a one-night "Harry Potter Extravaganza", complete with a gallery showcasing the members' artwork and the maps, a demonstration of how Quidditch could be played without broomsticks, and a keynote address from her students about the Potter series and how it had affected their lives. Almost eighty people attended.
But the learning didn't stop there. The students examined the darker elements in the books, particularly in regards to Harry's grieving for his parents, and ended up delving into psychological criticism of the texts; they studied the films, looking into how books are adapted to the screen and how movies are made; they compiled a list of "Recommended Reading for Potterheads", which included great Gothic authors such as Edgar Allen Poe, Anne Rice, Bram Stoker, and Nathaniel Hawthorne, and of course, the master of fantasy worlds J.R.R. Tolkien.
Today, the club is still going strong; they average thirty-one members, spread across the junior high and high school, and meet once a week. Janet allows some of the "veteran" members to make lesson plans in which they start new members on explorations similar to those that helped them really understand the books when the club first began; "Harry Potter Extravaganza" is planned as an annual event, and Janet hopes to even persuade J.K. Rowling to attend someday; and at least once a month, when the weather is fit, the club meets for a good old game of broomstickless Quidditch.
Now, here's what all of this means. First, these young people are reading literature, not just comic books or Goosebumps. And their interest in literature has not stopped with Harry, as their recommended reading list shows. Nor has that interest been wholly contained to literature: they've explored literary theory, art, psychology, film theory, and mythology. They're flexing creative muscles that atrophy in front of a television screen: creating sports leagues, maps, lesson plans, and even speeches for their annual extravaganza. They have also learned a valuable lesson in standing up for their beliefs, and how to use logic and rationality to overcome prejudice and fear. Not to mention their increased interest in education (Janet reports that many of her colleagues congratulated her on getting these kids excited about academic and intellectual explorations, which has translated into improved performance in classes as diverse as chemistry and history) and the benefits we already know come from reading: improved writing skills, expanded vocabulary, and increased reasoning ability, among many others. And all of this because of a skinny orphan with a lightning-shaped scar on his forehead!
So why aren't more teachers using Harry Potter in or out of the classrooms, you ask? Simple: fear of retribution. Fear of negative reaction from the Christian fanatics amongst us, from parents who haven't read the books but are taking the TV evangelists' word for it that these books are evil, from conventional school boards afraid to "rock the boat" and step away from the tried-and-true (or, if you prefer, tried-and-failed) approach to teaching in public schools. I'm not suggesting that elementary and secondary education teachers be given a free reign in their classrooms to determine course material; nor am I suggesting that parents be removed from important educational decisions that affect their children. What I am suggesting is that we as parents and as educators realize the value of these books, and how they can be used to end the drought of intellectualism among the young people of this country - that we not be afraid to challenge our old stereotypes, to step into a brave new world, and to open up new avenues of learning to our nation's children.
Of course, some people will say this is only one isolated incident, and that's true. Perhaps Janet is blessed with an unusual group of young people who only needed a small spark to start the fire of intellectual interest in their minds. Or, maybe there are millions of these youths all over our country - indeed, all over the world - wasting away right now in front of violent video games, sexually explicit movies, and mind-numbing sitcoms, dreading the next lame reading assignment their teacher hands out, putting out the bare minimum of intellectual effort to get by in school, all because they are simply waiting for something that ignites their interest, that gets them excited about learning. You see, that's the real magic of Harry Potter: it makes young people want to read. And once that big, beautiful world of literature opens up before them, as vast and extraordinary as Hogwarts itself, there's no telling how many other doors will open
2/3/2003
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08-25-2003 05:50 PM
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An original editorial by Sal Whittaker
Publishing a book is actually easier than many would suggest -- as can be seen from such pieces of literary genius as ‘Will Young - A life’ and so it always surprised me that JK Rowling’s first Harry Potter book was rejected by so many prominent publishing houses. It seems that they thought that the core theme of the book - 'nice boy goes to boarding school and escapes from his nasty parent substitutes whilst proving his worth through his selfless deeds' - was out of date and rather overworked. However, the huge popularity of the series proved that this mainly English, boarding school genre had a lot more to give.
I feel that there are a variety of reasons for this, both psychological and, of course, simply based in the writing of the talented Ms Rowling.
A situation which is particularly attractive for writers to place their characters in, and one which is fascinating for readers to read of, is one in which the environment is enclosed and cut off from the rest of the world, so that the characters might behave without the restrictions or influences of the society which the reader lives in. This is used to great effect in novels such as William Golding’s ‘Lord of the Flies’, and while it seems too much a flattery of JK Rowling to be comparing her work with that of Golding's, I believe that the situation in which her characters are placed - i.e., an enclosed boarding school existence - lends a seriousness and an excitement to her novels, and allows her to create unbelievable and fantastic plots, admittedly helped along by the fact that magic is put into the mix. The tension and excitement is heightened because of the reader’s knowledge that simply anything can happen next, as Hogwarts is so cut off from the rest of the world that it's rules and restrictions need not apply.
However, a more basic reason for the appeal of such a situation, is the idea that one is cut away from the family, and there is a sense of freedom and youthful abandon in this, which is, I believe, the reason for the book’s popularity with adults.
The adults of today are also attracted to the idea because of the nostalgia for boarding school days, and ‘Harry Potter...&c.’ is a reminder of childhood books such as ‘Tom Brown’s schooldays’, ‘Goodbye Mr. Chips’ and ‘The Famous Five’. To children the idea of an environment without the constant shadow of parents is also attractive, and lends to the interest in the characters’ behaviour without them. It is also fascinating to learn of the relationship between the characters, bonds which have risen from the environment described above, such as the friendship between Harry and Ron, or the attraction between Ron and Hermione. One gets the feeling that as JK Rowling progresses with the series, she will explore these relationships in detail, and as readers, it is difficult to guess whether the friendships - or indeed the enmities - will be maintained until the end of the series or whether they will dissolve, and this central theme will determine the morals which JK Rowling will to communicate with her readers.
It is the relationships between the characters, (rather than adventures and brave deeds), which is the central theme to this series, and it is Rowling’s clever creation and communication of the nature of these relationships which is so appealing to readers. It is less a story of one boy’s progression from childhood into adulthood, more a story of his growing understanding of the nature of human realationships, shown through the impact of certain unusual situations. I feel that if one explores 'Harry Potter' more closely, one finds that there are some serious and strong themes, instead of merely a story of a kid's wand-waving antics.
2/3/2003
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08-25-2003 05:50 PM
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An original editorial by Wilf
How did it all begin? The constant re-reading, the agonising over when on earth book 5 would come out, the spending of far too much time on the internet looking at HP sites, the wondering why the hell Ron can't just admit he fancies Hermione - how did it all begin? My mind is cast back to a certain double issue of the Radio Times in the year 2000. Those who buy this well-known magazine not less than once per year know that a double issue means the Christmas issue. For, on Boxing day 2000, BBC Radio 4 were going broadcast 'Harry Potter and the Philospher's Stone' in its entirerity. Not as a radio play, you understand, but just an umpteen-hour long reading. I recall noticing this, and being somewhat surprised and this huge deviation from normal Christmas schedules. No point in listening to it, I thought, it'd just be a waste of time. At the time I was 17. The Harry Potter book had come when I was 13, and at an age where I considered myself to old for children's book - or at least, to old to be see in the children's section of the town libary. Consequently, I had never had the opportunity to pick up a copy and decide to read it. Books two and three followed with me remaining in blissful ignorence, not least because the amount of recreational reading had decreased in my life, partly because of increased workload at school, and partly because of the lure of computer games. That Christmas 2000, I dimly recalled the release of Book 4, but I had decided that anything that hyped couldn't be that good. (Now, I believe that anything that good shouldn't be that hyped.)
So, being in a state of hostile indifference towards these books (i.e. I didn't want to make the effort), what happened to have such an effect. The cause of all this was my mother. Every Boxing Day, our family would go for a walk somewhere. My mother, unlike me, had being listening to the opening chapters just before we hopped in the car, and she decided that she wanted to keep on listening. Unable to suggest anything better, I was forced to listen too. By the time we reached our destination, a drive of less than an hour and around four chapters I was hooked. We ate lunch in the car in silent enchantment, and it was with reluctance that we climbed out to go on the walk. On the way home after the walk, and on into the evening, I couldn't unglue my ear from a radio. So, I had fallen hook, line and sinker - and to make matters worse I hadn't heard the opening or a chunk in the middle. Now at this point I have a confession to make. I worked in the school libary, and when I returned to school, I proceded to grossly abuse my position of trust. All the copies of Harry Potter books were out, and there was a list of people with reservations as long as your arm (around two feet, I exagerate not). So, I entered my name on the reservation lists for books one and two, and proceeded (by devious means) to bump it up the list so I would be the first to get it. I still had to wait, but when they were brought back, I took them home and proceeded to read them from cover to cover in a way I hadn't done with books since primary school. Rather than wait even longer for books three and four, I went downtown and brought them there and then from the local bookstore, and read them in a similar manner. I still remember the lump in my heart as Gryffindor won the Quidditch cup in book 3, being gobsmacked as it was revealed that Percy had a girlfriend at the end of book 2, and total shock over the ending of book 4.
By Easter 2001, a mere two years ago, I was a diehard Harry Potter fan. If you were to look at my room, the only give away would be the fact the four books are more than slightly worn through excessive rereading. However, if you were no moniter my internet usage, you would wonder how I was able to get any work done.
In a way I'm preaching to converted here, but if you haven't read them yet, go and buy them now. Go on...you can go without sleep for the next week or so.
1/28/2003
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08-25-2003 05:51 PM
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Lawless
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An original editorial by Beverly
I know everybody (well, most) consider themselves hardcore fans. But I have seen, heard, and been apart of things that made me question my rank, and other peoples on the "biggest fan scale".
For example, when I was only a youngin in the Potterworld I went to a release party for Goblet of Fire at my local bookstore. Basically, the party started at ten and at midnight, then they would start selling the books. There were people, like me, who were so clueless they forgot to dress up or thought no one else would, people who kinda sorta dressed up with an occasional scar or wand, then the die-hard fans who went all out from all harry potter clothing to harry potter written on their faces. They had one trivia game, that I watched. It was an adult versus a child and the questions were on random, thoughtless facs from all three books. And the little girl, who might've been 9 or 10 WHOOPED the adult, and got maybe one wrong while the adult got a maximum of 2 right. I was watching in awe of the whole thing.
Second, I'm sure most have you gone to www.harrypotter.com. And if you have been on the message boards, and read some of the stories people write, it is so amazing to see how people have taken all the facts of the story and turned them into such a great pice of creative writing. I've always tried writing a story or two, but they always come out wrong!
Lastly, I'm happy to say I am part of this category, vocabulary. People who can manage to quote the book into everyday conversations. An example is once my friends Emma and Alex were standing in front of each other when Alex said: "I feel like we're about to have a duel". I instantly thought of the Harry Potter scene with Harry and Draco, and Alex reached for her pocket, and I thought she was going to pretend to pull out a wand, but she didn't. Just little things like that remind yourself a book that you think is absolutley terrific!
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08-25-2003 05:52 PM
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An original editorial by Jordan
Nearly everyone these days has heard of Harry Potter, and most of them have read it. I, myself, am a huge Potterhead. I've read the series several times through. I have at least thirty Harry websites on my Favorites list. I've seen the first movie four times.
So, you can imagine my reaction when I heard someone was trying to ban my beloved Harry! I was positively outraged. Why would anyone want to take away the thing that got millions of kids reading? I did some research, and what I saw made me even more irate. Some adults think the books are bad for kids' brains. There are two major views:
1) Harry Potter goes against Christianity and teaches kids to join the Occult. (The former isn't nearly as extreme as the latter.)
2) The books are way too violent and the characters don't follow rules.
Most of the negativity towards the Potter series has to do with its magic content. Some parents must really believe their children are the dumbest creatures in existence. These parents even tell the media that kids, after reading the books, will get it into their heads that they can turn teacups into three-headed dogs, jump off the roof and fly, or attempt to curse their little brothers by calling upon the evil forces of the Underworld. One word may help some of these parents: think. Kids are not stupid. They know that Harry Potter is fantasy. That's what's so incredible about the books. J.K. Rowling makes you feel as if you're there in the Hogwarts castle, even though her magic world doesn't exist. But, again, someone has a complaint. A fellow Potterhead read an article where a woman said the story was too detailed. As my friend exclaimed, "You just insulted J. K. for being a great writer! What is wrong with you?"
And then there's the adults who say the books make kids want to quit church, join the Occult, and praise the devil. These people obviously haven't read the series, or they would see that there is no mention at all of the students becoming Satanists. For heaven's sake, the Hufflepuff ghost is the Fat Friar, and Harry must have a religion, because Sirius Black is his godfather. How can a story that has so much to do with life, death, and morality not have root in religion?
I've read the books enough to quote entire paragraphs, but it never occurred in the farthest dust-filled corners of my brain to worship Satan. Just because something couldn't happen in real life does not mean it's evil. (It's called fiction, people.) Did anyone ever ban The Wizard of Oz? How about The Hobbit or Alice in Wonderland? All of these books are classics, and (gasp) are almost completely about magic.
Then there's the other common objection. Many parents say the plot revolves around death and violence. Yes, the author makes a point about death many times. But isn't death a part of life? Isn't violence a part of our daily existence? In the world of J.K. Rowling's writing, the hero, Harry Potter, fights against evil and those who wish to cause death. How can a story have meaning if it is stripped of all things that make it an actual story? Where's the conflict, the problem, the plot? Harry's trials and triumphs may be violent, but they make him stronger. The violence is not frivolous. It's there for a reason. It's not like J.K. Rowing is writing the fight scenes with these thoughts in mind: "Oooh, blooooood. Make the children come to me! Those gory video games sell millions, and so will I! Ah, not enough disembowelment here. A little bit more violent dueling here. Ooo! More blood! YES! BUWAHAHA! Aaaaah. Yes, all those who read Harry Potter will want to run around their school yelling 'Avada Kedavra!'" Uh-huh, yeah, suuuuuure.
Another complaint is that the characters are often breaking rules. But, if you look at the outcomes of their disobedient actions, you realize the majority of it is for a good cause. Were Ron, Harry, and Hermione allowed to go to the third floor corridor to stop Voldemort from stealing the Sorcerer's Stone? Was Cedric Diggory allowed to tell Harry how to get into the Prefects' bathroom? Were Ron and Harry allowed to go into the Forbidden Forest to find out what "Follow the spiders" meant? If the characters actually followed the rules in each of these instances, terrible things would have happened. Besides, no one wants to read about perfect, boring kids who always follow the rules and never get in trouble and manage to act like angels every waking minute. It's the stuff that sells those little 10-page paperbacks that first graders learn to read with. Real characters with real actions and emotions is the stuff that sells literary blockbusters.
The thing about all this hoopla that really annoys me is that most of the people who are against the books haven't even read them. Their objections seem to come mainly from the cover illustration. If you asked them what the book was actually about, they would most likely have no idea.
Most of these people will tell you that they "just know" that the series is evil. Oh yes, any author with hundreds of rave reviews and awards, not to mention the fastest-selling novel in history, must be out to brainwash the world's children. How else would kids want anything without hours of television commercials? She obviously used her black magick to cast a spell on the youth population (and a very big bunch of adults) to make her rich! Of course...
But, really, these people need to read the story before deciding anything. If they still believe their kids can't distinguish between reality and fantasy, they can make sure their children won't read the books. After all, they are the parents and are responsible for their children's well-being.
But when these parents try to ban Harry from public libraries, they might as well slap on a swastika. Doesn't the First Amendment state that every person has freedom read whatever they want? How can these adults decide what the rest of the community can or cannot read? Sheesh, all they have to do is not buy the books. It's not as if kids are going to sneak out of their bedroom windows at night to go to the library. Harry's impact hasn't gotten that deep yet.
"Erised stra ehru oyt on ube cafru oyt on wohsi" goes the inscription on the Mirror of Erised in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. Backwards, it reads "I show not your face, but your heart's desire." My heart's desire is that people will not judge Harry Potter by his cover, but for the wonder that he is - Harry got kids reading real literature (aka not Goosebumps and The Babysitter's Club). If they can see that, then I can finally get some peace and quiet and not have to write opinionated rants on this topic anymore.
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08-25-2003 05:52 PM
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Lawless
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An original editorial by Jeff Stoyanoff
I believe that all of us Harry Potter maniacs, and the rest of the world whether they like it or not, owe a great deal of gratitude to J.K. Rowling. The difference that Harry Potter has made in each of our lives is immeasurable. I am not saying that this difference is noticeable everyday, but I am saying that this difference is inside of each of us all the time. J.K. Rowling has helped us believe again! She has helped us dream, she has helped many of us regain our creativity, and she has brought new life to the fantasy genre in literature.
Harry Potter has been the little spark of creativity and imagination to get kids around the world to turn off their televisions and video games in exchange for a book. Reading is fun again! Kids want to read, and after reading the Harry Potter books, they want to write too! The number of compositions of follow-ups to Harry Potter, or additions, commonly known as "fan fics," has been unprecedented within the past decade.
The best thing about J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series is that it appeals to all ages. No matter what age, Harry Potter has a certain appeal to all of us. Harry Potter is not merely a children's book series! Many teens and adults read Harry Potter because it is entertaining. Almost everyone has a place in his/her heart for Harry, Ron, Hermione, and the rest of our favorites at Hogwarts. The broad spectrum of readers is just another credit to J.K. Rowling's literary genius.
J.K. Rowling is the J.R.R. Tolkien of our time. In some respects, she even surpasses Tolkien. Many may call Harry Potter "a bunch of silly wand-waving," but those that say such things have obviously never read Harry Potter. Harry Potter is much more. It is an enjoyable read for anyone that appreciates a good book. Thank-you J.K. Rowling.
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:::>^..^<::: ~*~The Journey is more important than the end or the start~*~ :::>^..^<::: |
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08-25-2003 05:53 PM
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An original editorial by Brittany Kramer
To start it would help to know a little background on myself. I am seventeen. I love to read. I am a Christian.
Although I have known for a long time that I want to be an author, I never realized how much until I read Harry Potter.
When the Harry Potter hubbub started in the United States of America (where I am from) I did not want anything to do with it. I am not one to like the "in" thing. I did not care if Harry Potter was branded a "children’s" book, I still read such beloved classics like "The Berenstein Bears" (for those of you who do not know what those are, they are children's picture books), in other words, that did not keep me from reading the book. It took me until last fall in November to give in. On the Wednesday a week before "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" was released, my friend's boyfriend and I got into an argument about Harry Potter. He liked it, I wanted him to shut up about it. The argument ended with me agreeing to borrow his copy of "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone". The next day I started reading the book during my first class of the day and I was to the third chapter by the middle of my next class. In a short hour I was hooked. By Friday I was finished with the book and on my way to the bookstore to buy my own copies of the four books. I ended up seeing the movie at 12:01 A.M. the day it came out. I was tired the next day at school (it was worth it) and wearing a lightning bolt washable tattoo on my forehead.
As far as books go, I think that I have not read anything more well-written than Harry Potter. I aspire to be an author like J.K. Rowling when I pursue my career. I want to achieve what she has, which is making lovable characters that everyone can relate to, making it "OK" to read again, and letting children use their imagination.
When the Christian issue comes up, I am appalled that churches would go through the trouble of wasting their money on these books just to burn them.
That is just stupid. Why can't they spen their money on something the church actually needs or give that money to the homeless, or (in my case) use the money to build a new sanctuary. I may think that God is my best friend, but I also understand the difference between fact and fiction and I think it is more of a matter that parents are not teaching their kids the difference and children need to know that they can not do magic like written in the book. I have often say that if your child wants to do magic, buy them a magic kit, because if you are really that scared that your kid is going to sell themself to the devil to do magic like Harry Potter, there is something wrong there.
Harry Potter to me is just a great story. It is something that can take you away from your worries whenever you pick it up. It has inspired me to write good quality books, just like it is. I am proud to say that I am a Harry Potter fan no matter what the reaction I may get from my peers. As far as I am concerned, if you are going to laugh at me for liking Harry Potter, you are the one missing out.
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:::>^..^<::: ~*~The Journey is more important than the end or the start~*~ :::>^..^<::: |
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08-25-2003 05:53 PM
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Lawless
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How the hype changed my opinion. An original editorial by Matt Tarrant
I was lucky enough to have been introduced to Harry Potter not long after The Philosopher's Stone was released in the UK, during which time the HP phenomenon was still a twinkle in the eye of the literary world.
At that time, I remember thinking that the book was ok, but nothing to cry home about. The snob in me refused to allow JK Rowling's book a place with the other fantasy classics such as Lord of the Rings. In my honest opinion, I thought the book was rather dull. It became nothing more than a paperweight on my desk, such was my opinion about it.
But then something happened. A veil of ignorance lifted itself from my eyes and through the persistence of some of my friends and the sudden media interest in the boy who lived, I decided to re-read The Philosopher's Stone two years after it's release. Now, call it brainwashing or call it subliminal suggestion but the buzz that was now floating around in my mind, made me see the book in a completely different light. I got into the story, the tragedy of Harry's orphaned upbringing, the unbreakable loyalty of his friends and the sheer attention to detail JK placed in her writing.
After that I was hooked. I bought the Chamber of Secrets and read that to death. Prisoner of Azkaban received an equal amount of attention and then the Goblet of Fire reared itself and any mis-conceptions about JKs ability to deliver a thoroughly compelling story vanished and I am now a proud member of the world wide community of Potterites. Now waiting impatiently for The Order of Phoenix to fly onto the shelves and feed our minds.
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