Schafer's Book (long)

[JandLComm at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 1807

Hello!

I have also been listening in and enjoying the commentary for the 
past several weeks, but I decided I really needed to make some 
comments about this new sourcebook.

I teach seventh grade, and Harry Potter dovetails beautifully with 
our curriculum (which places emphasis on comparative mythology and 
archetypal heroes).  I read about the sourcebook, and I thought it 
might be helpful, so I bought it and read it.

After reading this book, I have to agree with the folks who posted 
responses based on the article or Beacham's web site.  Although there 
are a few interesting ideas included and a helpful list of characters 
from the books, I was rather disappointed overall.  Most of what I 
read either echoed thoughts I already had myself or read on HP fan 
sites -- or they seemed completely forced, often downright absurd.  I 
would be more receptive, perhaps, to some of the bigger stretches, if 
the whole thing didn't have a tone of superiority and finality about 
it.  (i.e. "So you have been wondering about Harry Potter?  Let me 
explain it all to you.  I've figured it all out." Ugh.) I certainly 
hope people do not read this and think of it as the final word on 
interpreting Rowling's work.

A few examples of Schafer's ideas:

History:  Lily Potter might be Eleanor of Aquitaine; the chambers 
(she uses the plural) are like the Minotaur's maze; Neville is a 
court jester; Dobby mimics religious flagellants; Harry, Ron, and 
Hermione are all Joan of Arc; Slytherin's initials (S.S.) suggest 
Nazi stormtroopers; Harry and his friends are like hidden Jewish 
children during WWII; Harry, Hermione and Sirius fly on Buckbeak like 
WWII glider pilots; etc.

Myth: James and Lily Potter are Vulcan and Venus; Vernon Dursley is 
Hades; Percy and his girlfriend are Odysseus and Penelope; the 
Chambers beneath Hogwarts are Pandora's Box; Hogwarts is like Mount 
Olympus; etc.

Bible: Harry Potter includes "numerous" retellings and/or allusions 
to Biblical stories -- Harry's scar is a stigmata or maybe a sign of 
shame like Cain received; Harry is a Christ figure with Ron and 
Hermione as his disciples; Harry is the prodigal son; Harry is like 
Joseph because he has dreams; Harry is lie Moses since Hagrid brought 
him to the Dursleys wrapped in a bundle of blankets, which also 
resemble "swaddling clothes"; The Marauder's Map and the Invisibility 
Cloak are like the forbidden fruit, resulting in transporting Harry 
closer to evil; the Invisibility Coak is like the "Shroud of Turin"; 
Harry is a pious pilgrim; Sirius Black is like Job; Hogwarts is like 
a monestary; etc, etc, etc.  She spends pages and pages on Biblical 
images, but never spends any real time on serpent images.

I could go on.  Elizabeth Schafer certainly did.  She even included 
an entire chapter on food: the students at Hogwarts like to eat and 
they don't ever seem to have to worry about food. 

I'm not sorry I bought the book; there are some useful parts, and the 
fact that it's all gathered together is certainly convenient.  Still, 
overall it seemed to me that she offered far too many implausible 
theories and very little depth on any of the ideas put forth.  I was 
hoping for a resource book that I could use as a desk refernce, but 
instead I found 500 pages of "maybes" and few concrete details to 
support the thoughts.  

Am I the only one who thinks some of those ideas seem a bit 
contrived?  I don't mean to suggest that all of her ideas are "out 
there."  Some were great. In fact, most of the ideas would have merit 
as "food for thought," but the tone of the book does not feel 
like "food for thought."  It's more like "eat your broccoli." Even 
so, I'm not sure "sourcebook" is the best word for 
this.  "Brainstorming book" is more like it.

What do you think?

Linda