Harry and Christ (Was Re: veil/Ddore's cowardice? (longish)

[sienna291973]

No: HPFGUIDX 78050

-- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, Golly <feetmadeofclay at y...> 
wrote:

<But doesn't anyone wish we had been given more than a silly sporting 
hero for about 4 books if Harry's going to be a Christ figure?>

Sienna:
If you are referring here to Harry (which, I assume you are), I don't 
think it is accurate to say that the main emphasis of the first four 
books was Harry's prowess as a sporting hero.  Naturally Harry's 
Quiddich skills are a point of focus, but far more important to the 
overall plot of each books is Harry's relationship with Voldemort and 
his destiny therein.

I'm not sure whether or not he will be a `Christ' figure as such, but 
spirituality is far more far reaching than just the traditional 
Christ story.

-- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, Golly <feetmadeofclay at y...> 
wrote:

< I never felt a spiritual core 
in HP. JKR went so far as to make Hogwarts (and HP in general) 
particularly not secularly Christian instead of religiously so. There 
is no mentioned of a Chapel, no sunday services, no going to Church 
on Christmas. No mention of the religions of other kids' names -
'Goldstein' is a generally Jewish name and the Patils could very 
well be Hindu (or Christian or Muslim... I know) Seamus could be 
Catholic.>

Sienna:
I disagree. I see many spiritual messages contained with this 
series.  Spirituality is not limited to Christianity.  We live in a 
secular and multi-faith world and yet the Christ story still holds 
relevance for many people – Christian or not. 

-- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, Golly <feetmadeofclay at y...> 
wrote:

<If you're writing a Christ allegory, shouldn't you inform your 
readers at the outset with something more obvious than a wand wood? 
We could have known from the outset about the prophecy (and let that 
frame the story as it does with the New Testament) and LV's 
determination to destroy the one who would set his star to fall. We 
could have had Harry being knowledgeable beyond his years in some 
areas instead of being such an average kid with Quidditch and flying 
as his gifts. Or perhaps people could have treated him with more 
reverance and less like a TV star....>

Sienna:
As far as I understand the nature of an `allegory', it is a metaphor 
rather than a direct translation of the exact events.  Does Harry's 
story need to exactly mirror Christ's in order to explore similar 
themes or even to incorporate similar imagery?  I personally don't 
believe it does.  I would not have enjoyed a story of the type you 
describe above.  Also, don't forget that it depends on how you 
personally interpret the Christ story.  I've read nothing that leads 
me to believe that Jesus as 13 was actively fulfilling his destiny 
nor was he treated by the people around him with any particular 
reverence (outside of his disciples) as an adult.  He was persecuted 
and executed for his beliefs.  The whole beauty of the story for me 
is that of the transmutation of God into man with all of man's 
temptations and weaknesses.  It shows a man surrounded my temptation 
who managed to fulfill his destiny in the face of extreme 
persecution.  That is God `as' man and not man as God.  (I believe 
Nikos Kazantzakis explores this well in `The Last Temptation of 
Christ').

One could also argue that Harry is far from an `average' wizard who 
just happens to be good at flying around on a broomstick.  In my 
opinion he shows a great deal of latent magical ability as 
demonstrated by his successful execution of very complex and advanced 
magic.  When Harry focuses, he proves that he is anything 
but `average'.  A 15 year old wizard who speaks Parceltongue and can 
produce a fully fledged Patronus (a Corporeal Patronus at that ;) ) 
at age 13 could hardly site Quiddich as his most impressive attribute.

-- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, Golly <feetmadeofclay at y...> 
wrote:

<As a non-Christian I would not be happy with my (nonexsistant) 
children reading this series.>

Sienna:
I'd be interested to hear more from you on this.  If the HP book 
contains no spiritual core and is not demonstrably a Christian 
allegory, why would you have an issue with your children reading the 
series?  Not trying to be provocative, just genuinely interested. :)

Sienna
Who hopes she's finally gotten the hang of this posting thing