[HPforGrownups] Is This Quote Legit?

[Richelle Votaw]

No: HPFGUIDX 52850

Eileen writes:

> While we're rumour-slaying, can anyone find a
> reference to  JKR saying that she doesn't want to get
> much into her Christian faith, because then people
> will know how the story ends? I've heard it about a


Here's the best I can find, from Comic Relief UK interview, March 2000.

How do you cope with the aggravation from strongly religious people against witchcraft? 
Well, mostly I laugh about it I ignore it... and very occasionally I get annoyed, because they have missed the point so spectacularly. I think the Harry books are very moral but some people just object to witchcraft being mentioned in a children's book unfortunately, that means we'll have to lose a lot of classic children's fiction. 

>From the same interview:

Did you read the Narnia books when you were a child? 

Yes I did and I liked them though all the Christian symbolism utterly escaped me it was only when I re-read them later in life that it struck me forcibly. 

And the Larry King interview, October 2000:

KING: What do you make of the critique in some elements of the United States, especially in the Christian right, who have said that this book is -- it deals with demons and things? 

ROWLING: What it deals with is good and evil. And like a lot of classic children's literature, it deals with good and evil. So my feeling is that their objection is utterly unfounded. I mean, occasionally, I wonder: Have they read the books? I think they're very moral books.

If we are going to object to depicting magic in books, then we are going to have to reject C.S. Lewis. We're going to have to get rid of the "Wizard of Oz." There are going to be a lot of very -- there are going to be a lot of -- a lot of classic children's literature is not going to be allowed to survive that, so -- and I'm very opposed to censorship.

So, no, I can't agree with what they're doing at all.

While this doesn't provide the quote being hunted, it could be the root. JKR points out the Christian symbolism in the Narnia books, and combined with the quote from JKR that speaks of classic children's literature, specifically referencing Lewis's books, puts 2 and 2 together and gets 3 1/2.  Maybe.  Though I still feel as if I'm missing an interview somewhere, but I know I won't find it as long as I'm looking for it!

Something else I didn't remember, which has nothing to do with this, but Book 5:

Hints about the future: "There's stuff coming with the Dursleys that people might not expect, but I'm not going to give too much away there if that's OK. . . . Finally, I gave you something. Ginny (Weasley) does have a bigger role in Book Five." 

So, Ginny has a bigger role.  Hmm.

Richelle



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