HP as Morality Play (was Re: Harry learning from Snape )

[cubfanbudwoman]

No: HPFGUIDX 114706


Dzeytoun:
> I sense that you see in this (and I may be wrong) a kind of 
> Christian parable with Harry being a sort of martyr/Christ 
> figure.  Certainly that is one way to interpret things.  


SSSusan:
Well, yes & no.  I happen to find many Christian themes & images 
within the books, yes, and they please me.  But one of the things 
that I find cool about JKR is that she's written these books in such 
a way that they're NOT screaming "Christian books!" at people, 
making them feel that if they're not interested in such things, 
there's nothing within for them.  

Besides, even if I happen to find things that seem "Christian" to 
me, those things *aren't* exclusively "Christian."  I mean, what 
I've been arguing is that I believe Harry will likely find a means 
of setting aside his dislike, anger, hatred, disrespect [choose your 
term of preference] for/towards Snape in order to focus on 
what "matters more" to him:  working for the Order, learning all he 
can to prepare himself to face down Voldemort, working for the side 
of Good [or for the greater good, if that term appeals more].  I 
believe he will do this, rather than focus on what might seem 
more "just," personally, which would be to continue to be hateful 
and angry towards Snape, to continue to defy him, to continue to not 
try very hard in his classes in order to somehow show Snape that 
he's not going to take his "abuse."  

This type of decision, to put one's own self lower on the priority 
scale than the greater good is *NOT* a Christian-only tenet.  In 
fact, I'm thinking it's a pretty widespread way of seeing things, a 
very common part of many people's value systems.  I would say that 
taking the more "selfish" route of demanding to be treated in X kind 
of way, with that being more important than ANYTHING else [as you've 
said], is a much more *uncommon* view.

By the way, I do want to mention that nowhere have I argued that if 
Harry manages to set aside his hatred and "I'm not going to do what 
HE says" attitude regarding Snape, because he's made a conscious 
decision that the Order and the defeat of Voldy are more important, 
that that means he suddenly respects Snape.  I *hope* for a grudging 
respect eventually, for the things Snape has risked & the things he 
has done on Harry's behalf, but he HAS been a jackass to Harry & 
Neville in class, and I don't expect Harry to instantly develop 
respect for the kinds of tactics he has used.  I merely ["merely," 
as if it'll be easy! :-)] want Harry to CHOOSE to become mature and 
outward-focused, to CHOOSE to be above snarkiness, pettiness and 
personal vendettas.  Yes, doing so would be a "Christian" move in 
one world, but it would also be considered "right" in many, many 
other moral belief systems.

Siriusly Snapey Susan