Seven Christian Symbols (was The Seven Charms in HPSS)

[Tonks]

No: HPFGUIDX 126943


I think that it is clear that JKR likes the number 7.  And the 
number 7 has a lot of symbolic meaning.  I have mentioned before 
that the number 7 is a big part of the book of Revelation. When the 
7th scroll is opened and the 7th Angel blows the trumpet it is the 
beginning of the end of the world at the final battle at 
Armageddon.  Beyond that the number 7 is in the Bible and in 
Christian theology in many other ways as well.  Let's look at some 
of these. 

 I am trying to figure out the 7 deadly sins and who represents each 
one.  Maybe some of you can help me with this. Gluttony is obviously 
Dudley.  Anger is Snape.  Pride/Vanity is Lockhart.  Envy could be 
Ron, but I do not what one of the trio to represent anything but 
good, so there has to be someone else for this one.   Lust, hummm
 
children's books here.  Lust can be something other than sex. Who 
could it be?? Percy?  Greed could be Percy or Lucius.   Sloth 
???
I think that we have to find one of the negative characters with an 
over exaggerated trait in order for that person to represent that 
sin.  What does Quirrell, Peter, Bella, Lucius, Umbridge and Rita 
represent?  I think the trait has to be one that obviously gets the 
person into trouble because these are books to teach children.  
Dudley and Lockhart, for example, are so very obvious. 

The 7 Heavely Virtues that are suppose to counter the 7 deadly sins 
are: humility against pride, kindness against envy, abstinence 
against gluttony, chastity against lust, patience against anger, 
liberality against greed, and diligence against sloth.  I haven't 
thought this one through yet, but maybe there are people that 
represent these too. Neville I think would be humility. Luna maybe 
patience. 

The 4 Cardinal Virtues are prudence, temperance, courage, justice.  
These could represent the 4 Houses.  Gryffindor is courage, prudence 
Ravenclaw, temperance Hufflepuff and Justice as Slytherin.  This is 
just a guess and I don't have a lot to go on here. 

The trio can be seen as faith (Hermione), hope (Ron) and 
charity/love (Harry). 

There are 7 Works of Mercy.  I think that we have to see Harry do 
each of these:  Feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, give 
shelter to strangers, clothe the naked, visit the sick (visit to St. 
Mungo's), minister to prisoners (helping Sirius/ and Dobby), and 
bury the dead (maybe we will see Sirius' funeral, or God forbid, 
someone else's).

There are 7 Sacraments in the Church. Some Protestant churches do 
not put as much emphasis on some of these as the Roman Catholic, 
Orthodox and Anglican would, but I think they would still be used by 
Rowling, if she were using any at all.  The 7 Sacraments are:  
Baptism, Confirmation, Penance/Reconciliation, Eucharist, Matrimony, 
Holy Orders, and Extreme Unction.

Baptism is represented in the first book. Penance/Reconciliation 
could go with book 3, the Eucharist with book 4. (The Goblet of Fire 
as the Holy Grail.)  We haven't seen a wedding yet but many have 
speculated that it is coming. And I think we all expect someone 
important (Harry) to die in book 7, and if this happens that would 
represent Extreme Unction. 

Christ is the person who comes to:  bring glad tidings to the poor 
(Harry befriends Ron and the Weasley family), proclaim liberty to 
captives (Sirius), recover of sight of the blind (helps the world to 
see that LV is really back), let the oppressed go free (Dobby), and 
to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord. I am not sure what that 
last one means.

Ok folks please have a go at this. I would love to see what you 
think. Something to fill our time till book 6.  Thanks.
  
Tonks_op