The Harry Potter Books & Jungian Philosophy

[Marilyn Peake]

No: HPFGUIDX 129444


I recently reread Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, and came 
upon something that I hadn't particularly noticed during my first 
time reading the book - a certain insight into the nature of 
reality.  At the end of Chapter 12, Professor Dumbledore warns Harry 
about the Mirror of Erised.  Dumbledore says: "The Mirror will be 
moved to a new home tomorrow, Harry, and I ask you not to go looking 
for it again.  If you ever do run across it, you will now be 
prepared.  It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live, 
remember that.  Now, why don't you put that admirable cloak back on 
and get off to bed?"  What struck me about the line "It does not do 
to dwell on dreams and forget to live ..." is that it is in stark 
contrast to the rich and colorful emphasis on pursuing one's dreams 
in the Harry Potter books, as well as Harry's recurrent dream about 
Voldemort.  In that respect, J.K. Rowling's writing is very similar 
to the work of the psychiatrist Carl Jung.  Jung created elaborate 
artistic paintings.  In his psychiatric work, he valued and analyzed 
dreams.  However, he taught that, if a form of therapy did not 
elucidate reality, then reality would eventually rear its head and 
hurt the patient; therefore, therapy had to be in tune with reality.

Best Wishes,
Marilyn

~~ Drink deeply by land or sea. Earth comes only once.~~
>From THE FISHERMAN'S SON Trilogy 
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