[HPforGrownups] Re: Wands and other things

[Barb Roberts]

No: HPFGUIDX 147765

>>
>> Geoff:
>> ...I find it difficult agree with you on your take of John Granger's
>> ideas. I have not read  a lot of his writing but having recently gone
>> through "The Alchemical Keys to the last Harry Potter novel", I found
>> little reference to the Christian faith as I see it; let me add as a
>> disclaimer that this is not a prescriptive view but a personal one.
>
> Renee:
>
> ...Well, maybe this will make you curious enough to delve a little 
> deeper
> into his writings. "The Alchemical Keys" was Granger's first foray
> into Potter studies and stressed the alchemical imagery of the books
> rather than the Christian interpretation.
           			
I checked John Granger's LOOKING FOR GOD IN HARRY POTTER out from my 
library in the audio book version. From the part that I listened to 
(which makes it impossible for me to quote <grrr>) I have a couple of 
impressions.

One, this work seems to be targeted at serious, conservative Christians 
rather than just fundamentalists, which is only a subset of the larger 
group.

Two, his contention that JKR uses many of the images and themes found 
in the canon of western literature, so the more one was familiarity 
with the classics, the more one would see the broad Christian 
underpinning of JKR's writing. The origins of many of these themes / 
images are often  pre-Christian past, but later acquired a Christian 
meaning in the western canon even if that was not the original intent. 
He thinks that Rowling, like others, uses alchemic imagery to indicate 
transformation. So in effect when Granger talks about Rowling's 
alchemic imagery, he sees it as alluding to the Christian idea of a 
transformed life. Granger certainly doesn't see JKR as a modern day 
proponent of Alchemy.

What I found interesting is how important the transformation theme in 
the Potter books. I think Granger has hit upon something important. If 
Granger is correct, than subject of transformation isn't just Hogwart's 
version of Muggle school's physics.  Rather it is close to the 
Christian doctrines of sanctification and glorification. Maybe Rowling 
mainly has growth in mind, but I think this whole idea of 
transformation needs closer study. Very interesting.

Barbara