Christian themes in HP

[puduhepa98 at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 154126

 
 
 
 

> Tonks:
> >>> <snip> (Since I have said that the  COS was the tomb of Christ,
> and I see DD as a symbol of Christ, to me it  ties together. And I
> think that JKR meant to tie those two images  together in that
> moment.) <snip> Since I think that DD is a Christ  figure I do think
> that we will see him again. <<<
>  
> Barbara Kraus wrote:
> >> I think this is a wonderful story  and a world I would like to
> enter...but do you really think that J.K.  Rowling was trying to
> write in parallels to the Bible? I think you do a  disservice to
> her... The Harry Potter stories are so well-written -  <snip> -
> when I read the biblical comparisons here, I can only  think...oh,
> please. Give me a break. <<
> 

>  Katie:
> I have to agree with Barbara. I think that reducing great  
literature to Bible allegory fails to see the beauty of the story  
itself. 

> I feel (in my opinion) that people who try to see  Christian
> stuff in HP are in some way assuaging some misplaced guilt  about
> being Christian and reading about witches. It just isn't there!  
There is no Christian allegory in HP. (snip)> I just don't 
understand  why everything has to relate to religion! I
> am a pretty faithful pagan,  and I don't relate everything I do, 
read, or see to my religion.
>  

> Now, I am also a fan of the Narnia series, which is a  well-known
> and purposeful allegory to the Bible, but the story of Narnia  can
> also be read without looking for Christian themes, and still be  a
> wonderful and magical story. Can't we all just read HP for what  it
> is? - a fantastical and magical and unique work of literature  
(snip> 

Tonks:
The Narnia series is an allegory, and why it is  perfectly OK to read 
it as just an enjoyable story you can not just wish  away the basic 
intent of the author, or tell others who do see the author's  intent 
that they are just imagining it. 

The HP series IMO is not an  allegory like Narnia. JKR has a 
subliminal story running under the surface  and she does some unique 
things with symbolism. If you don't see it, that is  fine. But when 
the final book is written and JKR tells what she has done, if  she 
proves me wrong, no big deal. I will still love and treasure the  
books. On the other hand if JKR says that she has used symbols and 
ideas  from Christianity in the constructions of her books, I suspect 
that some  here will burn them or use them for mulch. Such is the 
bias that I hear  voiced here against the very *idea* that there 
could be anything that looks  like Christianity in the books. 


Nikkalmati: 
When Tonks first wrote that she had seen resistance to the  discussion of 
Christian themes in the books, I thought "well, I haven't seen  it."  I have seen 
it now.  The author herself has said that there is a  Christian theme to the 
books which will become obvious after Book 7.   I do not agree with all of the 
links made on this list by various individuals to  Christian symbols or 
parallels to Biblical characters or stories, but many  of them are interesting and 
stimulate thought.  I personally don't "get'  the alchemy references many 
others find and some of the astronomy connections  are "far out".:>)  However, I 
certainly don't feel these  discussions should be abandoned or that they are 
not worth pursuing.   Why should discussions about the Christian meanings in the 
books be any  different? 
Nikkalmati
   


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