I love theorizing about Harry Potter, and I'll blog about my "Who is R.A.B." theory later this week. Today I want to blog about an article I read in the Scotsman titled, "Will Harry meet his maker in final chapter?"
IT APPEARS that JK Rowling has dropped the biggest hint yet that the final Harry Potter book will spell the end for her boy wizard hero….
She said: "I contemplate the task with mixed feelings of excitement and dread, because I can't wait to get started, to tell the final part of the story and, at last, to answer all the questions."
Bloggers do it. Fans do it. Even newspaper journalists do it. We love to parse and dissect anything J.K. Rowling says about her books. Rowling's remarks give no indication to me that she plans to kill off Harry Potter, but just as Jim Dale's opinion fueled speculation, so has Rowling's hints.
The real focus of this post is the title of the story. We know that "meeting your maker" is a euphemism for death, but I think it's curious how the mention of "Harry's maker" hasn't sparked a discussion among Christian fans. In fact, I often wonder why Christians don't talk about the many references to God found in the books. Characters have been known to use words like "Lord" and "heaven," though there isn't any mention of religion per se.
What do you think about this? Have you ever discussed whether wizards and witches in Harry Potter believe in God?
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December 27th, 2005 at 11:40 am
I'm guessing that she's dreading it because Ron's going to die, not Harry. Ron's been a goner from the beginning. I think he'll go out in a blaze of glory, sacrificing himself to save his friends.
December 27th, 2005 at 12:48 pm
I don't believe there is a god in the Harry Potter books. There is good and evil, but there is no mention of a Maker. Good and evil seem to be bound up in the hearts of all, muggle and wizard alike, and each one must choose which to serve.
Do you see a creator, an authority figure who stands outside of Harry's world when you read the books?
If we read from a Christian worldview we can find a supernatural power that is above Dumbledore. A good being that stands ready to render assistance to those who are pure of heart and in sincere need. I suspect that in the last book this will be tied up. Who sends Harry the sorting hat when he is in the chamber of secrets? Who said that the loving sacrifice of his mother would change the curse from a source of death to a source of life and power?
But thus far there is no god a la Aslan. I would say the god in Harry Potter is a foggy as the god in Middle Earth. we don't see him, really, but we know, since we're Christians, that someone made the rules. I doubt that unbelievers would see any god-figures in HP, though.
December 27th, 2005 at 1:33 pm
If I remember correctly, Christmas was celebrated in two of the movies.
I thought it odd at the time and wondered if they actually did believe
in God and Jesus Christ.
December 27th, 2005 at 5:55 pm
I'd forgotten about that. They do celebrate Christmas. hmmm.
December 27th, 2005 at 6:39 pm
Thanks so much for commenting. Yes, Christmas is celebrated in HP. See this post at Sword of Gryffindor:
http://swordofgryffindor.com/2005/12/23/christmas-at-hogwarts/
December 27th, 2005 at 10:58 pm
Harry's a goner. There was a great article awhile back (I'll see if I can pull it up) demonstrating the links between Rowling's tale and other great epic tales such as King Arthur and Lord of the Rings. The hero always dies. It is part of what makes great stories great. They echo Jesus' redemption by sacrifice.
December 28th, 2005 at 2:07 pm
Yes, they do celebrate Christmas, and the Easter holidays are referenced as well. They even sing Christian Christmas carols.
But the actual character of "God" does not appear in the stories, and I doubt JKR intends to unveil a God character of any kind in the 7th book. The Christ symbols serve that literary purpose, in my opinion.
December 28th, 2005 at 2:28 pm
I was having a discussion on that very notion (that JRR will off Harry in the final book) at my local comic book store. An employee who was much more an expert than I mentioned that in the 5th book, it's said that one of them has to die for the other to live- meaning that there will be a living victor to their final battle,and the implication was taht Harry would have to kill Voldemort. But then, that was his opinion. I think just too many people are looking for a massively 'dark' endeing for the sake of having one.
Ans as for "God" appearing in the books, beyong them celebrating Christmas (and Halloween, no signal in the movie of them celebrating easter though (Then again, we never know the exact date the Hogwarts school year.) …. got off track there, but note the name of the founder of Gryffindor house- Godric Gryffindor. I think there is quite a bit of referring to medeival heraldry, and the significance thereof in the names in HP. Hence, the wizards of the HP world would have at the very least, coexisted with christians for thousands of years, and if they intermarried with (obviously) Christian (because that's who everyone was round you at the time)Muggles, more than likely conversions would have occured (providing that the various witches & wizards weren't raised Christian already).
December 28th, 2005 at 2:36 pm
National Nitwit has exclusive information on the new Harry Potter book
January 1st, 2006 at 10:20 am
J.K.Rowling is really a Very imaginative writer. Though she talks about religion lord, magic here isn’t any info given about it. Christopher of “Inheritance” trilogy has specified about the religion of dwarfs and elven beliefs Rowling doesn’t do it.
Why is she shying away from it?
Surely a writer of that stature cannot have a lack of imagination in this regard. Either she does not want to be involved in a controversy or she does not give a damn about it. Either way we are lost when Sirus seems to sing Christmas carols or LORD, HEVEAN is mentioned.
I would also like to mention that HP goblet of fire was the peak of HP series and then the following books was boring and buggy as they saw decline in subject matter and was focused obsessively about Harry’s teenage problems. I was also very upset with JKR offhand treatment of Harry’s love story. Harry showed no feelings for Jinny until THE book which was an attempt to make this aspect in the story line filled with suspense. The love story does not even span one book.