Touchstone Editor vs. Catholic Harry Haters

August 4, 2010 by 10 Comments

S. M. Hutchens of Touchstone magazine has written a rejoinder in ‘Harry Potter Coda‘ to Michael O’Brien’s assertions that Harry Potter is not good reading, ‘good’ in the sense of its being well written or of its being spiritually edifying.  Mr. Hutchens is not a Harry Hallower by any means; he believes the books are dangerous and encourage unfortunate beliefs and behaviors. He insists, though that Harry’s adventures in the end reflect “the Story Upon Which All Stories Worth Hearing are based” and will foster the imagination and heart of those who do and those who do not yet know this Story.

Mr. Hutchens and I are not on the same page about such story points as the mandrakes and the Dumbledore-Snape “suicide pact.” I do think, however, that his thoughtful comments, with all its concessions to Mr. O’Brien, will be a much more effective invitation to the Harry Wary among Catholics and conservative Christians to read the books than my own efforts. And that is cause for celebration. (H/T to Perelandra!)

Filed Under: Hog Pro Notes

25 Essays on Christian Themes in Harry Potter

August 3, 2010 by 6 Comments

Elliot Nelson writes at Unless a Seed Dies: An Exploration of Christianity and he has been exploring at length there the Christian themes of Harry Potter. For those of you who find this subject as interesting as I do, there is a list of twenty five subjects with links to Mr. Nelson’s essays on those topics after the jump. Please share your thoughts and recommendations! [Read more…]

Filed Under: Hog Pro Notes

Suzanne Collins To Be at Finale Release Party

August 2, 2010 by 17 Comments

Where and when will you purchase your copy of Mockingjay, the final novel in Suzanne Collins’ Hunger Games trilogy? Those of us living in the New York City metropolitan area, incredibly, will not only be able to buy the book at midnight but will be able to meet the author herself at the party.

Books of Wonder, at the marvelously mirroring address of 18 West 18th Street, NY, NY, will be the “site of the official launch event,” according to their web site, and Ms. Collins will appear at midnight to stamp copies of the book purchased at the store. Even better, she will read a chapter from the book in the hour before the books go on sale (details after the jump). I hope this store has an auditorium that will seat the crowd that will be coming; I know my house of Hunger Games readers will all want to be there! [Read more…]

Filed Under: Hunger Games

Why Repress Discussion of Mormon Content in Twilight? Mrs. Meyer’s Feminist Story Message

August 1, 2010 by 22 Comments

In the run-up to the June release of Eclipse, the movie, a reporter from Entertainment Weekly sat down with the actor and actress who play Edward and Bella to ask a few questions. These celebrity interviews aren’t spontaneous affairs with gotcha questions meant to take the celebrities off-guard, but staged exchanges to communicate studio talking points. I was surprised, then, on reading the second question because it was pretty meaty:

EW: Some people read Breaking Dawn as very pro-life and Mormon because Bella decides to have her baby even though it’s endangering her life. Did any of that bother you when you read the book?

STEWART: No, because it made sense. Not wanting to give up the baby is about her holding onto that last thing that she would have to give up if she was not human anymore. Right after she and Edward sleep with each other for the first time, she says, “Oh, f***, I might want to be human for a little bit longer.” The baby is just an even more intense version of that.
PATTINSON: I think people make up all these Mormon references just so they can publish Twilight articles in respectable publications like the New York Times. Even Stephenie [Meyer, author of the Twilight novels] said it doesn’t mean any of that. It is based on a dream.

After some notable screw-ups, both Ms. Stewart and Mr. Pattinson are clearly reading from Twilight franchise talking point scripts. I find their answers to the Mormon question interesting, then, for at least three reasons:

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Twilight

‘The Hunger Games’ Strategy Board Game

August 1, 2010 by 32 Comments

Does anyone else out there find the idea of playing a Hunger Games ‘game’ more than a little bit ironic? I do understand that this role playing doesn’t seem to involve murdering everyone around you in order to survive or the sadistic, poisonous settings of the Games depicted in the novels, but, really, practicing for the Games with a little role playing, even in the name of “strategy,” seems a little twisted.

The premise of the books, in large part, is that the Capitol’s Games are horrific and demeaning to everyone involved — so now we’re invited to join in the fun? Look for the video games alongside the movies, I guess. Bizarre that the entertainment culture of violence and vicarious participation in the suffering of others Collins is skewing in fiction may take shape and form around her story! If the movies are a hit (and they will be, I fear for all the wrong reasons), I predict a Panem-World theme park experience within the decade.

Please share your thoughts. (H/T to Arabella!)

Filed Under: Hunger Games