Every Harry Potter adventure from Stone to Prince opened in such a way that the ending was heavily foreshadowed in the beginning, a classical “joining-of-the-circle” formula. Go back and count the references to telescopes in Prince‘s first chapters and how Harry leaning on the window resembles Dumbledore at the base of the Astronomy Tower if you think I’m making this up.

We’ve started discussion about how Deathly Hallows is the completion and vibrant echo of events and themes in Philosopher’s Stone. Let’s talk here about the first three chapters of Hallows and how they prepare us for Harry’s struggles throughout the year and his eventual triumph.

Philosopher’s Stone was laden with references to the legends of King Arthur, from Harry’s life in secret as a Muggle, unaware of his heritage and the protection of a Merlin-esque wizard to specific plot points (remember the King and his crown on McGonagall’s chess board?). As we reached the story’s conclusion, Ms. Rowling seemed to reach deeper into Arthur lore for Harry’s heroic quest — corny word? nah –with Harry falling in love with Ginevra and the Graille elements of Harry’s Horcrux search and fascination with the three Deathly Hallows.

Travis Prinzi, as usual, is right on this over at Sword of Gryffindor; what are your thoughts on the Arthuriana in Deathly Hallows and the series as a whole? Ms. Rowling uses the alchemy to advance both her traditional and postmodern themes and concerns; how do the Arthurian backdrops and set-pieces, not to mention the names and story points reinforce what she has to say about love’s victory over death? Prejudice? Choice?

The discussion here this past week has been nothing short of spectacular! Though I have been pre-occupied with family business (we’re moving!), a new job, and taking notes for my two Prophecy 2007 talks next week, I have tried to check in to HogPro five or six times a day to put up all your insightful posts and send back the two or three that had to be re-written to take off an unnecessary edge. I hope you agree with me that HogPro threads have been the One-Stop site for challenging exchanges about the literary background and the meaning of Deathly Hallows (if I have checked in at Sword of Gryffindor every day to keep up with Mr. Prinzi’s reflections, too). As the site moderator and too-infrequent contributor since P-Day, I can only say “thank you very much” for all you have shared at HogPro.

In thanks and to spur further discussion while I’m packing the moving van today, I have come up with five new Deathly Hallows Discussion Points for your comments and consideration. Enjoy!

21. Philosopher Stone Echoes
22. Comparative Battle Scenes
23. Smuggling the Gospel Fallout
24. Three Controversial Points
25. John Granger at Prophecy 2007 and in Deathly Hallows?!

The First Set:

1. The Covers
2. The Opening Quotations from Aeschylus and Penn
3. The Christian Ending
4. Stoppered Death
5. Narrative Misdirection
6. The Hero’s Journey
7. The Rubedo
8. Postmodern Themes
9. Traditional Symbolism
10. Beheadings
11. Unrequited Love
12. Horcrux Hunting
13. Ron’s Departure and Return
14. Transformations
15. Nazi Echoes
16. The Name Taboo
17. Phallic Phantasy?
18. Fairy Tales
19. The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore
20. Disappointed?

Again, “Point, click, wax loquacious!”

There was no little discussion on this board and others about the structure of the seven book series. Two very well argued positions were that Deathly Hallows had to be a re-telling of Philosopher’s Stone or of Prisoner of Azkaban. I think the Philosopher’s Stone crowd have to be considered the victors here. From the Hagrid echoes (carrying Harry’s body after Voldemort’s attack, his second trip to safety with Harry on Sirius’ motorbike, the pay-back to the Norbert-protectors from the dragon in Gringott’s, etc.) to the Third Day Resurrection in the Hospital Wing and Neville’s part in the defeat of Slytherin, Deathly Hallows seems to be the completion of the circle Ms. Rowling started to draw in Philosopher’s Stone.

This would be the place to post your thoughts on how the septology books worked together (or didn’t) as well as the echoes you heard from Philosopher’s Stone and the other books. I’m especially curious (1) to see if anyone else thought the trials of Deathly Hallows that the Trio endured were similar to the tests they had to pass miles beneath Hogwarts in Stone as eleven year olds and (2) if the surprise endings of the first six books were foreshadowings of the ending in Hallows.

Something I haven’t read in the many wonderful post at HogPro this past week is discussion of the battle scenes in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, specifically, the Battle of Hogwarts and the Last Battle consequent to Harry’s death that ends in the wizard duels in the Great Hall. Ms. Rowling has said that her writing comes from the compost heap of all the all the things she has read. Her battle scenes seem a remarkable mix of Biblical, historical, and Inkling literature, which seems to support her point. Without neglecting the artistry with which she put together these stories, I thought I saw glimpses or reflections of the battles in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, and That Hideous Strength, among others.

We all loved the Frodo wearing the ring hat-tip in the trio wearing the Locket; did anyone else see the Mouth of Sauron and Frodo’s mithril coat when Voldemort showed Harry’s body to his friends? When Voldemort attacked Harry’s body after Narcissa said he was dead, were you thinking of Hektor’s body being dragged around Priam’s towers? When Buckbeak soared into the final fray did you look up to the sky and say, “The Eagles!”?

Please post your thoughts here on the battle scenes in Deathly Hallows and any Biblical, Historical, and Literary references you think Ms. Rowling was making and why she would make these story parallels.