Our Mailbag collection this week features inquiries from Serbia, Poland (“a country in central Europe”), Australia, and Planet California!
Dear Professor Granger,
I am a doctoral candidate in my second year of studies at the Faculty of Philology in Belgrade, Serbia. I obtained an MA in English Language and Literature and at present my field of research is Cultural Studies. I applied for participation in an academic conference which is to be held in October this year in Winnipeg, Canada, at the University of Manitoba.
Conference’s topic is “A matter of life and death”; and I sent an abstract on the themes of life, death, Christianity, liminality etc. in the Harry Potter series. The abstract has been accepted and the organisers are willing to provide me with a 450 CAD travel grant. However, the airplane ticket solely would cost me about 1300 CAD.
Having read your Harry Potter’s Bookshelf, which was a source of valuable information for my paper, I decided to write to you and ask for some suggestions or guidelines as to which organisation I could address that could perhaps give me any financial subsidy. Are there any associations or institutions that are especially supportive of research on J.K. Rowling? I would appreciate it if you could help me regarding the matter.
Best regards,
Andrea Stojilkov
I’ve written several friends and the best advice they’ve given is that Ms Stojilkov contact the University of Manitoba again, as well as her own university to see if they cannot help her make up the difference. She has given me permission to post this here to ask for more helpful guidance or even to accept contributions for her travel to Winnipeg. Leave advice in the comment boxes below; if you’d like to help pay for her flight, contact me at john@HogwartsProfessor.com and I’ll put you in touch with our Serbian friend.
Over to E–, writing from Poland:
Hello,
I’m E — and I’m writing a diploma project about Harry Potter from Christian perspective. I’m going to use your book as a source but I have a few questions and I would be grateful if you could answer for them.
Firstly, lately I’ve found a book where I read about Christian characterisation. HP characters were compared to those in the Bible. Harry to Jesus, Ron to St. John, Hermione to Martha and Mary Magdalene, Hagrid to Simon Peter, Snape to St. Paul, Pettigrew to Judas, Fudge to Caiphas and of course Voldemort to Satan. The aythor even stated that there are some similarities between Dumbledore and God the Father. I would like to know your opinion about it.
Are there any grounds to think that, because if we read books so carefully we could find Christian values in each and every book. Why do you think that it is HP that conveys Christian truth?
My second question is concerned with Deathly Hallows. What is the role of Harry and Snape in DH? And what Christian values do you see in it? Are there any Christian keys?
And finally I would like to ask about alchemy in HP. Why do you think it has anything in common with Christianity? You could ask any priest, pastor or whatever and he would probably tell you that alchemy is a part of occultism.
I’m sorry for this rather long message but I know you are the best person to ask about such sort of things. I’m very sorry for any possible mistakes but English isn’t my mother tongue.
I would be grateful for your answer. I’m looking forward to hearing from you.
Best regards,
E –
Dear E —
I’ve written and edited six books. Which one are you reading? I recommend you find and read How Harry Cast His Spell; it has the answers to most of the questions you ask below.
Firstly, lately I’ve found a book where I read about Christian characterisation. …
Connie Neal? The Harry Potter books are not a tit-for-tat religious allegory. They are more of an Everyman drama in which Harry plays the part of a spiritual seeker and becomes Christ-like, hence his repeated near deaths and resurrections in the presence of a symbol of Christ. See How Harry Cast His Spell for more on this.
Are there any grounds to think that, because if we read books so carefully we could find Christian values in each and every book. Why do you think that it is HP that conveys Christian truth?
How Harry Cast His Spell is the answer to this question; please read it and let me know if you still need my help.
I’ve written a book on Deathly Hallows, its artistry and meaning. Please find a copy of it! It’s called The Deathly Hallows Lectures. There’s a whole chapter on Severus, Dante, and Harry. The Christian content of the finale is also discussed in How Harry Cast His Spell.
Your alchemy/occultism question is answered in the alchemy chapters of How Harry Cast His Spell, The Deathly Hallows Lectures and Unlocking Harry Potter.
Thanks for writing!
John
E– responded:
Thank you for your letter.
I’ve read “Looking for God in Harry Potter” and its table of contents is pretty much the same as in “How Harry Cast His Spell”, how much does your point of view differ in those two books?
Your books are not available in my country and paying in pounds or dollars would cost me a lot of money, and delivery to my country would take a month. So I would be pleased if I did not have to buy more books.
Could you at least tell me which things in “Looking for God in HP” are worth pointing out? Because, to be honest, I found your book surprising and interesting. I’ve never met with such point of view before, and there are still some things I really don’t understand. I just wanted to make them clear for me.
I’m sorry for taking your time and bothering you.
Best regards,
E —
Dear E —
how much does your point of view differ in those two books?
My point of view doesn’t change at all. The one book you’ve read, though, does not include anything on Deathly Hallows!
Your books are not available in my country and paying in pounds or dollars would cost me a lot of money, and delivery to my country would take a month. So I would be pleased if I did not have to buy more books. You might have mentioned that you lived outside the US (where?) and don’t have access to a quality library! I attach a free set of Deathly Hallows Lectures chapters for your use to fill in the blanks of Looking for God in Harry Potter.
Could you at least tell me which things in “Looking for God in HP” are worth pointing out? Because, to be honest, I found your book surprising and interesting. I’ve never met with such point of view before, and there are still some things I really don’t understand. I just wanted to make them clear for me. Your questions about the Christian content of the books, the controversy about magic, and about alchemy are answered in the first half’s chapters of that book.
I’m sorry for taking your time and bothering you.
You have my best wishes in your studies!
John
Another E — mail:
Once again thank you for your reply.
Thank you so much for your attachment! I’m sure it will be very useful and will help me in my project.
I’m from Poland – a country in Central Europe. I bought your book on British amazon, but it was shipped from US anyway and I was waiting for it about a month.
As I mentioned in previous letter your opinion about Harry Potter is very interesting. That’s why I decided to write a project about it. I have never noticed Christian values there, although I have read all seven books so many times. And sometimes I still can’t believe in that, especially that the Church is so much against these books.
Anyway, once again thank you for attachement and thank you for your wishes.
All the best,
E–
I sent the contact information for another Polish HogPro correspondent.
On to Australia, “a country in the south Pacific.”
Hi John,
I received your email from Danielle Tumminio as she thought you might be able to help me. I’m a Masters Student at the University of Notre Dame Australia and I’m looking at the presence and function of Christianity in Children’s Fantasy Literature. One of the elements that I am examining is the relationship between Christianity and Fantasy Literature. However, I’m struggling to find academic sources which actually look at the relationship; particularly which examines why, in many situations, Fantasy is ‘frowned upon’.
What I am I hoping is that you would be able to point me in the direction of some sources that would be able to help me with this aspect of my research. Any information that you could provide would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you for your time and help.
Regards,
Lisa Soloway
Dear Lisa Soloway,
Your prayers.
I’m glad you mentioned you had already contacted the Rev Dr Danielle or I would have referred you to her!
[Three recommended authorities with email addresses]
I hope that helps!
Fraternally,
John
If you have helpful contacts or sources you can share with Lisa Soloway, please write them out in a contact box, or, if it includes contact information, send the names and e-addresses to me care of John at HogwartsProfessor dot com and I will forward them to our Australian friend.
On to Planet California, just outside La La Los Angeles!!
Hi Mr. Granger,
I’m a freshman Torrey student at Biola University. I very much enjoyed hearing you talk last semester at Biola; it was neat to look at popular book series like Hunger Games and Harry Potter from different perspectives. Thanks for coming!
I do have a question though. I am currently majoring in Film at Biola, and I am curious, what would you want to see in the film industry in the future? What, in your opinion, is Hollywood lacking right now or failing to accomplish in terms of entertainment/storytelling? I remember you discussing the many downsides of the visual medium, but what do you think are its benefits or redeeming qualities?
Just curious to hear your thoughts, don’t feel like you have to respond to all of those questions.
Thanks!
Robert
———-
Dear Robert,
Your prayers.
I’m guessing you read my thoughts about the first Hunger Games film, in which I laid out a quick brief against ‘movies’ as a medium or art.
I know it makes me something of a crank (or a heretic to those in SoCal Mecca) but my thinking hasn’t softened in any way. If anything, my reflections of late on nominalism (and the several philosophical and theological errors attendant to that great departure from orthodox faith) have brought me to the conclusion that screened media are one of the three principal delivery systems of the new iconoclasm.
I don’t, in other words, think there are any significant “edifying or redeeming qualities” to the watching of films. If I had a magic wand and one wish, forgive me, it might just be to wish away this demeaning and dissipating ‘entertainment.’
Can you name anyone whose life has been changed for the better by a movie? I can think of millions and millions who have been hijacked, moved sentimentally (and confused that experience with spiritual or moral growth, even ‘transformation’), or been distracted or diminished by their movie going, but I cannot think of anyone who has been touched noetically or called to repentance, etc., by this medium. That it is sense based and escapes the filter of conscience or even discriminating faculty means it is inherently much more akin to brain washing and coercive learning than to sacred art.
You remember what Plato said in his Republic about learning that is not willing on the part of the pupil? It will not be remembered or touch the heart (nous). And what C. S. Lewis said about film? The only emotion it can inspire is fear, hence the chase scenes and violence in every film, even The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.
Do I watch movies? Yes, I sometimes sit and watch films with my children, who love them. I’m not happy about it, though; I think I was a much better daddy with the older children, who saw far fewer films when they were young. And I still black out the screens during Great Lent and the other fasts of the Church.
I suspect this is absurd to you. I offer the opinion to you, though, only because you asked for it — and because it is a challenging point of reflection for a student at a school (one of the other two iconoclastic-regime delivery systems) studying film to think about. There are no film making or watching persons that have become wonder working saints. Period.
That could be an instance of post hoc propter hoc thinking or it could be one aspect of the cause and effect involved in America having produced no saints who were not martyrs.
Just sayin.’
My regards to friends at Biola!
Fraternally in the Lord,
John
Got a question? Write me a note! Everybody else does…
Speak Your Mind