The thing I like about the series more than anything else is that I find in it what recently deceased author Madeleine L'Engle felt was missing from the Harry Potter story: meaning. I enjoy a good story, but more and more as I get older, I like to take something away from the story: some grain of hope, a deeper understanding of myself or other people, some insight into the world. I do not, however, have any fondness whatsoever for allegory or morality tales. They tend to oversimplify the complexity of life and to be preachy. I think when an author tells it like it is, meaning will arise from the story.
Anyway, until the end, I'd have been hard pressed to slap a meaning or theme on the Harry Potter series. Now, looking back, I do see a theme running all the way through; and, ironically enough for all the Harry-Potter-is-the-devil religious uproar over the books, it is perhaps best expressed with a verse from the Christian bible.
For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. (Matt 16:25)
I'm not suggesting this theme was J.K. Rowling's purpose for writing the books or that there aren't a million other themes to be found in the books, only that this is the one that stands out to me.
I can hear the fundamentalist sputtering starting already: "But--but--but--" Spit it out. "But, Jesus said, 'for me,' and Harry Potter doesn't say anything about Jesus!" Oh? And what about Jesus' statement that whatever we do for "the least of these" we do for him? Kind of broadens your perspective doesn't it? The fact is that Jesus' life, death, and resurrection were a simple testimony of the power of this idea of finding life by losing it and losing it when we are too busy trying to save it.
I know that reading such terrible books was supposed to lead to my sacrificing my firstborn by a full moon and calling for the devil to possess my soul, but instead I found myself lost in contemplation of the wonderful mystery of the resurrection. It reminds me of a part of a verse from Carrie Newcomer's amazing song, "Holy As A Day Is Spent":
Holy is the place I stand
To give whatever small good I can
And the empty page, and the open book
Redemption everywhere I look
Your mileage may vary, but in this particular open book, I did indeed find plenty of redemption.
8 Comments:
Welcome back to the blogosphere, Matt. You couldn't stop me from reading your stuff--I've already subscribed.
On the post, I think new creations in Christ will see Him everywhere. Including in Harry Potter.
Oh, I love this entry! I love that description of telling it like it is, and the meaning will arise from that. It's what I love about the arts, they communicate in the language of the heart.
I so agree with you Matt. And I am so glad to see you back..
Hmmmph! You guys are not helping me give up blogging with all this encouragement. Thanks.
Bob--I suspect you're right.
Serenity--My high school English teacher always told us that we need fiction and painting and music and all the arts because not everything can be said in an essay. Sometimes you have to just paint a picture (whether with watercolor or words) and hope it illuminates something. That thought has never left me.
Trish--Thanks so much! I took you at your word when you talked about no more blogging, but I hear you've been sneaking back into the blogosphere as well. Tsk. Tsk.
I always enjoyed reading your blog Matt. And yes, it seems Trish couldn't stay away either.
Let's face it, we all met each other blogging.. It's a great place to share our lives and get to know each other. I never dreamt that we would develop relationships via the internet. Do you guys agree?? So, no I can't stay away and quite frankly don't want to.. It's just that the reasons for blogging originally have drastically changed.
I'll stop. I could go on but this is Matt's space ;) Love to all!!!
Hey, Old Friend!
Reading your post I felt like I could actually hear you...like we were just sitting around a guitar talking about life. Beautiful.
Thanks, Felicity. It's great to "hear" your voice as well!
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