Comments on: Harry Potter: A Hero For the ‘Entitled Generation’

By: Devin

Devin — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 06:56:09 +0000

I'd agree with beyondculturewars. The funny thing about this, for me, is that it was my mother who got me into Harry Potter. I've been a Tolkien, Lewis and (pre-prequels) Star Wars fan since I was very young, but I was convinced to read the HP books by my mother's enthusiasm for them. I think it's important to point out for the purposes of this particular comment that we are all Evangelical Christians, and my parents raised me in the Church. One of the things that struck me about the HP series (aside from the fun intermixture of mythology with modern life) are the many allusions to Christ, and the stories' endorsement of Christ-like behavior.

Fun stuff, and while I can't claim to love Hogwart's with the same intensity as I do Middle-Earth and Narnia, I think they're great entertainment for both kids and parents.

By: Devin

Devin — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 06:42:46 +0000

I couldn't agree more. "The Old Man and the Sea" was ice cream on a lazy summer afternoon compared to "The Sound and the Fury", both of which were assigned to me in my AP English class in high school. I didn't care for either, really, but I'd choose Hemingway over Faulkner any day of the week. The fact that Faulkner is considered one of the Great American Authors boggles my mind, but all I can do is shrug and resign myself to the fact that I just don't get him.

By: Sanddog

Sanddog — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 06:14:51 +0000

Actually, Harry becomes the "Chosen One" after Voldemort marks him as his equal. Harry has no extraordinary abilities and he knows it. He succeeds out of luck, nerve and the help of good friends.

By: Kit

Kit — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 03:38:00 +0000

Whiskey,

Do ya have to turn EVERYTHING into a battle of the sexes?

By: Kit

Kit — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 03:30:23 +0000

Don't base your opinion of the books on a guy who doesn't understand the material.

By: neyney

neyney — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 21:18:36 +0000

It always struck me as strange that JKR is a liberal but her books are so conservative in nature. I wonder if she ever feels conflicted about that? Perhaps she is in the conservative closet?

By: neyney

neyney — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 21:02:28 +0000

I wish you would give HP another try. I've had loads of friends say they quit after the first book or first few chapters. These books get much better as you go along. You must remember that Rowling was an untried, new author when she wrote the first one and it shows a bit. I don't hate you if you don't like HP, different strokes and all that but I would urge you to give it another try before completely giving up on it.

By: ladykrystyna

ladykrystyna — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 20:03:47 +0000

Excellent post, Stephen. Excellent analysis. And I think you are 100% correct. I always saw OoTP, and especially DD's Army as just that – very conserative in nature.

Although I think JKR has been supportive of Gordon Brown (hardly a conservative), I wonder if somewhere subconsciously there is a conservative just waiting to come out. LOL!

By: ladykrystyna

ladykrystyna — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 19:59:48 +0000

True, but I still don't see them as only for children. Good literature can be read by people of any age and I think HP fits that definition.

Cheers.

By: ladykrystyna

ladykrystyna — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 19:58:49 +0000

My only point being that I don't understand the need to build one writer up by tearing another down. I understand if you weren't doing that, but others do and my defense of the "underdog" is more about a general defense of "underdogs" and a loathing for that kind of "competitiveness". If Tolkein is a good writer and storyteller (and it's obvious that he is), then he will stand on his own without the need to tear JKR down. And vice versa.

In other words, can't we all just get along. LOL!

Cheers.