HP

In Harry Potter We Trust: Exploring Biblical Symbolism in the World of Harry Potter

                                                     By: Brittany Hall

           The rising sun tickles your eyelids and caresses you into wakefulness. Suddenly, you spring out of bed and rush down the stairs at the realization that your eleventh birthday has finally arrived. Throwing the door open, you get tossed out into the day and your feet pound against the stone ground and then are embraced by the dewy, grass. Instead of going to the mail box, you look to the sky for the flash of wings; just like how your father searched, the day that he turned eleven. The clouds seemed to stand still and the sun rose higher with every second that passed. A white speck appeared above a neighbors red chimney and grew larger with every graceful stroke of the creatures’ feathery arms. The snowy owls round eyes were so close to you that you could see your eleven year old self smiling back right at you. The letter fell from the owls talons and floated with a sense of laziness into your fingertips. The feeling of old parchment sunk into your prints and your name shown boldly on the envelops face. Turning it over you see the red wax seal of your school; bearing the animals of each common room. Tearing open the letter you read, “Hogwarts School of witchcraft and wizardry,” and you start your new life.

The magical world of Harry Potter has been read by people of all ages and has sold over 450 million copies world-wide and 6 billion from the box office; in which the series transports   HP fans into the common rooms of Hogwarts and literally spellbinds them. Some people believe that the series displays moral values; while others negatively taint the books. Some Christian leaders regard J. K. Rowlings books as being evil due to the witchcraft and magic that they exhibit. However, being open minded to the Christianity world and the magical world of Harry Potter; one can connect parallels of Biblical symbolism to the symbolism created by Rowlings fictional world.

              In the Harry Potter novels, as a whole they display worldview lessons that Christians teach and hold morally in their daily lives. One biblical teaching is the one of self sacrifice; in which in the books Lily Potter sacrifices herself to save her son, Harry. In the bible Jesus sacrifices himself on the cross for the salvation of mankind. Friendship is another teaching from the novels and the bible. J. K. Rowling displays friendship by creating the unstoppable trio (Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, and Harry Potter) and the overall kinship of Hogwarts; in which is similar to Jesus and his apostles. Courage and loyalty are also moral teachings shown in both literatures. Almost each character in the Harry Potter series has to face their fears and “fight the good fight of the faith (1 Timothy 6:12).”

              There is also a message of anti-discrimination; in which is displayed largely in the fifth book, called Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. In the fifth book, a lot of attention is focused on the effort of improving the lives of the enslaved house elves. Hermione Granger creates a student organization called S.P.E.W. - Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare - in an attempt to win rights for house-elves. The elves must be given a piece of clothing from their masters in order to be free and in an attempt to try to free the house-elves at Hogwarts, Hermione hidden articles of clothing throughout the Gryffindor dormitory. The elves were insulted and refused to clean the common room.

              In the books, Tom Riddle or more famously known as Lord Voldemort tries to purify the race of wizards and witches.  The villain’s obsession for race purity is one possibility of his downfall; in which he tries to attempt the elimination of muggles, and mudbloods. Hermione Granger considered one of the most brilliant witches of her time is often called a mudblood; which is a derogatory word for a witch or wizard of whose parents are normal humans with non-magical blood. Another downfall of Voldemort is that he did not believe in ancient magic. Ancient magic is referring to love in which was coined by Professor Dumbledore, whom is a father figure to Harry Potter and resembles God.

              The main character of Rowling’s series nonetheless is Harry Potter whom has many parallels to the Christianity figure, Jesus Christ. Potters birth is foretold by the arrival of an owl; whereas the Christmas star foretold the arrival of Christ. Both figures bear the scars of being wounded; Potter’s lightning bolt upon his forehead and the scars on Christ’s hands and feet from the nails. In their adolescent years both showed signs of magical powers. Potter was able to talk to snakes and leap from rooftops Christ give clay sparrows life. The boy who lived is linked to both worlds, the muggle world and the wizard world. Jesus Christ is linked to God and mankind. The heroes of both of these stories fight evil beings; Harry Potter suffers from the wrath of Voldemort and Christ suffers from Satan.  Both literature figures show the willingness to sacrifice themselves from the salvation of others.

              In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Potter visits his parent’s grave at Godrics Hollow. While in the graveyard Harry sees Dumbledore’s mother’s tombstone and written upon it is, “Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also,” (Matthew 6:21). More Christianity words can be read on the tombstone of James and Lily Potter, “The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death”(1 Corinthians 15:26). These are direct parallels from the world of Harry Potter to the Christianity world.

              Digging deeper into the last book of the series the biblical references become even more telling. Harry Potter is finally ready to die and he does the very deed in the last book, by letting Voldemort kill him. Potter spent three days in a coma in an all white place called the King Cross; where he encountered Professor Dumbldore. Jesus Christ also spent three days in a tomb after sacrificing himself on the cross for mankind; both were resurrected and conquered with ancient magic.

              J.K. Rowling installed many of her own beliefs into the Harry Potter series but also entwined it with many biblical symbolism and ideas. If some Christians still view these books asbeing unholy should reconsider and give the books a chance for they might be surprised at the values that it teaches and the striking similar to the most sold book in the entire world.