The Town Hall Archives

Ferder- · Posted: Tue Mar 08, 2005 10:34 am Post subject:

HP also features Christian alegory. In the first book we hear about Harry's mother who sacrificed her life so that he could life. It is very clear that it is her blood that has saved Harry. You've probably heard that before though. There are some other examples in the books though. In the climax of the second book... *spoilers ahead*

Harry unshelfishly decides to risk his life to save his friend's sister. While fighting a basilisk (a creature which can kill you by looking into your eyes), a phoenix belonging to Proffessor Dumbledoore (the stories' adult 'good guy') flies down with a hat (the sorting hat for those who know the books) and pecks out the basilisk eyes. The creature can no longer kill by staring but is can still smell Harryand is just about to finish him off when a sword appears in the hat (a joke toward the old "pulling the bunny out of the hat" trick), which Harry grabs and uses to finish off the basilisk.
For those not familiar with fantasy, a basilisk is a giant snake. A phoenix is a bird which, once it dies, is reborn again in its ashes, and is sometimes used to represent Christ.
So basicly, the scene is an image of Jesus who has risen again to cripple Saten and arm us with the Sword of the Spirit.

Kanimoto · Posted: Tue Mar 08, 2005 5:23 pm Post subject:

I was just about to post on that... Smile

Continental Admiral · Ornery Member Joined: 14 Nov 2003 Posts: 867

I'm going to be objective here. As usual! ;)

Can a witch, in real life, be used as an allegory to Christ?

The Phantom · Junior Member Joined: 18 Feb 2005 Posts: 248

Jonathan · Posted: Tue Mar 08, 2005 5:41 pm Post subject:

Continental Admiral · Ornery Member Joined: 14 Nov 2003 Posts: 867

Ferder- · Posted: Tue Mar 08, 2005 6:58 pm Post subject:

If you are reffering to Harry's mother, then it should be said that under the circumstances it didn't really matter if she was a witch or a normal person. It was what she did that has the Christian application, not who she was.

You must understand that besides the names, Rowling doesn't think of her stories as being connected to real witchcraft (she said in one article that she doesn't belive in magic). She says that she uses the fantasictal as a vehicle for her stories. If you look at it that way, then it seem good that she is using her stories to present some good lessons and morals in the stories that Christians can agree with (though there are some, as pointed out by Gandalf, that aren't so good, but at least she's trying).
It's all a matter of disconnecting, as you read, the magic in the book from real life.
For instance, Veggie Tales uses talking vegetables to tell stories and teach lessons. I haven't heard too much controversy over where the veggitables get their powers to speak (or hold objects without hands). Are they getting power from devils or spirits? I think not. The writers are just using the imaginary as a vehicle for their stories.

Jonathan · Posted: Tue Mar 08, 2005 7:31 pm Post subject:

Ferder- · Posted: Tue Mar 08, 2005 7:34 pm Post subject:

She is not supposed to represent Christ. Her particular actions, though, are supposed to represent something honerable (Christ-like). I've added some new stuff to my above post BTW.

Disco Dan · Posted: Tue Mar 08, 2005 7:46 pm Post subject:

A book character doing something honerable is nothing new. Wink

This hardly does anything to boost my opinion of the book.