Sign Up Now
Get instant access to over 1 million+ study documents
OR
Already registered? click here to login
By creating your account, you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and student honor code.
The Realities of the Supernatural:
Any person who picks up a Harry Potter novel will surely come to realize that J.K. Rowling must have spent a great amount of time conducting research into the occult and the supernatural in order to produce such powerful and influential literary characters and situations. Obviously, Rowling has borrowed heavily from much older sources concerning the supernatural, sorcery and witchcraft, some dating back to Medieval times. As one of the world's oldest religions, witchcraft is a pagan faith, non-Christian rather than anti-Christian, and is based upon the belief that nature and the universe can be controlled and manipulated via magic and the invocation of divine spirits. As a practice, witchcraft has existed for many centuries, and before the 12th century a.D., sorcery and magic were generally overlooked by the church, but by 1300 a.D., witchcraft became equated with sorcery, at least in the view of most religious officials and was soon labeled as heresy by the Pope in Rome. As W.B. Crow maintains, "As long as humans continue their quest to control the universe, and to know God's wisdom, such practices as wizardry, sorcery and witchcraft will continue to flourish" (1972, p. 267), a statement that indicates J.K. Rowling knew far in advance that the Harry Potter book series would be a stunning global success.
Harry Potter and the Supernatural:
In many passages within Rowling's book series, Harry Potter and his fellow wizards confront the supernatural on a daily basis. For instance, in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Professor Trelawney is described as being able to remove from under a chair "a miniature model of the solar system, contained within a glass dome... " (Rowling, 1998, p. 575) which brings to mind the image of an astrologer or a wizard using the supernatural to manipulate reality. Another instance occurs in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone when Harry witnesses an act of transfiguration by Professor McGonagall who changes "her desk into a pig and back again" (Rowling, 2000, p. 134). Both of these events clearly illustrate that Harry Potter, his classmates and his teachers are all part of the supernatural world...
In essence, these individuals are only attempting to inflict their own moralities on others and as a result, the censorship of the Harry Potter books and similar works have only discouraged other writers from pursuing similar literary models.
Conclusion:
The question still remains as to whether or not the Harry Potter book series leads young readers into the practice of witchcraft or some other occultic practice, but after a close reading of any of the Harry Potter books, it is clear that Rowling is only trying to tell an enjoyable story despite being heavily linked to the supernatural. Logically, it seems that if young adult readers really wanted to become a witch or a sorcerer that they would consult other material far more diabolical and allegedly evil than Rowling's novels. The ignorance of those against Harry Potter is obvious, for it would suit them far better to read the Holy Bible which also contains images and suggestions of witchcraft and sorcery with the almighty God as the master sorcerer and conjurer of unreality.
References
Bleiler, E.F. (1973). Supernatural Horror in Literature, by Howard Phillips Lovecraft. New York: Dover Publications.
Crow, W.B. (1972). A History of Magic, Witchcraft and Occultism. UK: Abacus.
May, Jill P. (1995). Children's Literature and Critical Theory. New York: Oxford University Press.
Rowling, J.K. (1998). Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. New York: Scholastic Press.
Vandergrift, Kay E. (2004). Vandergrift's Young Adult Literature Page. Internet. Accessed June 15, 2005. Rutgers University of New Jersey. http://www.scils.rutgers.edu / kvander/YoungAdult/index.html.
For example, instead of a farm theme, there is a wizard or magic theme to the otherwise basic educational lessons. Because this novel is already so widely read or watched by this student population, the students will already be familiar with the concepts and themes. This will limit any potential psychological impact on the students. Although there are various scenes of violence and death found throughout the book, these issues
When gone about the wrong way, the whole thing backfires on those who were only trying to help. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire also details the struggles of the classes, which is a universal lesson for humanity. There are the pure-blooded families in the wizarding world, who, for the most part, see themselves as superior to all those whose blood has been tainted. Right out of World War
Rowling's series of fantasy novels "Harry Potter" have had a strong impact on the contemporary society and on how people perceived fantasy novels in general. "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" is the seventh and final book from the series and it has generated much controversy with regard to how it tends to step away from attitudes promoted in its predecessors by introducing several Christian references. This came as a
Eastern Religion, Eastern Mysticism, And Magic Influence the Pop Culture in America Eastern religion" - also alluded to in this paper as "Eastern Mysticism" and "mysticism" - and the occult, along with magic and its many off-shoots have had a considerable influence on American Pop Culture over the past few decades. Movies, books, music - all have been touched and enhanced by mysticism and its cousins. So, when referring to "Eastern religion,"
Indeed, the presence of both realistic and fantastical elements in the novel was a strategy consciously made to make young adults appreciate "Harry Potter" fantasy, and at the same time, have the adults achieve a greater imagination development, thereby making the novel also an example of high fantasy literature. Creating the characters in the image of humans, and even the inclusion of the mortal world in the novel, are
4) Both the Lovely Bones and Belle Prater's Boy could be very effective in teaching a Social Sciences course on the loss of a family member, and the effect that this has both on the family and the larger community. The sense of identity for the adolescent characters in these books is an essential element and conflict in the story. Family, especially at this age and developmental stage, is essential to