Anyway, I was right....I didn't blog about this, but for years, I have been saying this about the series so those of you who talked about Harry Potter with me before I actually read it, you know I was right....that Harry, in dying and "coming back to life," became a Christ-figure. You can argue all you want to that it isn't true, but Harry walks into those woods with the specific intention to be killed by Tom Riddle (I don't want to give him the power he thought he deserved) in order to save his friends/family. Yes, he knew it was meant to be--in order to defeath Riddle, he, Harry, HAD to die, but Harry knew it was the only way to save his friends. Later, when it's the REAL show-down between him and Riddle, he tells Riddle that the evil spells can't touch Harry's friends because his sacrifice (his death) was for them--they're all covered by Harry's LOVE!
That's EXACTLY the reason Christ died--for LOVE!!!!
Regardless, it doesn't take away from the fact that the whole Harry Potter series is definitely worth the read. I enjoyed every minute of it. I know I'll read it again and again and again! Samuel and I watched the first movie together the other night and he loved it. I'm hoping he'll read it!
BTW: I was right about Snape, too! Told ya! And I hadn't been told that in advance nor had anyone ever told me! Personally, I wonder if others just didn't care about Snape as much as I do! I knew that he would die for Harry. I just thought that it would be more dramatic, like throwing himself in front of Harry to save him or something like that. Of course, getting bitten by Nagini and dying a relatively slow and painful death was certainly dramatic--it just wasn't what I expected.
One final thought before I stop for today: the Patronosus. I get that Harry's stag was representative of his own dad. I also get that Snape's was a doe, just like Lily's had been. But why is Hermoine's an otter? And what was Ron's? What do they represent???? What exactly is the symbolism/the deeper meanings of the patronuses? I think there's more to them than what I'm understanding. I get that they're powerful and protective--even warm, especially as far as Harry's is concerned, but there's got to be more to them than that. What exactly makes Harry's patronus so much more powerful than Ron's or Hermoine's?
The root word is "patron"--in The Phantom of the Opera, Raul is the patron who comes in to provide for the theater financially. I'm pretty sure patron also can mean Protector. I looked up patron on dictionary.com:
pa·tron
[pey-truh
n] 
Show IPA –noun
1.
a person who is a customer, client, or paying guest, esp. a regular one, of a store, hotel, or the like.
2.
a person who supports with money, gifts, efforts, or endorsement an artist, writer, museum, cause, charity, institution, special event, or the like: a patron of the arts; patrons of the annual Democratic dance.
3.
a person whose support or protection is solicited or acknowledged by the dedication of a book or other work.
5.
Roman History . the protector of a dependent or client, often the former master of a freedman still retaining certain rights over him.
6.
Ecclesiastical . a person who has the right of presenting a member of the clergy to a benefice.
|
| patron 1 (ˈpeɪtrən) | |||||||
| — n | |||||||
| 1. | a person, esp a man, who sponsors or aids artists, charities, etc; protector or benefactor | ||||||
| 2. | a customer of a shop, hotel, etc, esp a regular one | ||||||
| 3. | See patron saint | ||||||
| 4. | (in ancient Rome) the protector of a dependant or client, often the former master of a freedman still retaining certain rights over him | ||||||
| 5. | Christianity a person or body having the right to present a clergyman to a benefice | ||||||
| [C14: via Old French from Latin patrōnus protector, from pater father] | |||||||
You are a better person than I am Mrs.Watson! I can't read one Harry Potter book! I commend you! Hopefully with your encouragement I will learn to like to read! Look forward to a great semester!
ReplyDelete