HARRY POTTER
When my wife and I visited Madikeri, I had taken Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows for the journey. Thus, I finished the series that I began reading quite some time ago, in Madikeri.
My introduction to Harry Potter began at least a couple of years ago, at my brother's house. I recall that I watched the movies "Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone" and "Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets" before I read the books. I think I saw Chamber of Secrets first on television before I watched the Sorcerer's Stone. The movies are shot well and the casting is good.
The novels are an easy read and present a fantastic tale - literally ! When I read the books initially, I was none too impressed. My first impression was that the book was meant for the young. Essentially, that is still true. Gradually, The Harry Potter series began to grow on me, particularly after I read The Prisoner of Azkaban. The story of Sirius' imprisonment and his escape was well written. The tale of Harry's background and the build up to a final confrontation with Voldemort was further continued in The Goblet of Fire, which I picked up in a library.
By this time my curiosity was piqued and my niece also played a key role in influencing me to read the remaining parts ! She kept insisting that I should read the remaining parts and whenever I spoke to her, she persistently inquired whether I had read them. Eventually, I purchased The Order of the Phoenix more to satisfy her than out of any real fondness. The climax of this book was a bit of a let down for me, but by this time I was hooked and eager to find out how the story works out ! I have my niece to thank for making a convert of me ! I then bought The Half Blood Prince. This is a story that sets the stage excellently for the final part. The Deathly Hallows is a fitting finale to the series, which I picked up from the library and read on the trip to Madikeri.
In my view, it looks like English fantasy literature and story telling borrows a lot from Christian mythology. Both The Lord of the Rings (called LOTR henceforth) and the Harry Potter (called HP henceforth) series have a terrible villain, similar to the Devil or Satan. Sauron in LOTR and Voldemort in Harry Potter personify evil. In both books, the arch villain must not be named.
NOTE: Please do not read further if you want to watch the movies or read the books.
Since I have read Lord of the Rings, I saw parallels of course.
The website http://www.jrbell.com/thought_HarryPotter.htm has an interesting insight into the similarity between HP and the Bible. There are other parallels between HP series and LOTR (and Christian mythology) as well:
* The father figure : Gandalf in LOTR and Dumbledore in the HP series are old and wise guides to the protagonists of the story.
* Resisting power : In the first book of LOTR, Gandalf asks Frodo not to tempt him by giving him the ring. This aspect struck me. In the Deathly Hallows in the HP series, we learn that Dumbledore yearned to possess the Resurrection Stone. Later in the tale, he acknowledges that he was not worthy of possessing it.
* The Quest : In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Harry and his friends embark on a quest that resembles the search for the Holy Grail. In the LOTR, the quest is not so much for possessing an item as for destroying it, since the trilogy is all about destroying a ring.
* Elves are present and play important role in both books.
* The Dementors in HP are uncannily similar to the Ringwraiths in LOTR in looks and behaviour.
* Mercy helps Frodo destroy the ring in the end of LOTR. Though not exactly similar, Peter Pettigrew hesitates in Part 7, enabling Harry and Ron to escape.
After reading the entire series, what I like about the HP series is the way the tale unravels. Right from the dramatic defeat of Voldemort and the escape of Harry in the first part, each book contains tantalizing glimpses of a further continuance of the story. Rowling links the various incidents in different parts well. For example, Montague gets lost in the Vanishing Cabinet in The Order of the Phoenix, which Draco Malfoy uses in The Half Blood Prince. It is the way that all such small pieces fit together which makes the tale whole and complete.
The HP story is one with a simple moral : good wins over evil.
However, there are a few differences that make it stand out. The hero is not perfect : Harry is a mediocre wizard with his heart in the right place. This is shown time and again, in all the parts. I feel Rowling decided that she had to showcase his courage and heroism rather than his ability of magic. Harry gets angry and there are at least two times when jealousy comes between Harry and Ron Weasley.
In short, the protagonists of the tale have shades of grey. In fact, I like that ambivalence as it is similar to the Mahabharata, which to me is the best story ever written. Not only Harry, but all protagonists have these shades of grey. James Potter was a show off and a conceited student when he was at Hogwarts. Dumbledore was ready to adopt an anti-Muggle stance in solidarity with his friend when he was young. It is such imperfections that make the characters more believable. Only Harry's mother emerges unblemished in the story.
The deep connection between Harry and Voldermort is another interesting aspect of the tale. Both felt at home at Hogwarts and both were half blood and they shared a common soul. The link is well explained and there is a relation between the two as well. Is this a kind of fratricide, again linked to Christian mythology?
One aspect of the series that I did not like is the number of deaths. It looks like Rowling wanted to draw a full stop over many characters. When I first read of Cedric Diggory's death in The Goblet of Fire, I found it strange that one of the "good guys" dies. Then the death toll just kept rising : Sirius Black, Dumbledore, Moody and even Fred Weasley and Snape, not to mention Tonks and Lupin. The death of Dumbledore and Snape can be understood, but why the playful Fred had to lose his life in the series is unclear to me.
Another aspect that I didn't like in The Deathly Hallows is the chapter The King's Cross. Rowling says that Harry entered a limbo between life and death in her chat transcript at http://www.bloomsbury.com/harrypotter/default.aspx?sec=3 . What is that supposed to mean ?! Was Harry in a sort of "Trishanku swarga" ?! Also, does the bawling baby in the chapter represent Voldemort ? Does it mean he has survived ?! There is a lot of ambiguity about the chapter, which was unnecessary.
On the other hand, I like the way the chapters are named through out the HP series. Quite a lot of thought has gone into the naming.
Rowling has used her imagination to create a few magical devices that continue to stick in my memories of the book. I should begin with the Pensieve, a repository of thoughts that can be shared with others. Now, there is a useful invention ! http://harrypotter.wikia.com/wiki/Pensieve has a description and references about the device. (Incidentally, the Wiki has other good cross references !) Another useful invention to have is the Portkey. This is the magical equivalent of "Beam me up, Scotty" from Star Trek, enabling people to shuttle from one place to another. The idea of talking portraits is another sci-fi device waiting to happen !
There is a very clever mixture of the real world in the fantasy world also. For example, a bureaucratic structure for the Ministry of Magic is shown. Just like students dread exams and yearn for holidays in the real world, so do students of Hogwards dread the Wizarding exams. Our passion for sports like soccer is translated to Quidditch in the series. Our real life discrimination like caste and race apartheid and organizations like Ku Klux Klan are reflected in the (mis-)treatment of elves and in the Death Eaters respectively.
All in all, the Harry Potter series is in essence a story with a simple moral and believable heroes with their own doubts and shades of grey. That alone makes the reading of the series worthwhile.
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NOTE:
I had originally written this blog in another site. Since that site is no longer accessible, I am uploading it in this blog at http://fewidlethoughts.blogspot.in/ using the same date as the original blog dates.
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-
===== COMMON TEXT FOR ALL BLOGS =====
++++++ BEGINS ++++++
When I created my first blog, I thought I was
being clever by being "anonymous" and let my
opinions speak for themselves (see the archive !)
Imagine my embarrassment when I saw my name
displayed ! So now, while I still retain the blog
name as "Anonymous Expressions", I will only
request you to ignore my name and concentrate on
my opinions instead !
ALL COPYRIGHTS AND TRADEMARKS ARE ACKNOWLEDGED
AS THE PROPERTIES OF THEIR OWNERS.
The opinions expressed in the Weblogs are my
personal opinions. Please tell me if you spot any
factual mistakes or don't like the way I have
expressed a view. If I can see your point, I will
correct the mistake. You can email me at
kiran.suma@gmail.com.
++++++ ENDS ++++++
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-
When my wife and I visited Madikeri, I had taken Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows for the journey. Thus, I finished the series that I began reading quite some time ago, in Madikeri.
My introduction to Harry Potter began at least a couple of years ago, at my brother's house. I recall that I watched the movies "Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone" and "Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets" before I read the books. I think I saw Chamber of Secrets first on television before I watched the Sorcerer's Stone. The movies are shot well and the casting is good.
The novels are an easy read and present a fantastic tale - literally ! When I read the books initially, I was none too impressed. My first impression was that the book was meant for the young. Essentially, that is still true. Gradually, The Harry Potter series began to grow on me, particularly after I read The Prisoner of Azkaban. The story of Sirius' imprisonment and his escape was well written. The tale of Harry's background and the build up to a final confrontation with Voldemort was further continued in The Goblet of Fire, which I picked up in a library.
By this time my curiosity was piqued and my niece also played a key role in influencing me to read the remaining parts ! She kept insisting that I should read the remaining parts and whenever I spoke to her, she persistently inquired whether I had read them. Eventually, I purchased The Order of the Phoenix more to satisfy her than out of any real fondness. The climax of this book was a bit of a let down for me, but by this time I was hooked and eager to find out how the story works out ! I have my niece to thank for making a convert of me ! I then bought The Half Blood Prince. This is a story that sets the stage excellently for the final part. The Deathly Hallows is a fitting finale to the series, which I picked up from the library and read on the trip to Madikeri.
In my view, it looks like English fantasy literature and story telling borrows a lot from Christian mythology. Both The Lord of the Rings (called LOTR henceforth) and the Harry Potter (called HP henceforth) series have a terrible villain, similar to the Devil or Satan. Sauron in LOTR and Voldemort in Harry Potter personify evil. In both books, the arch villain must not be named.
NOTE: Please do not read further if you want to watch the movies or read the books.
Since I have read Lord of the Rings, I saw parallels of course.
The website http://www.jrbell.com/thought_HarryPotter.htm has an interesting insight into the similarity between HP and the Bible. There are other parallels between HP series and LOTR (and Christian mythology) as well:
* The father figure : Gandalf in LOTR and Dumbledore in the HP series are old and wise guides to the protagonists of the story.
* Resisting power : In the first book of LOTR, Gandalf asks Frodo not to tempt him by giving him the ring. This aspect struck me. In the Deathly Hallows in the HP series, we learn that Dumbledore yearned to possess the Resurrection Stone. Later in the tale, he acknowledges that he was not worthy of possessing it.
* The Quest : In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Harry and his friends embark on a quest that resembles the search for the Holy Grail. In the LOTR, the quest is not so much for possessing an item as for destroying it, since the trilogy is all about destroying a ring.
* Elves are present and play important role in both books.
* The Dementors in HP are uncannily similar to the Ringwraiths in LOTR in looks and behaviour.
* Mercy helps Frodo destroy the ring in the end of LOTR. Though not exactly similar, Peter Pettigrew hesitates in Part 7, enabling Harry and Ron to escape.
After reading the entire series, what I like about the HP series is the way the tale unravels. Right from the dramatic defeat of Voldemort and the escape of Harry in the first part, each book contains tantalizing glimpses of a further continuance of the story. Rowling links the various incidents in different parts well. For example, Montague gets lost in the Vanishing Cabinet in The Order of the Phoenix, which Draco Malfoy uses in The Half Blood Prince. It is the way that all such small pieces fit together which makes the tale whole and complete.
The HP story is one with a simple moral : good wins over evil.
However, there are a few differences that make it stand out. The hero is not perfect : Harry is a mediocre wizard with his heart in the right place. This is shown time and again, in all the parts. I feel Rowling decided that she had to showcase his courage and heroism rather than his ability of magic. Harry gets angry and there are at least two times when jealousy comes between Harry and Ron Weasley.
In short, the protagonists of the tale have shades of grey. In fact, I like that ambivalence as it is similar to the Mahabharata, which to me is the best story ever written. Not only Harry, but all protagonists have these shades of grey. James Potter was a show off and a conceited student when he was at Hogwarts. Dumbledore was ready to adopt an anti-Muggle stance in solidarity with his friend when he was young. It is such imperfections that make the characters more believable. Only Harry's mother emerges unblemished in the story.
The deep connection between Harry and Voldermort is another interesting aspect of the tale. Both felt at home at Hogwarts and both were half blood and they shared a common soul. The link is well explained and there is a relation between the two as well. Is this a kind of fratricide, again linked to Christian mythology?
One aspect of the series that I did not like is the number of deaths. It looks like Rowling wanted to draw a full stop over many characters. When I first read of Cedric Diggory's death in The Goblet of Fire, I found it strange that one of the "good guys" dies. Then the death toll just kept rising : Sirius Black, Dumbledore, Moody and even Fred Weasley and Snape, not to mention Tonks and Lupin. The death of Dumbledore and Snape can be understood, but why the playful Fred had to lose his life in the series is unclear to me.
Another aspect that I didn't like in The Deathly Hallows is the chapter The King's Cross. Rowling says that Harry entered a limbo between life and death in her chat transcript at http://www.bloomsbury.com/harrypotter/default.aspx?sec=3 . What is that supposed to mean ?! Was Harry in a sort of "Trishanku swarga" ?! Also, does the bawling baby in the chapter represent Voldemort ? Does it mean he has survived ?! There is a lot of ambiguity about the chapter, which was unnecessary.
On the other hand, I like the way the chapters are named through out the HP series. Quite a lot of thought has gone into the naming.
Rowling has used her imagination to create a few magical devices that continue to stick in my memories of the book. I should begin with the Pensieve, a repository of thoughts that can be shared with others. Now, there is a useful invention ! http://harrypotter.wikia.com/wiki/Pensieve has a description and references about the device. (Incidentally, the Wiki has other good cross references !) Another useful invention to have is the Portkey. This is the magical equivalent of "Beam me up, Scotty" from Star Trek, enabling people to shuttle from one place to another. The idea of talking portraits is another sci-fi device waiting to happen !
There is a very clever mixture of the real world in the fantasy world also. For example, a bureaucratic structure for the Ministry of Magic is shown. Just like students dread exams and yearn for holidays in the real world, so do students of Hogwards dread the Wizarding exams. Our passion for sports like soccer is translated to Quidditch in the series. Our real life discrimination like caste and race apartheid and organizations like Ku Klux Klan are reflected in the (mis-)treatment of elves and in the Death Eaters respectively.
All in all, the Harry Potter series is in essence a story with a simple moral and believable heroes with their own doubts and shades of grey. That alone makes the reading of the series worthwhile.
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-
NOTE:
I had originally written this blog in another site. Since that site is no longer accessible, I am uploading it in this blog at http://fewidlethoughts.blogspot.in/ using the same date as the original blog dates.
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-
===== COMMON TEXT FOR ALL BLOGS =====
++++++ BEGINS ++++++
When I created my first blog, I thought I was
being clever by being "anonymous" and let my
opinions speak for themselves (see the archive !)
Imagine my embarrassment when I saw my name
displayed ! So now, while I still retain the blog
name as "Anonymous Expressions", I will only
request you to ignore my name and concentrate on
my opinions instead !
ALL COPYRIGHTS AND TRADEMARKS ARE ACKNOWLEDGED
AS THE PROPERTIES OF THEIR OWNERS.
The opinions expressed in the Weblogs are my
personal opinions. Please tell me if you spot any
factual mistakes or don't like the way I have
expressed a view. If I can see your point, I will
correct the mistake. You can email me at
kiran.suma@gmail.com.
++++++ ENDS ++++++
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-
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