Thoughts on Harry Potter

I think that I am not too far away from my oldest son asking to see a movie or read a book about Harry Potter. The books are 300 to over 800 pages long but Collin is getting up there in reading ability. My thinking is that with a new movie coming out during the same summer as the final book of the series then I’m betting he’ll hear all about it at school when it starts again. Also, sure enough his 3rd grade teacher has a poster on the wall and the first book (the Sorcerer's Stone) on her bookshelf.

So, I thought that it was time that I did some due diligence myself. I checked out Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling (I've heard that the pronunciation rhymes with "bowling") from our library. I must say that I enjoyed the book. It has a good story line and plenty of action and suspense. I enjoyed all of the characters and the way that they were developed. I understand why the books are so popular since they are well written and the characters are likable. So well written and likable that I continued to read more in the series for my own pleasure.

The downsides of the book series for me is the “intensity” of some of the characters and situations as well as the focus on magic, witchcraft, and the like. By “intensity” I mean that some of the situations speak of killing and death and there are "monsters" like huge/mean trolls and a ferocious three-headed dog in the first book. The focus on magic, wizards, witches, potions, spells/incantations, wands, etc. is a little too “intense” (to keep the theme going) than what I would prefer in a book I would recommend. A little magic is fine for the most part and is found in perfectly acceptable works for me like Lord of the Rings and C.S. Lewis writings. I am somewhat uncomfortable overall since most key scenes depend on magic, a spell, or something similar and the overall feeling that wizards and witches are perfectly acceptable and are so relatable in the series. However, I feel like the book does a good job of making the whole “world” created here very out-of-the-ordinary and I don’t think that kids could easily confuse it with the "real world." I also don’t see any signs of the occult in the book that I have read so far.

The upside of the book is that it’s a great story and will make kids want to read, the characters are very good and Harry is very relatable, and it teaches some good lessons as well. Harry is not a handsome, strong, popular kid that happens to be the hero but is a scrawny kid with glasses that does what he feels is right and is rewarded for it (most of the time). Rowling makes a clear distinction between good and bad, referring to evil witchcraft as the “Dark Arts” and at one point Harry has a Luke Skywalker-like reference by saying he will never give in to “the Dark Side."

Since reading more books in the series from the library (except the 2nd book, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets which I skipped since I didn't know that I would end up reading most of them), here are a few good lessons and quotes from them. I won’t take up all of your time giving you every lesson that I see in the books.

Update: Here are links to the two reading guides that I have done so far. Disclaimer: I'm just a Dad not an english prof.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone Reading Guide
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Reading Guide

General lessons from the series:
* You don’t have to be the biggest and strongest to make a difference in the world.
* Everyone has their place and even folks that seem to be on the “bad” or “wrong” side aren’t always as evil as we think they are.
* For me, kids can learn a lot about a topic that I have realized is very important for me to work on with my children – discernment. There are characters who seem evil and really aren’t so bad, characters who seem good that really are bad, and situations that you already know (if you have discernment) that will lead to trouble.
* Racism/discrimination - there is an entire theme in the series on racism that is very positive. The "good" characters in the book are accepting of all types of people and creatures and the "bad" characters in the book discriminate against those who aren't "pure bloods." The "bad" characters also discriminate against Muggles (non-magical people) where others do not.

From Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone:
* “It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live” spoken by Dumbledore on page 214.
* Teamwork is better than working alone in studying and completing a quest. Harry couldn’t have even gotten to the Stone without Ron’s chess skills and Hermione’s logic.
* “Death is but the next great adventure” spoken by Dumbledore on page 297 (although he says “to the well-organized mind” and it takes more than that to have a eternity of bliss instead of torture).
* Also spoken by Dumbledore on page 297, “humans do have a knack of choosing precisely those things that are worst for them.”
* Finally, spoken by Dumbledore (he’s a wise wizard/headmaster and gets all the good lines) on page 306 “There are all kinds of courage. It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends.”

From Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets:
* On page 333 Dumbledore and Harry are discussing why Harry is in Gryffindor house. Dumbledore said "You happen to have many qualities Salazar Slytherin prized in his hand-picked students. His own very rare gift, Parseltongue -- resourcefulness -- determination -- a certain disregard for rules . . . yet the Sorting Hat placed you in Gryffindor." Harry responded with "because I asked not to go in Slytherin." Dumbledore said "Exactly . . . it is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities." I think that is a great lesson!

From Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix:
* On page 826 Dumbledore says "For I see now that what I have done, and not done, with regard to you, bears all the hallmarks of the failings of age. Youth cannot know how age thinks and feels. But old men are guilty if they forget what it was to be young . . . and I seem to have forgotten lately . . . ."

From Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince:
* On page 46 (of the paperback) a Muggle (non-magical person) says "I don't mean to be rude --" and Dumbledore interrupts with "-- yet, sadly, accidental rudeness occurs alarmingly often . .
. . Best to say nothing at all, my dear man." I just thought that was very funny!
* On page 566 (of the paperback), “[Lord Voldemort] reveals his own lack of wisdom. It is the unknown we fear when we look upon death and darkness, nothing more.”
* There is a strong theme of love in the series that really comes to a head in the Half-Blood Prince. It is very interesting to me the way that Rowling uses love as a way for the "good" side to have a secret weapon (in my view of things). From page 511: “You are protected, in short, by your ability to love! . . . The only protection that can possibly work against the lure of power like Voldemort’s! In spite of all the temptation you have endured, all the suffering, you remain pure of heart . . . [Voldemort] never paused to understand the incomparable power of a soul that is untarnished and whole.”

After I read the first book, I believed that when my kids are old enough I’ll let them read the books and ask them all kinds of questions about what they’re reading. I'll likely let Collin read the first book along with me this year if he presses the issue but no more books most likely. We will tread carefully since the books do get darker and more intense as you go.

Update: just finished reading the last book . . .

From Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Just as in the other books, the wise Dumbledore gets most of the good lessons learned and wise sayings in the final installment of the series. All of my notes are from the most interesting part of the book, the turning point, chapter 35.
* There is an interesting parallel with Jesus in the story since Harry had to die in order to wipe out evil (in the form of Voldemort) for good. But, since he didn’t defend himself Dumbledore said that “made all the difference” and came back to life (but it wasn’t exactly a resurrection). This is discussed on page 708 and 709.
* Power and leadership: On page 718, Dumbledore says “It is a curious thing, Harry, but perhaps those who are best suited to power are those who have never sought it. Those who, like you, have leadership thrust upon them, and take up the mantle because they must, and find to their own surprise that they wear it well.”
*Anger: Dumbledore said that he tried to make sure that Harry's friends stayed with him during the whole ordeal, and especially Hermione Granger, because “I was afraid that your hot head might dominate your good heart.” That is the key problem with anger, it is not an emotion easily contained.

But those are just my thoughts, what do you think?