Harry Potter and The Bestiary of Christ Part One

On an upcoming  episode of SQPN’s “Secrets of Harry Potter” podcast, we will be discussing chapter four of The Lord of the Hallows, entitled “Harry Potter and The Bestiary of Christ.” This week, I am posting excerpts from that chapter. Here’s the first installment.

“There might be eagles. There might be stags…”

“Badgers!” said Lucy.

—conversation between Peter and Lucy Pevensie in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (LWW 112, emphasis mine.)

            In addition to the themes of free will, life after death, the immortality of the soul, and the power of love and self-sacrifice, the Harry Potter novels are rich in symbolism derived from ancient and Medieval folklore and legends. A wealth of information on Christian symbolism relevant to Harry Potter can be found in The Bestiary of Christ by Louis Charbonneau-Lassay.

This book was published in French in 1940 and in English in the early 1990’s. Much of the information in this book is a compilation of various Medieval bestiaries, which were treatises on animals and what they symbolized. Bestiaries were highly imaginative popular literature in Medieval times and were used to teach moral lessons and Christian theology. Some of the animal symbols in this book which are used in the Harry Potter novels include the lion, the serpent, the unicorn, the stag, the phoenix, the basilisk, and the weasel, among others. Our examination of animals used as symbols in the novels will begin with a closer look at the mascots of the four Hogwarts houses: the Slytherin serpent, the Gryffindor lion, the Ravenclaw eagle, and the Hufflepuff badger.

The Symbolism of the Four Houses

            During Harry’s first year at Hogwarts he is introduced to the Sorting Hat ceremony, a yearly ritual at the school in which the new students are sorted into one of four different houses, each house named after the four founders of Hogwarts: Salazaar Slytherin, Godric Gryffindor, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Helga Hufflepuff. The hat sings a song to explain the qualities that the four founders of Hogwarts were seeking when selecting students for his or her house:

 

            You might belong in Gryffindor

            Where dwell the brave at heart,

            Their daring, nerve, and chivalry

            Set Gryffindors apart;

            You might belong in Hufflepuff;

            Where they are just and loyal,

            Those patient Hufflepuffs are true

            And unafraid of toil;

            Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,

            If you’ve a ready mind,

            Where those of wit and learning,

            Will always find their kind;

            Or perhaps in Slytherin

            You’ll make your real friends,

            Those cunning folk use any means

            To achieve their ends. (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, page 118)

            The conflict of good versus evil at Hogwarts focuses on the enmity between two houses that are always in direct opposition to each other: Gryffindor and Slytherin. Harry Potter, our heroic Gryffindor, is a model of what this house stands for: chivalry and courage. Draco Malfoy, Harry’s Slytherin arch-rival, is also a model of his house’s ideals: ambition and pure-blood supremacy. Even the two characters names reveal their allegiances.  Likewise, Professor Albus Dumbledore, a Gryffindor, and Lord Voldemort, the Heir of Slytherin, have names that were carefully chosen for their symbolic meaning.

Harry’s name could be thought of as the verb “to harry.” The term “to be harried” means to be harassed or distressed by repeated attacks,” as when Harry is harried by the many attempts Voldemort has made to kill him. The name Potter has symbolic meaning derived from the Bible, where God is referred to as a “potter,” as in Isaiah 64:8: “But now, O Lord, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we are all the work of thy hand.” (KJV) Other references to God as the “potter” can be found in Jeremiah 18:5-6 and Romans 9:20-21.

Harry, Hermione, and Ron are in Gryffindor House, the House of the Lion. Their friend Luna is in Ravenclaw House, but here Luna is showing her support for her friends on the Gryffindor Quidditch team by wearing her unique lion hat.

The name Albus Dumbledore means “white bumblebee.” An alb is the white garment worn by a Catholic priest, and dumbledor is an archaic word that means bumblebee. Tolkien made use of this word in The Adventures of Tom Bombadil in “Errantry,” a poem which tells of a diminutive hero who vanquished the giant insects in battle. (Tolkien Reader 214) According to the Bestiary of Christ, the bumblebee was a symbol of the soul’s survival after death. The bee disappears in winter and reappears in the spring, thus becoming a signifier of the Resurrection.

"Dumbledore means 'bumblebee' in old English and JKR said that she liked to think of him walking down the corridors, humming to himself, so I thought I'd draw him humming away to the first spring bumblebee."--fan artist penguin2006

Draco Malfoy, on the other hand, has a name that has very negative connotations. Draco is the Latin word for “dragon” or “serpent,” both traditional Biblical symbols of Satan, most notably the serpent who tempted Eve in the book of Genesis and the serpent described in Revelation 20:2, “…the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the Devil and Satan…” (KJV) The surname Malfoy can be thought of as the French mal foi, which translates as “bad faith,” so Draco Malfoy’s name literally means “Dragon of Bad Faith” or “Serpent of Bad Faith.”

Draco Malfoy's Dark Mark.

            The most extensive serpent imagery associated with any one character in the novels is that imagery which surrounds the supreme villain, Lord Voldemort. He is a descendant of Salazaar Slytherin, the founder of Slytherin House. He, like his ancestor, is a parselmouth who can speak to snakes. Voldemort has a hairless, snake-like appearance, having two slit-like nostrils instead of a human nose.

Voldemort

His loyal minions, the Death Eaters, are each identified by the Dark Mark, a distinctive snake and skull tattoo. This is a symbol from Christian art: the skull and serpent are often depicted at the foot of the Cross of Calvary. The skull represents death, the punishment for the sin of Adam, and it is symbolic of the fallen nature of mankind. According to Jewish legend, Adam’s burial place was at Golgotha, the “place of the skull.” The skull at the foot of the cross was there to represent Adam’s skull, and the serpent was present as an allusion to Satan, the great tempter in the Garden of Eden who brought about the fall of mankind.

In this depiction of the Crucifixion by Fra Angelico, the skull of Adam is present at the foot of the cross.

As the teenager Tom Riddle, Voldemort opened the Chamber of Secrets and unleashed the great serpent, the basilisk, upon the Hogwarts School. The basilisk, or cockatrice, is another symbol of Satan which is mentioned in Isaiah 14:29 (KJV): “Out of the serpent’s root shall come forth a cockatrice and his fruit shall be a fiery flying serpent.”  In The Bestiary of Christ, the basilisk is described as a symbol of Satanic evil. This is mentioned in a description of a little country church that was decorated with “the image of a knight on foot striking a helmeted basilisk with his sword. It is the struggle between Good and Evil, so often and variously depicted, and could be seen as Christ fighting with Satan.” (Bestiary 423) This imagery is found in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets in the chapter that describes how Harry used the Sword of Godric Gryffindor to slay the basilisk.

The name Godric means “power of God,” reminding us that the Christian, like Harry, will not be abandoned in his or her fight with the Great Serpent. We have the “power of God” on our side in our conflict with the Dragon. Also note that the surname Gryffindor can be thought of as the French griffin d’or which means “griffin of gold.”  The griffin, according to the bestiaries, is a symbol of Christ because of its dual nature: it is both lion and eagle, just as Christ is both God and Man. The eagle is a creature of the heavens, symbolizing the divine nature of Christ, and the lion is a creature of the earth, representing Christ the Man. The griffin’s mastery of the earth and sky came to be associated with Christ’s Ascension. The griffin was, through its association with Jesus Christ, thought to be the enemy of serpents and basilisks who, as previously mentioned, are symbolic of the Devil.

Griffins from the recent film adaptation of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis

The eagle, mascot of Ravenclaw House, was a symbol of Baptism because the ancients believed the eagle’s life was renewed by plunging itself three times into a body of water, hence its depiction on Christian baptismal fonts. The eagle was often depicted as a slayer of serpents in many cultures, and thus viewed as an enemy of Satan. Its ability to soar to great heights was associated with Christ’s Ascension, as well as with St. John, the evangelist who was considered to be the most “intellectual” of the four gospel authors. This association of the high-flying eagle with great intellectual acumen may be the reason J.K. Rowling made it the mascot for Ravenclaw, whose motto is “Wit beond measure is man’s greatest treasure.” The eagles in Tolkien’s The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings have a brief but important role, used symbolically to represent Divine Providence or Divine Intervention.

"The Eagles are Coming" by fantasy artist Michael Whelan depicts the rescue of Frodo and Sam in The Return of the King by J. R. R. Tolkien

That the Gryffindor mascot is a lion is not surprising; the lion is a Biblical symbol of Christ and a symbol of the Resurrection.  In Revelation 5:5 Jesus is referred to as “the lion of the Tribe of Judah.” The lion was also a symbol of the Resurrection to the early and medieval Christians because it was believed that lion’s cubs were born dead. When the cubs were three days old, the father lion breathed on them and brought them to life, just as Christ lay in the tomb for three days before the Resurrection. This same symbolism of Christ the Lion is used by C. S. Lewis in The Chronicles of Narnia. The character of Aslan is a magnificent lion and a literary “Christ figure” who sacrifices himself to save the life of a human traitor. He is gloriously resurrected due to the workings of “Deeper Magic from Before the Dawn of Time.” We know that Jo Rowling read and loved this story as a child, and I believe that Lewis’s Narnian Chronicles had an influence on the plot and symbolism of the entire Harry Potter series.

Aslan's dramatic resurrection in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis

Perhaps that is why Aslan’s colors are associated with Gryffindor House: Peter Pevensie’s shield was decorated with a red lion rampant, and his sword had a golden hilt. (LWW 160) Aslan’s army had tents of crimson and yellow, with banners depicting the red lion. (LWW 168) The colors of Gryffindor House are, of course, red and gold.

High King Peter, a knight of Narnia clad in Aslan's colors.

J.K. Rowling’s description of the Hufflepuff dormitories will seem familiar to fans of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings: There are “little underground tunnels leading to the dormitories, all of which have perfectly round doors, like barrel tops,” she said in the Bloomsbury live online chat on July 30, 2007. This description sounds remarkably like the description Tolkien gave of Bilbo Baggins’ home, a comfortable hobbit hole called Bag End. Bilbo’s home is a cozy, luxurious tunnel-like construction with perfectly round doors.

Gandalf visits Bag End in The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.

Hufflepuff House is known for the virtues of loyalty and hard work, and is represented by a badger mascot. Perhaps a Narnian influence can be detected here as well: in Lewis’ Prince Caspian the badger Trufflehunter is one of the Old Narnians that aids Caspian in the war with the wicked usurper, King Miraz. Trufflehunter the Badger is loyal to Aslan even in the darkest of times. Trufflehunter’s faith in the Great Lion remains strong, even when many other Narnians have ceased to believe. Likewise, there are many Hufflepuff students who are loyal to Harry: some are members of Dumbledore’s Army, and many more are among the large number of Hufflepuff students who stand alongside the Gryffindors and Ravenclaws who fight to defend the castle in the Battle of Hogwarts.

Loyal as a badger: Trufflehunter was known for his loyalty to Aslan in Chronicles of Narnia. Loyalty is also a virtue that the members of Hufflepuff House are known to display.

 Please subscribe to this blog so that you don’t miss the next installment of “Harry Potter and the Bestiary of Christ,” which is entitled “The Slaying of the Unicorn.” If you would like to order a copy of The Lord of the Hallows: Christian Symbolism and Themes in J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter by Denise Roper, the book can be obtained from www.outskirtspress.com/thelordofthehallows.

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News Regarding The Hobbit Movie and a Poll About The Chronicles of Narnia Films

The Hollywood Reporter interviewed Elijah Wood about his reprisal of the role of Frodo Baggins in the film version of The Hobbit. You can read that interview here: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/blogs/heat-vision/elijah-wood-hobbit-amazing-reunion-72205

The One Ring. net has Elijah’s interview with Collider here: http://www.theonering.net/torwp/2011/01/12/41660-elijah-wood-speaks-even-more-about-the-hobbit/#more-41660 There are lots of other great tidbits at TORn, so have a look around if you have the time. It’s a great website.

Christopher Lee will also return as Saruman. You can read about it here: http://the-hobbit-movie.com/2011/01/16/christopher-lee-back-as-saruman-the-white/ After reading that one I was wondering who should perform the voice of Smaug? Some say Leonard Nimoy, others say Alan Rickman. I love Nimoy as Spock, but Rickman (our much-loved and much-despised Professor Snape) would make a truly amazing Smaug. What do you think?

If you are on Twitter and have an interest in The Chronicles of Narnia, here’s a poll that may be of interest to you. Which Narnia film is your favorite? I really had a hard time deciding between the 2005 version of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe and the 2010 version of The Voyage of the Dawn Treader.  http://twtpoll.com/zs0wvg Which film did you vote for? I voted for LWW, but with reservations. LWW was in first place and VotDT was in second when I responded to the poll.

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Elijah Wood, Andy Serkis, and Ian McKellen will be in The Hobbit Film!

1/7/11 I just read that Elijah Wood (Frodo from The Lord of the Rings films) will appear in The Hobbit. This is great news for fans of his performance in Peter Jackson’s epic trilogy based on J. R. R. Tolkien’s masterpiece.

You can read more about this and other casting news at http://www.theonering.net/torwp/2011/01/07/41520-elijah-wood-will-be-in-the-hobbit/. I certainly hope that Andy Serkis will return as Gollum and Ian McKellen will reprise the role of Gandalf. I just can’t imagine anyone else portraying those two characters. Can you?

UPDATE 1/11/11: I got my wish! Andy and Ian have signed on to the project! http://the-hobbitmovie.com/ian-mckellen-and-andy-serkis-join-hobbit/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=73122

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The National Review Interviews Author David C. Downing

I just read a fascinating interview with Daivd C. Downing, the author of the Inklings novel Looking for the King. His comments on C. S. Lewis, J. R. R. Tolkien and Charles Williams are very insightful and exhibit Mr. Downing’s great knowledge of the Inklings’ personalities, interests, and other biographical information. I really love what he had to say about the quest for the Spear of Destiny and the theme of renunciation in The Lord of the Rings:

DOWNING: The spear of Longinus (the traditional name given to the soldier who thrust his lance into Christ’s side) is only one of many ancient artifacts associated with the Crucifixion. But it has a special aura about it because of its alleged powers. It is said that the Emperor Constantine claimed to have the spear, given to him by his mother Helena after her famous pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Legend has it that Constantine boasted he would never lose a battle so long as he possessed the spear. After that, all the conquerors seemed to lay claim to it.

Charlemagne said he had the spear, adding that it always brought him victory and even allowed him to read the thoughts of his enemies. As the fabled lance came to be known as the Spear of Destiny, it is said that both Napoleon and Hitler tried to lay their hands on it — though accounts differ widely about the veracity of these claims.

But if the Spear is seen as a talisman of power, that would make it almost the opposite of “Christ-centered.” Christ emptied himself of power on the cross, refusing to call down legions of angels to come to his aid. As Tolkien suggests in his Lord of the Rings epic, perhaps the truly Christ-like act is not to seek out such power, but to renounce it. That is a question I try to explore in Looking for the King.

Renunciation of power as a primary theme in The Lord of the Rings has intrigued me ever since I read Rendel Helms’ explanation of it in Tolkien’s World. Nearly all of Tolkien’s most noble, heroic, and admirable characters are tempted by the Ring (or some other type of power), and they exhibit their true worthiness by renouncing it. In the novel and in the films, we see that Frodo, Sam, Gandalf, Aragorn, Galadriel,and  Faramir are all tempted by the power of the Ring and all of them exhibit great moral courage and strength of character by renouncing it. Another example of renunciation in The Lord of the Rings is when Eowyn renounces her “love” for Aragorn when she finally realizes her first desire was for honor and glory as a warrior and then afterwards, her desire was for power as the wife of a king. She then confesses that she no longer wants to be the Queen of Gondor when she finds true love with the humble steward, Faramir. The depressed and lonely Eowyn finds true love and happiness only when she renounces the selfishness of honor, glory, and the tempatations of power.

This Christian theme of renunciation is also found in the Harry Potter series. In the first novel of the series, Harry is able to take the Philospher’s Stone from its hiding place in the Mirror of Erised because he only wants to stop Voldemort from using it to obtain an immortal body. Harry has no desire to use the Stone for himself and gladly renounces the temptation to use it to obtain as much life and wealth as anyone could ever want. In the seventh novel Harry renounces two of the Deathly Hallows: the most powerful wand ever made–the Wand of Destiny–along with the Resurrection Stone. The uncanny similarities between the Wand of Destiny and the Spear of Destiny are described in my book, The Lord of the Hallows: Christian Symbolism and Themes in J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter.

I also agreed with David C. Downing’s remarks about the recent controversial opinion voiced by actor Liam Neeson with regards to who or what Aslan represents in The Chronicles of Narnia.

LOPEZ: Could Narnia’s Aslan be Mohammed, as Liam Neeson recently suggested?

DOWNING: Neeson is a fine actor, but he is not a theologian or a Lewis scholar. Of course, Mohammed said he was a prophet of Allah; he did not claim to be divine himself. So the analogy doesn’t really work.

 I suppose what was meant is that Aslan could represent the God of any religion. That is high-minded and well-intentioned, but it doesn’t do justice to the Chronicles. You can pick up just about any guide to the Narnia books to discover how deeply rooted they are in Lewis’s Christian faith. In my book Into the Wardrobe, I argue that the Chronicles constitute Lewis’s Summa Theologica, the fullest and most comprehensive expression of his Christian worldview.

I wouldn’t presume to give Mr. Neeson any tips about acting. And I think he would do well to avoid any politically correct but puzzling remarks about the spiritual foundations of the Chronicles.

You can read the entire interview with David C. Downing here:  http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/255485/thinking-and-believing-interview?page=1

Also, I’d like to recommend this blog post to Christian fans of The Lord of the Rings. This is a link to a blog post about Samwise Gamgee made by my friend and fellow author Michelle Weston: http://www.mbwestonblog.com/2010/12/somewhat-daily-inspirations-i-am-samwise.html

Comments are welcome!

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Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Film Compared to The Lord of the Rings

Earlier today I saw Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part One for the second time. I was just thinking about how much Kreacher and Dobby remind me of Gollum/Smeagol in The Lord of the Rings when I read this review:

http://www.dvdtown.com/review/harry-potter-and-the-deathly-hallows-part-1/theatrical/8629

Apparently this reviewer sees the same thing that I do. I was upset that the theatrical version of Deathly Hallows Part One did not include the story of Kreacher and Regulus in the cave of the inferi, which would have made a great flashback sequence. I was also disappointed that Harry did not give Kreacher Master Regulus’s locket as he did in the novel. Harry’s kindness to the pathetic little elf is what led to his reform and the eventual transformation of his character. It reminded me of how Frodo brought out Gollum’s “Smeagol” personality in The Lord of the Rings simply by showing him kindness and mercy.

The important elements of the novel’s plot that were missing from the film bothered this next reviewer. The fact that the mirror fragment is never explained in this or any of the other Harry Potter films really bothered us both. The films never explained that Harry now owns Number 12 Grimmauld Place and that Kreacher is his servant.

http://www.mania.com/harry-potter-movie-review_article_126552.html

This reviewer compares Rowling’s Horcruxes to Tolkien’s Ring! (I presented a paper on that particular topic at Mythcon 41 in Dallas, TX this past summer.)

http://www.kpbs.org/news/2010/nov/19/review-harry-potter-and-deathly-hallows-part-one/

Here’s a quote from the review.

“The trio of friends flee to the remotest locations they can find. They are also trying to figure out how to destroy the “Horcruxes” (I needed to have this explained to me; they are enchanted objects containing fragments of Voldemort’s soul or something like that). To a non-Potter aficionado, the Horcrux (can they be singular?) that Harry ends up with seems to function a bit like the Ring in “Lord of the Rings” – it casts a somber cloud over those who possess it and makes them behave in ways unlike themselves. At one point it even tries to create a rift among the friends by planting seeds of doubt and suspicion.”

Here’s another positive review of the new Harry Potter film, which describes it as “Tolkienesque.” I think that is a good way to describe it.

http://www.gomemphis.com/news/2010/nov/18/film-review-harry-potter-is-insular-menacing/

If you want to read an in-depth comparison of Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings, you might want to read this book: www.outskirtspress.com/thelordofthehallows. It would make a great Christmas gift for that Harry Potter fan that you know who has everything. Hint-hint.

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Looking for the King

If you have not read Looking for the King: An Inklings Novel by David C. Downing, you may wish to read my review of it at http://phoenixweasley.wordpress.com/2010/10/11/my-review-of-looking-for-the-king-an-inklings-novel/

I just read a short interview with author David C. Downing here:

http://ignatiusinsight.com/features2010/ddowning_interview_nov2010.asp

While visiting the Ignatius Press website you may want to look at the books that they have published on Lewis and Tolkien. I’ve read nearly all of the Inklings-related titles that Ignatius Press has released, and just about every one of them was a great read. In the interview, David Downing made a statement with which I wholeheartedly agree: “I’m sure that part of my attraction to both Lewis and Tolkien is simply that both are master story-tellers. But there is also a power of Goodness in their work. As an English major in college, I spent much of my time reading contemporary novelists who are experts at portraying troubled people–selfish, neurotic. brutish, and downright evil. But very few twentieth century novelists besides Lewis and Tolkien (and Chesterton) have the power to show us what good people look like–characters with integrity, compassion, courage, and a willingness to sacrifice for others. I’m sure this ability to portray good characters convincingly is derived from their Christian world-view, a sense that ultimately, it is not evil or chaos, but Goodness that reigns in the universe.”

I believe that this ability to portray good characters with whom readers can easily love or identify with is one of secrets of the success of the literary works of J. R. R. Tolkien, C. S. Lewis, and J. K. Rowling. Aren’t Harry Potter and his friends good examples of characters who have “integrity, compassion, courage, and a willingness to sacrifice for others,” as Dowling described it? Bonds of loyalty, love, and friendship strengthen Harry, Ron, and Hermione as much as Frodo and Sam on their seemingly impossible mission to defeat the Dark Lord. True romantic love can be found in Tolkien and Rowling’s stories. Yes I like Aragorn/Arwen and Harry/Ginny as couples…

"I do not believe this darkness will endure." This is one of my favorite scenes from The Return of the King Extended Edition.

…but I just adore Faramir and Eowyn,…

A Hobbit Wedding

…Rosie and Sam, and these two stubborn kids:

My most favorite couple.

 

Every sinner who has turned away from temptation to follow the difficult path of repentance can find hope in the stories of Boromir of Gondor and Severus Snape.

"I would have followed you, my brother, ...my captain, ...my king."--Boromir to Aragorn

This beautiful fanart, "Severus and Lily" by Wmash, can be found at deviantart.com.

 

“All the heroes in all the stories in the world are heroes only because they are in some ways like Jesus.”–Peter Kreeft in Because God Is Real, page 212.

The loving self-sacrifice of Lily Evans Potter, her brave son Harry, humble Frodo Baggins, wise Gandalf, and Aslan all resonate with the Greatest Story Ever Told, the story of Christ. Seek and ye shall find: if you look for the King of Kings in these stories, you will find him.

What are your thoughts on my ramblings? Comments are welcome.

 

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Christian Imagery in the Half-Blood Prince Film

I’ve blogged about Christian imagery in the upcoming Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows films here:

http://phoenixweasley.wordpress.com/2010/10/21/christian-imagery-in-deathly-hallows-film-photos-of-godrics-hollow-churchyard/

 and here: http://phoenixweasley.wordpress.com/2010/10/17/harry-potter-film-wizardry-christian-imagery-in-deathly-hallows-rhr-moments-more/ 

This post is about the Christian imagery in the Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince film. A cross can be clearly seen in this screencap, taken from the scene in which Harry and Dumbledore are apparating away from Horace Slughorn’s village.

Then there is the scene at the end of the film in which Harry, Ron, and Hermione are having a conversation at the top of the Astronomy Tower in the aftermath of Dumbledore’s death.

Look on top of the castle turret on the right side of this screencap. The decoration at the top of the turret appears cross-shaped from this distance, although a closer inspection may reveal that it is not a cross, it certainly looks like one. What are Harry and Hermione looking at in this scene?

They are watching Fawkes the Phoenix soar joyfully into the blue, of course. The phoenix is a symbol of the Resurrection whose origins I explained in my book, The Lord of the Hallows: Christian Symbolism and Themes in J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter.

      The mythology of classical antiquity described the phoenix as a majestic bird which flew to foreign lands to gather fragrant herbs and spices to heap upon an altar, set fire to them, and then burn itself to ashes, only to rise from the pyre after three days time. The early Fathers of the Church logically saw this myth as a typological symbol of the death of Christ, who rose from the tomb on the third day.

          The phoenix was adapted by the early Christians as a symbol of the Resurrection as early as the first century A.D. Drawings of the creature appear amongst the Christian murals and “graffiti” that identify the tombs of the martyrs in the catacombs beneath the city of Rome. St.Clement of Rome, who was pope at the end of the first century, wrote of the legend of the phoenix in his First Letter to the Corinthians. He used the story of how the bird died and rose again as a new phoenix to explain the Resurrection of the Christian faithful which will occur at the end of time. –quote from pages 37-38

The symbolism of the phoenix has been important throughout the series. Harry met Fawkes, Dumbledore’s pet phoenix, in the second book, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Fawkes saved Harry’s life by crying healing tears to heal a mortal wound Harry received from the deadly basilisk. The tears of a phoenix are the only known cure for the basilisk’s poisonous venom. Fawkes’s song gave Harry renewed strength and courage in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire when the young hero had to face Voldemort in the flesh during the wizard’s duel in the churchyard. Dumbledore’s patronus is a phoenix, and the name of the Anti-Voldemort league that Dumbledore established is called “The Order of the Phoenix.” All of the good adult wizards that Harry admires—Dumbledore, McGonagall, Hagrid, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, Tonks, Mad-Eye Moody, Kingsley Shacklebolt, and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley—are members of the new Order of the Phoenix. Harry’s deceased parents, James and Lily, along with Ron’s deceased uncles, Gideon and Fabian Prewett, and Neville’s parents, Frank and Alice Longbottom, were all members of the original Order of the Phoenix during the First Voldemort War. We even witness Fawkes the Phoenix saving Dumbledore’s life when Voldemort tries to use Avada Kedavra, the Death Curse, to defeat him: “Fawkes swooped down in front of Dumbledore, opened his beak wide, and swallowed the jet of green light whole.” (OP 815) Only the phoenix, like Christ, could take the curse of death upon himself and rise again in glory, unharmed. From the earliest days of Christianity, the phoenix was a symbol of the believer’s hope of Resurrection at the end of the world. Its ascension into the heavens, like that of the eagle, symbolized the soul’s desire for union with God. At the funeral which concludes the sixth book, Harry saw smoke rising from the white flames around Dumbledore’s body, and “Harry thought, for one heart-stopping moment, that he saw a phoenix fly joyfully into the blue.” (HBP 645)–quote from pages 40-41.

Here’s another screencap from the sixth Harry Potter film.

The tapestry behind Ginny is based on a very famous work of art, “The Unicorn in Captivity.”

It is the seventh in a series of tapestries entitled The Hunt of the Unicorn as an Allegory of the Passion. The unicorn is captured, killed, and resurrected in the series of tapestries, and is thus a Christ symbol. In The Lord of the Hallows, I wrote:

Another set of famous unicorn tapestries, currently housed in the Cloisters, the Medieval exhibit of the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art, is a set entitled The Hunt of the Unicorn as an Allegory of the Passion. These tapestries, woven in 1495-1505 in the Netherlands, depict the betrayal and passion of Jesus Christ as a unicorn hunt. Although the unicorn is killed in the sixth of the seven tapestries, he appears alive and well in the seventh tapestry. Here, the unicorn is a collared beast in a small enclosure, surrounded by a field of colorful flowers. “The Unicorn in Captivity” is symbolic of the resurrected Christ. A unicorn tapestry copied from this famous work of art appears in the film Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009), and can be seen clearly behind Ginny Weasley when she takes Harry by the hand in front of the Room of Requirement. –quote from pages 29-30.

If you would like to read more about what I have written about the phoenix and unicorn, as well as the symbolism of the lion, serpent, stag, griffin, eagle, and the weasel, please consider ordering a copy of my book from www.outskirtspress.com/thelordofthehallows. Other topics covered in the book include the influence of Inklings C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien on Rowling’s writing, Harry Potter’s Christian themes (such as free will, the immortality of the soul, and the power of self-sacrificial love), Horcruxes and Hallows, the Arthurian legends of the Grail Hallows, a belief in God in Harry’s world, the Biblical quotations in Godric’s Hollow, Aslan, Frodo, and Harry Potter as Christ figures, and much more!

The book is also available from http://www.amazon.com/Lord-Hallows-Christian-Symbolism-Rowlings/dp/1432741128 I noticed that Luke Bell’s Baptizing Harry Potter and Travis Prinzi’s Hog’s Head Conversations are listed as books that people also buy when purchasing my book. I’ve read both of those volumes, and I would definitely recommend them to all of the Harry Potter fans who follow this blog. Both books are excellent!

You might want to read these posts if you haven’t done so already:

Harry Potter and C. S. Lewis’s Silver Chair: http://phoenixweasley.wordpress.com/2010/09/29/exciting-narnia-news-and-the-deeper-meaning-of-the-silver-chair-and-harry-potter/

The Deeper Meaning of the Quest for the Deathly Hallows (a Grail Hallows Comparison) http://phoenixweasley.wordpress.com/2010/09/26/the-deeper-meaning-of-the-quest-for-the-deathly-hallows/

Weasley Is Our King! (The Weasel as a Christian Symbol) http://phoenixweasley.wordpress.com/2010/08/08/weasley-is-our-king/

The Power of Love and Self-Sacrifice in Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings: http://phoenixweasley.wordpress.com/2010/08/03/the-power-of-love-and-self-sacrifice-in-harry-potter-and-the-lord-of-the-rings/

An Excerpt from My Mythcon 41 Paper on Horcruxes and Sauron’s Ring: http://phoenixweasley.wordpress.com/2010/06/27/mythcon-41/

Melissa Anelli’s Unpublished Rowling Interviews (“Hallows of Hogwarts” and other possible titles for Book 7, and the Dumbledore as “God” & Grindelwald as “Lucifer” quote)  http://phoenixweasley.wordpress.com/2010/04/30/melissa-anelli-and-j-k-rowling-interview/

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“This Is War” Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Fan Video

I just found this fan-made video made from clips from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows on YouTube. It also contains some behind-the-scenes footage from the Deathly Hallows sneak previews that were televised several weeks ago. The music for this fan video is the song “This Is War” by 30 Seconds to Mars, and I thought it was a very appropriate song, especially the lyrics that refer to “pariah,” “victim,” and “Messiah” that can be heard during moments when film clips of Harry are shown. Harry Potter is referred to as “The Chosen One” in the books and films, and I’ve always thought that the term had deliberate messianic overtones. In The Lord of the Hallows, I explained how Harry Potter may be viewed as a literary Christ figure, a character whose self-sacrificial nature is quite similar to that of Lewis’s Aslan and Tolkien’s Frodo Baggins. The literary themes of good vs. evil, truth vs. lies, life vs. death, and love vs. hate from the Harry Potter books and films are present in this fan video in both the imagery and the song lyrics. 

I also loved the Ron/Hermione moments in the Deathly Hallows film clips that we have seen so far. The Harry/Ginny and Ron/Hermione love stories provide the much-needed happy ending to the epic finale of the Harry Potter series. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is a tale of war, suffering, tragedy, and death in which courage, loyalty, the bonds of friendship, and self-sacrificial love triumph over the forces of evil. The literary event of the decade has indeed become the “motion picture event of a generation.” Accio November 19th!

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The Power of Love and Self-Sacrifice in Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings

This is another excerpt from The Lord of the Hallows: Christian Symbolism and Themes in J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter  for you to enjoy. I think the popularity of both The Lord of the Rings and of the Harry Potter series is due in part to the loving  relationships between the heroic characters and the loyalty that these brave friends have for each other.

 Both in Christianity and in Harry Potter’s world self-sacrificial love has the power to defeat the Curse of Death.

          In the first four novels, Voldemort was unable to touch Harry because of the protection of Lily Potter’s loving self-sacrifice:

“Your mother died to save you. If there is one thing Voldemort cannot understand, it is love. He didn’t realize that love as powerful as your mother’s for you leaves its own mark. Not a scar, no visible sign…to have been loved so deeply, even though the person who loved us is gone, will give us some protection forever.” (SS 299)

Lily's self-sacrifice saved Harry from the Death Curse.

          Dumbledore again mentioned that Lily’s blood shed in self-sacrifice was a powerful protection against evil in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, “Your mother’s sacrifice made the bond of blood the strongest shield I could give you.” (OP 836) 

Lily shed her blood to save her son, just as Jesus shed his blood on the Cross to save the human race from sin and death.

Harry lost this protection in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire when Voldemort used Harry’s own blood to return in the flesh. This event would contribute to Lord Voldemort’s downfall in the seventh novel. There is a passage in Goblet of Fire that indicates that Dumbledore knew this would happen:

“He said my blood would make him stronger than if he’d used someone else’s,” Harry told Dumbledore. “He said the protection my—my mother left me—he’d have it too. And he was right–he could touch me without hurting himself, he touched my face.”

For a fleeting instant, Harry thought he saw a gleam of something like triumph in Dumbledore’s eyes. (GF 696)

"I can touch you now."

          Voldemort was able to possess Harry in Book 5 due to the fact that Lily’s blood no longer offered Harry protection. However, this terrible circumstance led Harry to make an important discovery: the power that Lily had is a power that Harry has as well. It is the same power that is behind the enigmatic Locked Door in the Department of Mysteries:

“It contains a force that is at once more wonderful and more terrible than death, than human intelligence, than the forces of nature…It is the power held within that room that you possess in such quantities and which Voldemort has not at all.” (OP 843)

Harry has" The Power the Dark Lord Knows Not," and he defeats Voldemort with it in Deathly Hallows.

When Harry was possessed by Voldemort in Order of the Phoenix, he was able to save himself using the Power the Dark Lord Knows Not, the power of love.

  Harry’s friends have this power as well. Ron and Hermione risked their lives to help Harry to defeat evil many times throughout the series. The theme of self-sacrificial love is present from the first book onward, not just in the tale Lily’s dying to save baby Harry from Voldemort, but in Ron’s heroic actions in the giant chess game.

          “We’re nearly there,” he muttered suddenly. “Let me think—let me think…”

          The white queen turned her blank face toward him.

          “Yes…” said Ron softly, “it’s the only way…I’ve got to be taken.”

          “NO!” Harry and Hermione shouted.

          “That’s chess!” snapped Ron. “You’ve got to make some sacrifices!” (SS 283)

"Greater love hath no one than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." John 15:13, KJV

Ron willingly sacrificed himself in the chess game to save his friends. By risking his life, Ron allowed Harry to win the game, and then  prevent Quirrell from obtaining the Philosopher’s Stone.

Harry, like Frodo in The Lord of the Rings, tried to travel alone on his mission to destroy a great evil, but in both situations, their friends would not allow it. Both Rowling and Tolkien made a point about the importance of fellowship. The hero may save the world, but it is his friends who save him. Three hobbits from the Shire accompany Frodo on his mission, Sam, Merry, and Pippin:

“Merry and I are coming with you. Sam is an excellent fellow, and would jump down a dragon’s throat to save you, if he did not trip over his own feet; but you will need more than one companion in your dangerous adventure.” –Pippin (LOTR 102)

“You cannot trust us to let you face trouble alone…We are your friends, Frodo.” –Merry (LOTR 103)

Sam, Pippin, and Merry bravely accompany Frodo into danger.

Frodo warned Sam of the dangers they would face, but Samwise was not deterred:

 “But I am going to Mordor.”

“I know that well enough, Mr. Frodo. Of course you are, and I’m coming with you.”—Frodo and Sam (LOTR 397)

The love of his friends, especially that of Sam, is what sustained Frodo in his struggle to resist the influence of the Ring as he made his arduous journey to Mordor and Mount Doom. Sam’s devotion to Frodo is a selfless model of Christian love:

“It is going to be very dangerous, Sam. It is already dangerous. Most likely neither of us will come back.”

“If you don’t come back, sir, then I shan’t, that’s certain,” said Sam. Don’t you leave him! They said. I never mean to. (LOTR 85)

"I can't carry it for you, but I can carry you and it as well." Sam carries Frodo and the Ring when Frodo is too weak to continue his journey to Mount Doom.

Just as Frodo desired to complete his terrible journey alone, so did Harry insist upon going after the Philosopher’s Stone by himself.

“I’ll use the invisibility cloak,” said Harry. “It’s just lucky I got it back.”

“But will it cover all three of us?” said Ron.

“All—all three of us?”

“Oh, come off it, you don’t think we’d let you go alone?”

“Of course not,” said Hermione briskly. “How do you think you’d get to the Stone without us? I’d better go and look through my books, there might be something useful…” (SS 271)

Ron and Hermione accompany Harry on his mission to protect the Philosopher's Stone.

When the trio is faced with the task of getting past the giant three-headed dog, Fluffy, all three of them realize the dangers that await them.

“If you want to go back, I won’t blame you,” [Harry] said. “You can take the cloak, I won’t need it now.”

“Don’t be stupid,” said Ron.

“We’re coming,” said Hermione. (SS 271)

In the adventure that followed, Ron sacrificed himself to save Harry and Hermione in the giant chess game, and Hermione, after solving the potions riddle, reminded Harry about which of a person’s qualities matter most: “Books! And cleverness! There are more important things—friendship and bravery.” (SS 287)

Hermione reminds Harry of the importance of friendship and bravery.

          In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Dumbledore remembered Ron and Hermione as well as Harry when he made his will. His intention was to have all three of them go on the mission to destroy the Horcruxes together, knowing that Harry should not face such terrible dangers alone. As Gandalf said, with regards to Merry and Pippin going on the quest, “I think, Elrond, that in this matter it would be well to trust rather to their friendship than to great wisdom.” (LOTR 269, emphasis mine).  Gandalf, like Dumbledore, knows that the love and loyalty of friends is a powerful weapon against the darkness that threatens to engulf the world. Love isn’t just the power that allows Frodo and Harry to save others, it is also the power that saves them from the evil they must confront.

          Rowling, in my opinion, has made a reference to Sam’s loyalty and devotion at the conclusion of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince when Ron and Hermione insist on going with Harry on his mission to destroy the Horcruxes. Sam Gamgee, in one of his most memorable speeches, reminds us that he and Frodo are characters in a story. Their adventure is one of the stories that stays in our hearts, long after the telling of the tale is done.

"There's some good in this world, Mr. Frodo, and it's worth fighting for." --Sam Gamgee in the film version of The Two Towers

“But that’s not the way of it with the tales that really mattered, or the ones that stay in the mind. Folk seem to have been just landed in them usually—their paths were laid that way, as you put it. But I expect they had lots of chances, like us, of turning back, only they didn’t.” (LOTR 696)

Perhaps Rowling viewed Harry’s story as one of the “tales that really mattered” when she wrote the ending of the sixth of Harry’s adventures. At the close of the final chapter of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Ron and Hermione express a devotion to Harry in words that echo Sam Gamgee’s selfless loyalty.

 “We’ll be there, Harry,” said Ron

 “What?”

“At your aunt and uncle’s house,” said Ron. “And then we’ll go with you wherever you’re going.”

“No,” said Harry quickly; he had not counted on this, he had meant them to understand that he was undertaking this most dangerous journey alone.

“You said to us once before,” said Hermione quietly, “that there was time to turn back if we wanted to. We’ve had time, haven’t we?”

“We’re with you whatever happens,” said Ron.

The final scene of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince: Hermione and Ron promise to accompany Harry on his most dangerous mission of all.

 

I hope you enjoyed this excerpt from The Lord of the Hallows: Christian Symbolism and Themes in J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter.  

I was upset when I saw how the film version of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince differed from the novel. In the movie version, Hermione made her pledge of loyalty to Harry, but Ron remained silent, unlike Ron in the novel. This is one of many examples I could give of how these films have slighted Ron as a character, and it continues to upset me. I hope they portray him correctly in the film adaptations of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Comments are welcome!

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Party Like a Wrock Star! My Infinitus 2010 Convention Report

Here’s my report on Infinitus 2010, the largest convention in the history of the Harry Potter fandom. It was held July 15-18 at the beautiful Royal Pacific Hotel at Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida. This report is an account of my personal experience there and is by no means all-encompassing. There were about nine academic programming tracks happening simultaneously, and it would therefore be impossible for me to experience all that this convention had to offer without a time-turner!

Thursday, July 15, 2010

1:30 p.m. I attended the Welcoming Feast, where it was announced that 1,700 fans had gone through registration thus far, and that number would probably increase by tomorrow.

3:00 p.m. After browsing the Common Room, Art Gallery, and Vendor’s Room, I returned to the Common Room for the Marauder’s Meet-Up, which featured a lively discussion of the canon and fanon lives of Remus Lupin, Sirius Black, Peter Pettigrew, James Potter, Lily Evans, and Severus Snape. Just before the Marauder’s discussion I finally met one of my favorite bloggers in person, Hanako M. Ricks (“hmrpotter”). Please read my blogroll for links to her “Confessions of a Grown-up Fangirl” and “Hollywood News” Harry Potter blogs. Hanako is awesome!

4:00 p.m. I went to a great presentation by author Connie Neal entitled “How the Muggle Media Mishandles Harry Potter,” in which Connie gave examples of all of the Rita Skeeter-worthy articles that were published about J. K. Rowling after the Harry Potter author had a bit of a wardrobe mishap. Rather than focusing on what Rowling had to say about the Harry Potter series’ Christian imagery, the muggle media tried to create a scandal by publishing sensationalist articles about Rowling accompanied by embarassing photographs. Connie Neal is the author of What’s a Christian to Do with Harry Potter? (2001), The Gospel According to Harry Potter (2002/2008), and Wizards, Wardrobes, and Wookies (2007).

5:00 p.m. I enjoyed conversing with Connie Neal, Logospilgrim, and David Gras after Connie’s presentation ended. Connie autographed my program. (I have all of her Harry Potter books, but didn’t have them with me.) It was so nice to finally meet Logospilgrim in person. She is a very sweet person, and soft-spoken, as I imagined she would be. The Quiet Professor has written a few books about Orthodox Christianity and Severus Snape, which you can read about on her site at www.logospilgrim.com. Fellow presenter David Gras is also a Christian Harry Potter fan. I met him and his wife for the first time at Portus 2008, and it was really nice seeing them again.

6:00 p.m. Valerie Frankel was signing copies of her Harry Potter parody novel, Henry Potty and the Pet Rock, at the Craft Faire. (See www.HarryPotterParody.com for more about Valerie Frankel’s parody books.) She graciously offered to share her author table with me, and I was glad to accept her offer because my official book signing time was scheduled on the last day of formal programming, opposite the presentation of A Very Potter Sequel. (I knew that most of the Infinitus attendees would be viewing that. It’s incredibly popular.) Anyway, I enjoyed sitting at the Craft Faire with Valerie. The best part was when Percy Weasley himself, Chris Rankin, walked in unannounced and hung out with the fans. He even autographed my Infinitus program! The wizard rock concert was going on during all this, so I missed most of it. However I did take a break to visit the wrock merchandise tables to buy a few CDs, including “Muggle Relations” by The Ministry of Magic, “BMiN/E” by ALL CAPS, which includes a great Ron/Hermione song (“Lumos Flies”), and the Remus Lupins dropcard EP, ALL ACCESS: The Next Great Adventure. I really like “Don’t Let the Muggles Get You Down” on that EP.

Friday, July, 16, 2010

9:00 a.m. I browsed the Vendor’s Room, Fandom Museum, and Common Room again. I usually make a daily visit to the Common Room to check the notice boards and to pick up fliers, business cards, etc. from the freebie table. I also put business cards and bookmarks on the freebie table each day to promote my book as well as that of some of my author friends who were not able to attend Infinitus, such as J. W. Braun and M. B. Weston.

10:30 a.m. I attended John Granger’s fascinating lecture “The Seven Literary Keys to Unlocking Harry Potter,” which covered such topics as literary alchemy, story setting, postmodern themes, the hero’s journey, allegorical satire, Christian symbolism, and narrative misdirection. John’s presentation was great, as always.  Visit his blog at www.hogwartsprofessor.com to read his Infinitus convention report when you have the chance.

I had lunch with my Mom at Emeril’s today. The menu offered “Sorcerer’s Starters,” “Magical Main Courses” (I had the Dragon Burger, lol!), and “Potions.” My potion of choice was sweet tea.

2:30 p.m. I attended another wonderful John Granger presentation, “The Historical Hidden Key to Harry Potter: Why Witches and Wizards Went Underground After the English Civil War.” After the presentation, I bought a copy of the Potter Pundits book Harry Potter Smart Talk, which John autographed for me.

4:30 p.m.  I went to Logospilgrim’s talk, “Severus Snape, Jedi Master,” which combined two of my geeky obsessions, Harry Potter and Star Wars.

After supper I attended one of the most ambitious fandom projects I’ve ever seen, Lena Gabrielle’s Deathly Hallows musical, The Final Battle. Lena is quite a talented composer, and if you didn’t get to see this epic musical at Infinitus, look for it on YouTube in August. The CD “Love Will Prevail: Songs from the Final Battle” is quite good, especially Lena’s duet with Christian Caldeira of Oliver Boyd and the Remembralls. On the CD, Lena sings the part of Lily and Christian sings the part of Severus Snape on “The Prince’s Tale.” It is really beautiful and sung with so much emotion. Bravo! In the staged musical there were some really awesome moments that got huge cheers from the audience, such as Neville telling off Voldemort (and killing Nagini) and all of the awesome Ron/Hermione kisses. (Yes, there were kisses, plural.) I loved Ron and Hermione’s love duet “Never Letting You Go,” especially when Harry interrupts the song with “Oi! There’s a war going on here!” That bit was hilarious. Bellatrix brought the house down with a chorus of singing and dancing dark wizards on ”Death Eaters Rejoice!” It was also great fun to see the Leaky Cauldron’s Melissa Anelli as Augusta Longbottom and John Noe as John Dawlish. Their fight scene got a huge laugh from the audience. John Noe also played the part of Percy Weasley. No pressure with Chris Rankin in attendance, right John?

Saturday, July 17, 2010

10:00 a.m. I went to hear David Gras’ presentation “Harry Potter: A Symbol of the Infinite Power of Courage and Love” which included a great group discussion session. David also mentioned some of the similarities between Harry Potter and Frodo Baggins, which is a topic that is of great interest to me. I wrote quite a lot about that in my book, The Lord of the Hallows, and I appreciated David’s comparison of both Harry and Frodo’s sufferings to the story of Christ’s Passion.

11:00 a.m. Connie Neal’s “Holidays in the Harry Potter Books: the Significance of Halloween, Christmas, and Easter” was really outstanding. She gave numerous examples of Biblical allusions in all seven Harry Potter books, with emphasis on the stories of Christmas and Easter. I really loved this presentation.

1:30 p.m. I was in the audience for “The Potter Pundits Live Onstage at Infinitus” featuring Travis Prinzi, John Granger, and James W. Thomas. I had met both Travis and James at Portus two years ago, and it was great seeing them again. (I met John Granger for the first time at Azkatraz last year.) Great news! Travis Prinzi is currently editing his second Hog’s Head Conversations book, James W. Thomas is writing his second book on Harry Potter entitled Rowling Revisited, and John Granger said he’s updating Unlocking Harry Potter. The Potter Pundits were awesome, as always.

4:00 p.m. I heard most of Travis Prinzi’s excellent “Severus Snape is a Fiery Snake,” much of which I was familiar with from reading Travis’s wonderful book, Harry Potter & Imagination. I was sorry that I had to leave a few minutes before it was over to get ready for the final presentation….

5:00 p.m. This was the last hour of formal programming. “Sneaking Past the Watchful Dragons: Christian Symbolism and Themes in Harry Potter and The Chronicles of Narnia” was presented by Denise Roper. (That’s me!) Yeah, I had to follow Connie Neal, Logospilgrim, John Granger, David Gras, James Thomas, and Travis Prinzi. No sweat, right? The presentation actually went rather well. From the Infinitus program book: “Both J. K. Rowling and C. S. Lewis have been recognized as great Christian authors of fantasy literature. In this presentation, the themes of Good vs. Evil, the Immortality of the Soul, Self-Sacrificial Love, Death, Resurrection, and Making the Choice to Believe are examined in the light of both authors’ profession of the Christian faith. the influence of the Narnian books on Harry’s adventures will be discussed in detail, including the symbolism of the lion, serpent, eagle, raven, badger, unicorn, stag, phoenix, centaur, dog, werewolf, and much more.” Whew! I covered as much of that as I could in an hour. This was followed by a book signing in the vendor’s room. Travis’s last presentation as well as my lecture and book signing were scheduled opposite the musical A Very Potter Sequel, which was a huge hit at Infinitus. I was happy that Travis and I actually had an audience for our presentations in spite of the fact that we had to compete with such a huge fandom event. After supper I realized that I missed all of AVPS and would have to watch it later on YouTube. Oh well.

Sunday, July 18, 2010

7:00 a.m. I went to Mass at the Church of the Holy Family in Orlando.

9:00 a.m. I visited briefly with Travis Prinzi, and then later, Connie Neal.

9:30 a.m. I went to the “Weasley Is Our King!” meet-up that Hanako invited me to attend. It was fun to talk about Ron and all of the other Weasleys at this last event before the leaving feast.

10:30 a.m. brunch/leaving feast.

11:00 a.m. Parselmouths wrock concert. After the feast, I had time to visit with David Gras, Erin Pyne (of the wrock band House of Black & also an author of books about the Harry Potter fandom), Logospilgrim, and many others. I talked with Kristina Horner of the Parselmouths, then later Luke Conard of Ministry of Magic. I just wanted to tell Kristina and Luke how much I enjoy their band, ALL CAPS. I’m also a huge Ministry of Magic fan. I also spoke briefly with Alex Carpenter of The Remus Lupins (another wrock band that I enjoy), and he invited me to their (then) upcoming concert in New Orleans. Jason Munday of Ministry of Magic was with him; he has a solo act called Skyway Flyer, which is quite good. Since Skyway Flyer would be opening for the Remus Lupins on tour, that was a wrock concert that I knew I would want to see. I’ll write another blog post later about the wrock concerts I attended in New Orleans after Infinitus.

My Mom and I along with many other Infinitus attendees spent the afternoon at Universal’s Islands of Adventure Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme park, a spectacular ending to a spectacular event. Well done, Infinitus!

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