Thread III: A Catholic Homeschooling Father Reads Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Askaban

Gloria Romanorum ^ | 8/28/07 | Florentius

[maryz]

had to use a few semi-cheesy devices to extricate hersel

Well, she's not the first -- the phrase deus ex machina long precedes her! LOL!

[Antoninus]

Well, she's not the first -- the phrase deus ex machina long precedes her! LOL!

Ain't that the truth. I have to say she (or her editors) is pretty good at making things seem plausible. But I've found myself rolling my eyes a few times...

[Tax-chick]

There are also some continuity glitches of the sort that plague every series author. Cebu, it makes the readers feel clever, at least!

[Tanniker Smith]

Your father is alive in you, Harry, and shows himself most plainly when you have need of him" (page 427-8). Kind of like Harry's own Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Actually, it's more like the monkey to Simba.

It's not really spoiling much to tell you that Sirius will NOT be back in book 4 as a Jedi or a ghost. As Nearly Headless Nick told you, those who go on to what is beyond on the other side don't come back as ghosts. The ghosts are the ones who are afraid to go on. It's isn't exactly an exact parallel with Purgatory or Limbo, but it's along the right path.

[Antoninus]

It's not really spoiling much to tell you that Sirius will NOT be back in book 4 as a Jedi or a ghost.

I was referring to Harry's father as his "Obi-wan" in the form of his "patronus". And at the end of Book IV, he does come back again, along with Harry's mother and some others out of Voldemort's wand to again help Harry.

I'm curious to see where Rowling takes the afterlife thing in books 5 through 7.

[sockmonkey]

Your father is alive in you, Harry, and shows himself most plainly when you have need of him"

You see this phrase as purely a reference to James. Can you see it on any other level?

I think you mentioned the Statute of Secrecy, and looked for ties to Wicca. What political event happened in England in 1689 when in the HP Universe the Statute of Secrecy was enacted?

I think sometimes you are so focused on looking for witchcraft or wicca, you miss a lot of other stuff.

[Antoninus]

You see this phrase as purely a reference to James. Can you see it on any other level?

Well, Dumbledore is specifically referring to James (Harry's father). If there's another level there, please, do tell--preferably without spoilers.

I think you mentioned the Statute of Secrecy, and looked for ties to Wicca. What political event happened in England in 1689 when in the HP Universe the Statute of Secrecy was enacted?

I didn't mention the 'Statute of Secrecy' but again, do tell.

I think sometimes you are so focused on looking for witchcraft or wicca, you miss a lot of other stuff.

That's entirely possible. If I have, I hope you'll bring it up. That's why I'm posting these reviews here--to have the discussion.

FWIW, my purposes in reading the Potter books are three-fold:

1.) To evaluate the quality of the books as literary works.

2.) To determine if Rowling was inspired in any way by Christianity, the occult, or something else.

3.) And ultimately, to decide whether these books should be read by young Catholics, and if so, under what conditions.

[Tanniker Smith]

I was referring to Harry's father as his "Obi-wan" in the form of his "patronus".

Oh, that. You'll be happy to know that that isn't Harry's father re-incarnated or anything. It's a force of light and goodness and whatever that takes on the shape of an animal and Harry's thoughts of his father caused it to take that shape (which, incidentally, was one of the things that was missing from the 3rd movie -- the explanation, I mean, the symbolism/significance/whathaveyou of the stag).