Rev. Jane Page
When Greg and I were in London earlier this year, we toured lots of places in and around the city. For most of these, we went on our own – but for others we took professionally guided tours. We skipped what seemed to be a very popular tour – “The Harry Potter Tour.” Neither of us are huge Harry Potter fans, though I was required to read all the books while in Keith Kron’s seminary class on Children’s Literature. If I had known that I would be doing this sermon, I would have signed up for the tour. I regret that. Maybe next time.
I have wondered why I did not gravitate towards these books when they first came out. Well, the first one was published in the US in 1998. That was the year of my divorce, and I was dealing with lots of transitions in my life. In addition to this huge transition of being single for the first time in my life – (I married at 17), I was also in the midst of major decisions about my future - including my choice of a faith home, possible job transitions, and more. The latest trend in reading literature for adolescents was not on my mind. I didn’t think much about these books at all till Greg Brock started bringing his children over to my house. Greg’s son Jimmy – and later his daughter Sarah – always seemed to be accompanied by a Harry Potter book. This was in 2001 when the first Harry Potter movie was also released. Now perhaps because I had these stepchildren and my grandson JD by that time – all enamored by fantasy and magical thinking – the light came on for me! I went to see the movie and loved it. And since the boy starring in the movie was a doppelganger for Jimmy Brock, I felt like Harry was in the house.
But I still wasn’t a fan girl – and to be honest – I’m still not. Must be something wrong with me. But one doesn’t have to be a big fan to appreciate that the Harry Potter books changed the world and how young adult books are written, marketed, and more. Before Harry Potter, many folks thought the YA market was diminishing. In case you are not familiar with the category of YA – that stands for “Young Adult” – but it really means books written for people we would normally categorize as preteens and teenagers. Before Harry Potter, publishers believed that children and adolescents would not read longer books – unless they were graphic comic book style novels. Since the success of Harry Potter, the market for YA books has increased – perhaps because more adults have realized how good they are. And the millennials who grew up with the Harry Potter series as well as Twilight and The Hunger Games and Divergent and all the rest that followed - are currently our biggest readers. Plus, these folks in their late 20’s to early 40’s are still big fans of young adult fiction, proudly participating in Cosplays and Cos-cons and more based on their favorite characters.
Since I’m not a huge fan, you may wonder why I’m preaching a sermon based on lessons from this series of books. And the reason, of course, is because my sermon series is about lessons from banned books and Harry Potter shows up again and again on all those lists. These books have been challenged from the beginning, even with their extreme popularity.
So first, I’ll address the primary reasons for the books being challenged or banned and then I’ll follow with some of the moral lessons we can learn from the series, followed by what I think J.K. Rowling should still learn from them.
Constance Grady and Aja Romano, two members of the culture team for Vox Media, wrote an article about the series which included a good summarization of these challenges and bans. They stated:
Part of what made Harry Potter such a literary phenomenon is that so many kids were reading the books despite an unprecedented number of attempts to get them to stop reading the books.
The Harry Potter series, like many works of fantasy, involves wizardry and witchcraft. The feeling that the books thus promoted the occult proved to be the basis for constant challenges to the series’ presence in school libraries and bookstores by concerned conservative parents. The books first topped the American Library Association’s list of the most banned books of the year in 1999, and remained in the top spot for most of the next decade.
In some regions, pressure to censor the series was so high it led to lawsuits: In 2003, a judge ordered an Arkansas school district that had removed the books from schools due to promotion of “the religion of witchcraft” to return them. Similar formal attempts at removal persisted into the latter half of the decade, and the books continue to rile up conservative religious leaders who warn of its “demonic” influence. (I should add that in this recent rising tide of the religious right’s banning of books, Harry Potter books are always on the lists and the usual reasons given are related to witchcraft or the occult.)
But witchcraft wasn’t the only evil the books were accused of peddling. In 2007, after the series’ end, J.K. Rowling retroactively outed the powerful wizard Dumbledore as gay. The news prompted Christian scholars to declare the move “nonsense,” while queer fans were in turn angry that Rowling had done so little to make the queer subtext of Dumbledore’s character overt during the time he was actually being written (and alive). In recent years, Rowling has provoked controversy for her series’ lack of diversity, for denying queer sexuality of characters, and many, many more kerfuffles (including her more recent remarks which seem to be downright transphobic – and I’ll discuss these later.)
All this controversy speaks not only to concerns that Rowling’s work would negatively influence children, but to the reality that many of those children grew up to be arguably even more progressive than the books they grew up reading — which is, in a way, a confirmation of conservatives’ worst fears about the series.
I think the real fear of conservatives is not witchcraft – but that children will grow up to be more inclusive, more progressive, more open to ideas that are different than what their parents may have believed to be true.
What lessons ARE taught in these books? First, let me share that I do not think J.K. Rowling wrote the books to be a sacred text of morals. She wrote books that are entertaining AND that do present characters in all kinds of moral dilemmas, that are wrapped up with bows of fantasies, with good doses of magical thinking and thrills and chills -- but are similar in many ways to dilemmas that we all face in our lives. And Harry, Ron, Hermione and all the rest must figure out what is the right thing to do.
Of course, I’m not the first person to look at the moral and ethical lessons of Harry Potter. Some UU congregations (and maybe others) have used the books for Religious Education. Indeed, instead of Vacation Bible School, some UU congregations invite the children and youth to Hogwarts for some summer instruction.
For a more scholarly exploration of the topic, I read a book by Edmund M. Kern, who is an associate professor of history at Lawrence, University in Appleton, Wisconsin. I wondered why a history professor was writing about morality in Harry Potter books, so I looked him up. Since joining the history department at Lawrence in 1992, a staple of Kern’s teaching has been the popular course, Religion, Magic, and Witchcraft in Early Modern Europe. In the late 1990s, when students in that class began questioning him about a certain literary boy-wizard, Kern applied his scholarship in witchcraft and witch hunts in bringing a historic sensibility to the cultural phenomenon that is Harry Potter. The book especially points out that Rowling’s uses medieval history at Hogwarts combined with a setting that could be placed as London in the 1990’s.
I assumed his background was in philosophy, though, not history, because of all the connections he makes with the morals he sees in the Harry Potter books with the philosophical writings of those we identify as Stoics and Neo-Stoics. Stoics emphasize that it is important to accept what is necessary (No use crying over spilt milk) without denying what is possible (wipe it up). Harry Potter strikes the Stoic balance. Kern notes that striking the balance is difficult because life is so full of uncertainties. Kern’s book is full of examples from the Potter series and provides some heavier lifting than I have time to do in this sermon. But he does try to show that Rowling develops an updated Stoic moral system in her books, a “contemporary neo-Stoic view,” if you will. As in real life, context does matter in how Harry and his friends address their problems. For example, they can realize the importance of rules generally, but sometimes see the need to break them. (I will put this book with others in our Free Little Library of Banned Books.)
I found one other UU sermon on the lessons we learn from Harry Potter books. It’s called, “It’s our Choices, Harry…” by Chrissy Bushyager. The title is taken, of course, from the words of wisdom provided by Dumbledore when he says, “It’s our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, more than our abilities.” Bushyager points to three nuggets of truth that UU’s can learn from: Listen to the outcasts, Love is Everything, and Community is Key.
And there are lots of blog posts and other articles with folks sharing lessons they have learned – but I don’t have time to share all of those.
For my own analysis, I tried to see how our proposed shared values as identified by the Article two Study Commission are exemplified or not in the Harry Potter books. And after doing all this other reading I thought – “I don’t have time to go through those books and find examples and such related to that.” SO – folks, I used artificial intelligence. And I figured it’s not cheating if you share that’s how you got it. So here are how our seven shared values are exemplified in the Harry Potter series.
Equity
One of the main themes in the Harry Potter series is the treatment of different blood statuses in the wizarding world. The concept of blood purity is a central conflict, as some wizards, such as the Malfoy family, believe that only those with pure wizarding blood are worthy of respect and power. Other characters, including Hermione Granger and Lily Potter, challenge this belief and advocate for equity and acceptance of all individuals, regardless of their blood status. The series also shows Dumbledore’s Army organizing a campaign to fight against the enslavement of house-elves and push for their emancipation. Another theme that promotes equity in the Harry Potter series is the power of friendship and teamwork, especially when individuals have differing talents, skills, knowledge and more.
Transformation
The series traces the personal growth of many characters, particularly Harry, Ron, and Hermione, as they face various challenges and obstacles throughout the books. These characters undergo transformation and evolve from being naïve children to mature young adults, gaining new insights along the way. For example, Ron learns to overcome his insecurities and face his fears, Hermione learns to balance her intelligence with her emotions, and Harry learns to cope with loss and take responsibility for his actions.
Pluralism
The wizarding world depicted in the Harry Potter books is diverse and multicultural with characters from various ethnic and cultural backgrounds. For example, the Patil twins are of Indian descent, while Cho Chang is Chinese descent. This diversity is not only represented in the characters themselves, but also in their customs and traditions, such as the Yule Ball, which incorporates elements from different cultures. The series also teaches the value of different talents and skills. Hermione is praised for her intelligence and academic abilities, while others, like Harry and Ron, are recognized for their bravery and loyalty. The series promotes tolerance and acceptance of differences, particularly through the character of Dumbledore, who advocates for respecting and protecting minority groups such as werewolves and giants. The series also highlights the dangers of prejudice and intolerance, as seen in the conflict between the Death Eaters’ belief in pure-blood supremacy and the pluralistic values of Hogwarts.
Generosity
Many characters in the series demonstrate generosity by helping others without expecting anything in return. They often put themselves at risk to help others, such as when Harry saves Ginny from the Chamber of Secrets or when he sacrifices himself to destroy the Horcrux inside him. The series also stresses the need for giving back to others and supporting those in need. Characters like Dumbledore and Molly Weasley demonstrate this by providing a home and support to those who are orphaned or have been abandoned, such as Harry and Hermione. Whether it is through helping others, fostering friendships, or giving back to the community, the series encourages readers to be generous and selfless in their actions.
Justice
The main characters in the series demonstrate a strong commitment to justice by fighting against the forces of evil and standing up for what is right, even when it is difficult. For example, Harry and his friends stand up against Lord Voldemort and his followers who promote pure-blood supremacy and seek to oppress those who are different from them. Also, many magical creatures, such as house-elves and centaurs, are treated as inferior and discriminated against by certain characters. However, the main characters challenge these prejudices and attempt to create a more just society. The series also teaches that justice requires accountability for one’s actions. Characters who act unjustly, such as Lucius Malfoy. face consequences in the form of imprisonment or loss of their position of power.
Interdependence
The series emphasizes the importance of friendship and teamwork in overcoming obstacles. Harry, Hermione, and Ron work together to solve problems and rely on each other’s strengths to accomplish their goals. The series promotes the idea that no one can succeed on their own and that we all need support from others. Characters in the series frequently rely on each other for emotional support, counsel, and encouragement.
Love
Overall, the Harry Potter series emphasizes the importance of love and its many different forms, including sacrificial love, familial love, and romantic love. By promoting the idea that love involves sacrifice, selflessness, and mutual respect, the series encourage readers to reflect on their own relationships and interactions with others, and to work towards building strong, supportive relationships based on love and respect.
Now, I stated that I would also address what J.K. Rowling should learn from her own series. I don’t want to be too hard on this author. Most of the authors of books I love have said things that I found objectionable or even deplorable. And I don’t have as much concern about her being more progressive and diverse in terms of issues related to sexuality and gender in her books – for they perhaps were written before she became more enlightened – and decided to release Dumbledore from the closet. My concern is related to her more recent remarks and tweets made in 2020, seen as transphobic by many, for which she has not apologized and even doubled down on. I’ll leave it to you to read and determine your own thoughts on her opinion. But I would ask her to look at the opposition to those at Hogwarts who were not accepted by some because they were muggle-born. (For those who are not familiar with the series, all of us who are not in the wizarding world are muggles.) Hermione may have been born as a muggle – but there was something that told her that she was not a muggle – that she was destined to be a witch. And she was accepted into Hogwarts and excelled – often pulling others through with her excellent magical knowledge and skills. She did not let the identification of her birth origin determine who she felt that she was. Hermione may be muggle-born. But she’s a witch. And a transwoman may have been assigned as male at birth, but she’s a woman. And she is welcome to be in the bathroom stall next to me.
Amen and Blessed Be
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