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Evaluating Harry Potter, The Lord of the Rings, and The Chronicles of Narnia IntroductionAmong the blockbuster films and best-selling
books that have enjoyed enormous popularity in recent years are a few notable
examples belonging to the ‘fantasy’ genre. J R R Tolkien’s classic The Lord
of the Rings, a favourite novel for fantasy lovers, appeared on screen as a
trilogy, directed by Peter Jackson. J K Rowling, single mother turned
successful author, wrote her Harry Potter books, which have proved
highly successful in their movie form too. And most recently C S Lewis’ classic
seven-volume The Chronicles of Narnia, originally published in the
1950s, has made its debut on screen with the very popular The Lion, the
Witch, and the Wardrobe, the first book in the series.[1] While in the main they are children’s books,
the many fans they have drawn and continue to draw include many adults. Yet
reactions to these films and the books on which they are based has not been
altogether positive. With its school for witches and magic, the Harry
Potter series was especially controversial, and indeed remains so for some.
The chief concern: do these books subtly desensitize young minds to the occult
and to nature religions which are growing in popularity today? According to some
Christians The Lord of the Rings Trilogy[2]
presents a problem for similar reasons, with its wizards and demon-like
creatures such as the Balrog of Khazad Dum. Some Christians have even leveled
the same kinds of accusations against The Chronicles of Narnia. In Australia…At the risk of oversimplifying the situation
in Australia, this kind of controversy has been most noticeable in the case of Harry
Potter, which has been banned in some Christian schools. By contrast, most
debate surrounding The Lord of the Rings seems to focus on how faithful
Peter Jackson was to Tolkien’s book; a debate held in the main by seasoned
Tolkien fans over café tables and during the post-cinema stroll to the car. The
Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe has been the subject of even less debate
of this kind from Christians. Rather it has been those pushing an atheist or
agnostic cause who make C S Lewis’ work a subject of debate, as they attempt to
play down the Christian symbolism and convince us that C S Lewis wanted just to
write a good yarn or two. For instance, actress Tilda Swinton, who
played the White Witch in the movie version was quoted in the Sunday Age’s Good
Weekend: “…the more I got to know about Lewis … I know
he was a very devout Christian and that he was capable of writing, as he did
his entire life, very obviously Christian tracts. This is not one of them… if
anything – and I cannot believe I am going to say this – I think it is almost
anti-religious”[3] Her ignorance of Christian faith and C S
Lewis’ own profound grasp of it is exposed when she reflects how Narnia is “so
much wider than any religion can be”, and how the movie Constantine is
“the film for Christians … not this one”. One need only read such works as The
Great Divorce to appreciate how C S Lewis believed and sought to express
how big and corporeal and wonderful are heavenly realities Christians perceive
by faith and profess. Before getting into it, I must say that
writing on this topic is a little more difficult when one knows that one’s
father-in-law has recently written a far superior treatment of the matter than
can be accomplished in a presentation of this length! So let me begin by simply
recommending Dr Gene Veith’s book The Soul of the Lion, the Witch, and the
Wardrobe (Victor, 2005) for an excellent explication of that first book in The
Chronicles of Narnia in ‘part one’ of his book, and a broader treatment of
fantasy literature in ‘part two’, sub-headed The Fantasy Wars. Here, though, I shall attempt to distill some
key issues, offering some evaluation of the situation and some suggestions as
to how we Christians may respond. I shall be making many points that Gene Veith
has developed also, hence the number of quotations from his work. Fantasy, the genre…So what are we to make of all this? What about
‘fantasy’ genre itself? Is it good or evil, as we take up our theme from the
seventh petition of the Lord’s Prayer, ‘deliver us from evil’? Have we to fear
the genre itself, and therefore any work that falls into that category? Simply put, no. However, some Christians
indeed do dismiss this genre as unhealthy. For some it is the concern that
fantasy is ‘make believe’, and there seems to them too great a gap between
reality and fantasy. Instead Christians should be concerned with truth and true
writings. Of course, taken to the extreme, this philosophy would see the end of
fiction altogether, which by definition is ‘made up’. And it does not alter the
fact that fictional writing can be a highly effective way of communicating deep
truths and subtle concepts. Moreover, Jesus Himself use parables, which are
themselves stories whose historical truth is beside the point. Yet Jesus spoke
to the crowds exclusively through them.[4]
With that in mind, let us consider three
characteristics of the fantasy genre that raise concerns in some minds: vividly
portrayed evil in fantasy stories, a stronger than average appeal to the
imagination, and the inevitable element of ‘magic’. EvilOne reason fantasy literature is sometimes
frowned upon is the stark way in which it often portrays evil, and very dark,
almost – if not in fact – demonic themes and characters. Indeed the
fantasy genre, whether the epic-like The Lord of the Rings or ‘fairy
tale’ styled The Chronicles of Narnia, enables authors to juxtapose good
and evil in very clear and vivid relief. Whereas good and evil is not always so
clear and observable in the real world, in fantasy there is no mistaking which
side is which. But this is actually an advantage, not a
drawback. A good author may use it to responsibly convey Christian truths and
encourage meditation upon Biblical themes in appealing ways to those who enjoy
the genre. A good example is the White Witch in The
Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Gene Veith writes: Some Christians refuse to have anything to do
with The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe because the title has the
word “Witch” in it. They assume, therefore, that the story has to do with the
occult. In some versions of the objection, the word “Witch” can be an entry
point for demonic powers. (page 53) …and: Neither side[5]
is paying attention to what the witch and the book as a whole mean. This
comes down to knowing how to read. Simply knowing that a story has a witch in
it tells us nothing about what it says about the witch: Is the witch the
heroine? Or the villain? Does the story make us want to be like the witch? Or
does the story make us reject witchcraft and all that it stands for? In The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, the witch symbolizes Satan. The
story explores in symbol what the Bible says about Satan’s reign in a fallen
world; how he tempts us; how he enslaves us; and how he is defeated by Jesus
Christ, who frees us from bondage (page 54) Of course, the opposite is also true: authors
can use the stark ‘good versus evil’ characteristic of fantasy (which is not
unique to this genre, of course!) to engender non-Christian views, and even a
pagan or an atheistic worldview. Some fantasy books are written with this
express purpose, such as Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials.[6]
There God, referred to as the ‘Authority’, is cast as the enemy, with humanity
as the so called ‘good guys’, as it strives for freedom from the Authority’s
‘tyranny’. That is, the fall of humankind is cast in positive light, as though
it were a ‘good’ quest for independence. Ultimately in Pullman’s books, this
‘Authority’ is exposed as a fraud, a senile old man who amounts to nothing. Comparing The Chronicles of Narnia
with Pullman’s books, it is clear that the author’s agenda is the critical
question. Does the author mean to portray God as He truly is according to the
Bible, or to present something different? Who or what does the author cast as
‘evil’ or ‘good’ in their story? In contrast to Philip Pullman, C S Lewis’
tells his story so that it is clear that the Christ figure of Narnia,
Aslan the lion, is good. As Lewis makes plain in the dialogue between the
Pevensie children and Mr Beaver,[7]
Aslan is good but not ‘safe’ as though he were the domesticated ‘god’ of many
who call themselves Christians today; a god who ‘lets’ them do what they like,
and before whom they have no fear, little love, and ultimately even less trust.[8]
Thus, Lewis does more than simply to paint a general picture of God as ‘good’
and Satan (the White Witch) as ‘bad’. Through the character of Aslan, he challenges
his readers with the awe-inspiring reality of Christ’s goodness, truth, and
genuine authority. In order to portray the goodness of Aslan
more powerfully, Lewis contrasts it with the unmistakable evil of the witch.
Thus, the feature of clear and present evil in Lewis’ story actually serves a
very positive purpose, not to mention indispensable if the story of Narnia is
to accurately reflect that of the real, fallen world. Yet Lewis achieves this
without overwhelming his readers with vivid descriptions of dreadful evil
creatures or deeds. The clear and present evil in Narnia is not for its own
sake, to gratify some craving for gore and violence, but for the sake of the
total story and its purpose in promoting the Christian Worldview. Meanwhile, Lewis and Tolkien are also able to
communicate the subtle nature of evil. Lewis shows how evil masquerades as
beauty, as seen especially in the case of the witch. In Tolkien’s work it is
the subtle lure and beauty of the one ring, and the desire to do good as in the
case of characters like Boromir and Saruman.[9] In summary, some important questions when
evaluating ‘evil’ in a fantasy story are: Who or what is portrayed as ‘evil’?
How does the author use the element of evil? Does the book or film avert you
from the evil it portrays, or invite you to enjoy it? What vices and virtues
are spurned and praised in the book or movie, and does this tally with the
teaching of Holy Scripture? Put another way, does the story call ‘good’ what is
really evil, and ‘evil’ what is really ‘good’?[10] ImaginationA second feature of the fantasy genre to
which we have referred in passing is its strong appeal to the imagination. Of
course, this is true of all fiction, but fantasy relies on it somewhat more
singly. Authors invent entire worlds. Tolkien’s Middle Earth, Lewis’ Narnia and
Rowling’s Hogwarts and surrounds[11]
are each a kind of magical world with all kinds of weird and wonderful
creatures. Inspired by his love of language, Tolkien even invented different
tongues for his races of elves, dwarves and orcs. Perhaps only science fiction
comes close to matching the fantasy genre in its creative appeal to the
imagination.[12] But again, this is neither a good nor bad
thing in itself, but rather depends on how the imagination is
stimulated. Imagination is a gift of God and an important aspect of our ability
to think. Gene Veith writes: …the word “imagination” refers to a power
that we all have, one that we nearly always take for granted, despite how
astonishing it really is. Our imagination is simply our amazing ability
to conjure up images in our minds. I say the word “tree”, and you can think of
a tree. I say the term “Christmas tree”, and you can picture one in all of its
colors, decorations, and lights. You can even imagine how it smells. You can
also bring in all of your memories (that time when you were six that you found
that favourite toy from your parents under that tree) and the personal
associations that come along with the Christmas tree (how you miss that old
house where you would put up the tree in the centre of the room, back before
the death in the family or the divorce or whatever, as your imagination brings
back all of the memories). (page 17) The gift of imagination is good, as can be
those things that stimulate and feed our imagination. But like all good gifts
the imagination can be corrupted. Just prior to God’s sending of the flood, we
read Genesis 6:5 The Lord
saw that the wickedness of humankind was great in the earth, and that every
inclination of the thoughts of their hearts was only evil continually.[13]
Some translations, such as the American
Standard Version, translate with the word ‘imagination’ at this point (every
imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually[14]).[15]
Whereas God had originally given His verdict of ‘good’ and ‘very good’ upon all
He had made, His verdict just prior to the flood is that the imagination of
humankind had become evil. Fallen humanity has a predisposition toward evil
imaginings. We can feed our imagination on what is good
and wholesome, but equally we can give our imagination over to an unwholesome
diet. Indeed, much literature, film and interactive entertainment that is not
fantasy promotes immoral lifestyles and desensitize their audiences toward
various evils through manipulation of the imagination. A movie or book may
reinforce the popular creed that homosexuality, promiscuity or adultery are
simply ‘alternative lifestyles’, every bit as legitimate as the next. Commenting on the relatively greater harm
done by some ‘realistic’ books than those of the fantasy genre, Gene Veith
comments: One could argue that the current wave of
children’s books is more negative in its effects than the Harry Potter
fantasies. Books such as Heather has Two Mommies by Leslea Newman and
Diana Souza and Daddy’s Roommate by Michael Willhoite are “realistic”
attempts to legitimize homosexuality for four- to eight-year-olds. Other works
in the genre of realism deal with divorce, child abuse, and sex. (page 130) Thus, the fault does not lie with how
imaginative a work is, but the message it conveys. The highly imaginative style
of fantasy, like the element of magic as a usual feature of the genre, is in
itself neither automatically helpful nor harmful in the moral or spiritual
development of children. The real question is: does the book feed the
imagination in wholesome or unwholesome ways? Does it promote good values and
paint genuine virtues in an appealing light, or does it feed the imagination
with lust, greed, life-devaluing sentiments and the like? In fact, the exciting and imaginative nature
of fantasy even assists writers to promote wholesome values and good virtues
and help people to understand the Christian worldview, as Lewis’ Narnia
exemplifies.[16] On the
other hand, authors of unimaginative fictional books, and especially fantasy,
can hardly expect their books to inspire children (or adults) to read them! MagicA third reason the fantasy genre raises
concerns for some people is the element of magic. Yet the ‘magical’ in fantasy need not be
anything sinister – some kind of subtle enticement toward the occult. Rather,
in a child’s mind (and many an adult) it often represents ‘power’ of an
unexplained and miraculous kind. Frequently it is simply a neutral commodity
that may be used for either good or for evil depending on the character. For instance, in The Lord of the Rings
the wizard Gandalf the Grey is good, while Saruman the White is power-hungry
and cruel. Gandalf loves the little people. He uses his magical powers for good
and resists the temptation to use the even greater magical power of the ‘one
ring’, even when offered to him by Frodo the Hobbit. Eventually he replaces
Saruman to become Gandalf the White, since Saruman has become utterly enslaved
by his lust for power.[17]
In the final analysis though, Gandalf’s magical qualities recede into the
background of his character, while his nobility, courage and self-sacrifice
stand out as the main features. Tolkien, like Lewis, uses Gandalf’s character
to make appealing what is genuinely virtuous and heroic rather than the subtle
evils which he exposes in Gandalf’s opposite Saruman. We want to be like
Gandalf, not Saruman. Furthermore, in The Lion, the Witch and
the Wardrobe Lewis draws on the fantasy concept of ‘magic’ to very
effectively communicate the truth of God’s righteous Law and His saving Gospel.
Gene Veith summarizes: The Deep Magic from the Dawn of Time is the Law; but the Deeper Magic from Before the Dawn of Time is the gospel. In Narnia, this Deeper Magic from Before the Dawn of Time, in which the Innocent becomes a willing substitute for the guilty, means that the Stone Table will be broken. That is, the Table of the Law – those hard, unyielding words inscribed in the stone tablets of Moses – will crack. Not that the laws inscribed on them will be cancelled; they are just fulfilled. (page 100) Of course, as those familiar with the story
know, the Deep Magic is that the blood of a traitor belongs by right to the
White Witch. The White Witch, like Satan, knows this and tries to exploit it to
enslave the traitor Edmund forever. But Aslan, the Christ figure of the Narnia
Chronicles in the form of a Lion, was from ‘Before the Dawn of Time’. Like the
Christ of the real world, Narnia was made by him, and so He knows that Deeper
Magic. He is the Innocent who allows himself to be handed over to the Witch,
thus providing the perfect sacrifice to redeem Edmund who had betrayed his own
brother and sisters. And, as the Deeper Magic foretold, death started ‘working
backwards’; Aslan was raised, and began giving life to those the White Witch
had turned to stone in her evil reign.[18] Clearly, Lewis uses the concept of ‘magic’ in
the fantasy genre to inspire the imagination to contemplate some of the deep
mysteries of the Christian faith. Though some commentators have tried to
downplay the Christian undertones in Narnia as we have noted above, Gene Veith
quotes Lewis’ friend George Sayer, who put Lewis’ evangelistic intentions in
writing The Chronicles of Narnia beyond doubt: His idea, as he once explained it to me, was
to make it easier for children to accept Christianity when they met it later in
life. He hoped that they would be vaguely reminded of the somewhat similar
stories that they had read and enjoyed years before. “I am aiming at a sort of
pre-baptism of the child’s imagination” (page 29, quoting George Sayer, Jack:
C S Lewis and His Times. Harper and Row. 1988) But not all fantasy is like Lewis’ The
Chronicles of Narnia with its Christian message. In comparison, the Harry
Potter books are very different. Whatever Rowling’s purpose underlying her
stories,[19] there is
sometimes concern that the ‘magic’ in her books may more easily coax the
unsuspecting towards the lures of the occult. In the Harry Potter series ‘magic’
features prominently at Hogwarts and every confrontation between good and evil.
Harry and his friends are good, and aided by their magic, courage and nous they
defeat Voldemort and his cronies who are bad. Gene Veith offers this
explanation as to why the Potter books are so appealing to their primarily
young audience: “Children, especially bright children, can
identify with Harry Potter who at first is trapped in the “Muggle” world (the
drab ordinary material realm of those who cannot see the supernatural), while
alienated in his school and feeling despised even in his stepfamily. It turns
out he is really a wizard all along, and at Hogwarts this nerdy kid with
glasses even becomes popular! Young Harry Potter fans are not so much
fantasizing about witches as they are fantasizing about being popular and
successful” (page 146) Thus, to assume the Harry Potter books
were appealing to their young readership for sinister reasons would be going
overboard. Nevertheless, it pays to be aware of
neo-paganism and its appeal to young and adventurous imaginations. Wicca or
so-called ‘white witchcraft’ claims that it utilizes ‘magic’ and spells in the
cause of ‘good’. Indeed Wiccans are very careful to distinguish themselves from
Satanists and those who would intentionally try to harm others.[20]
Their ethics are summed up by the ‘Wiccan Rede’, “That ye harm none, do what
ye will”. To many this sounds noble and ‘good’ and potentially persuasive,
though as Christians we can see through this, recognizing how intensely
self-centred this relativist ethic is. Ultimately, ‘what ye will’
is the very source of sin and evil itself according to Christian doctrine, and
the very opposite of what Christians pray. In stark contrast, Christians turn
to the only and true Source of good[21]
by praying ‘Thy will be done’. Nevertheless, Wicca and the smorgasbord of
neo-pagan religions out there market themselves as exciting and ‘good’ paths to
pursue. And since using ‘magic in the cause of good’ may appear common themes
in both Harry Potter and Wicca, there is potential for Rowling’s books
and others like them to be somewhat preparatory for a child’s wandering into
the occult. Thus, for the child who reads Harry Potter more guidance is
essential. Parents would do well to help fortify their children in the
Christian worldview lest their reading of Potter-like fantasy prove more
than just a good read and pre-dispose them to the trappings of witchcraft as
well. But lest we get carried away, it needs to be
noted that Wiccans themselves sometimes employ the spelling ‘magick’ to
distinguish it from the crafts used by illusionists or what they might regard
the ‘stereotypes’ of children’s fairy tales. Thus, even Wiccans recognize that
there is ‘magic’ (their kind) and there is ‘magic’ (the stuff of fairy tales).
And the basic concept in a fantasy book like Harry Potter can very
easily remain a harmless and fun concept that remains strictly ‘a good,
entertaining read’. A glimpse at Narnia, Middle Earth, and HogwartsHaving discussed the nature of fantasy as its own special genre, we shall now briefly consider each of these three immensely popular fantasy stories, and
offer some evaluation. The Chronicles of NarniaOf the three fantasies, C S Lewis’ is the
most identifiably Christian owing to its strong allegorical character and the
sheer breadth of doctrinal themes woven into The Chronicles of Narnia.
Faith, temptation, the nature of evil, redemption, justification and the
ongoing sanctified life, the church, resurrection, law and gospel, the Person
and work of Christ – we encounter all these across Lewis’ books. The many biblical allusions throughout The
Chronicles of Narnia are best appreciated by simply reading the books. For
further guidance, Gene Veith thoroughly explains the symbolism of the first
book in The Soul of the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. He will be
writing companion books to each movie as they are released. But what sets it apart from both Tolkien’s
and Rowling’s works is not just the breadth of Christian themes it includes,
but the allegorical nature of Lewis’ work. The many doctrinal themes and
biblical allusions we find throughout actually tie together into a cohesive
story so reminiscent of real history that the total story of Narnia compares to
that of our real world. For instance from The Lion, the Witch and
the Wardrobe we learn that Aslan, as we have said, is the Christ figure who
dies for Edmund. Edmund ‘the just’ is the epitome of fallen and redeemed
humankind. The White Witch is the Satan figure who enslaved Narnia in perpetual
winter, whose attractive appearance demonstrates the seductive nature of evil.[22]
Like Satan, the White Witch had ruled there by conquest. In contrast
Aslan ruled by right, like Christ.[23]
Upon defeating the Witch, Aslan’s reign is never in question, and he reappears
again and again throughout The Chronicles as the children (‘sons of
Adam’ and ‘daughters of Eve’) rule in Narnia under him. Beyond the story of The Lion, the Witch
and the Wardrobe, there are more parallels to promote reflection on
biblical realities. King Caspian’s ship ‘The Dawn Treader’, symbolizes the
church as it journeys to the ‘the end of the world’ from where Aslan comes, on
the way rescuing those caught in slavery, darkness and other kinds of
captivity.[24] Narnia is
created by Aslan, who like Christ has a Father: ‘the Emperor across the sea’.
We learn that, like in the real world, it was through the fall of a ‘son of
Adam’ that evil entered Narnia.[25]
Even this brief description, far from
exhaustive, shows the obvious parallels with our world and its story of
creation, fall, redemption and the sanctified life of God’s people. It is the
strength of these parallels and their faithfulness to the realities of the
Christian faith, life and worldview that make The Chronicles of Narnia
such a remarkable and effective attempt at that “sort of pre-baptism of a
child’s imagination” he was intending. This allegorical quality in The
Chronicles of Narnia makes it, in my opinion, the most positive and
useful fantasy among those written to encourage reflection upon Christian
truth. The Lord of the Rings
In contrast, Tolkien did not like allegory,
and so we do not find the same overarching parallels with Christian history in The
Lord of the Rings. He was, though, a devout Catholic and a key figure in C
S Lewis’ own conversion to the Christian Faith. Despite what Tolkien felt about
allegory, people have suggested that Tolkien’s work is indeed an allegory of
the First World War. Several features give rise to this view, such as the ‘West
versus East’ orientation of the conflict in Middle Earth,[26]
and Tolkien’s personal experience of war.[27]
But Tolkien’s own dislike for allegory is proof enough that this was not his
intention. What we do find in The Lord of the Rings,
however, are some wonderfully developed characters who reflect a mature
Christian perspective on quite a range of themes. Already we have briefly
discussed the characters of Gandalf and Saruman, and how the latter is an
example of the subtleties of evil. Gandalf is wise, knowing that the power of
the ‘one ring’ cannot be harnessed by any but the dark lord himself. But
Saruman, through pride and lust for power, is bent on getting it at all costs,
supposing he can overthrow Sauron by it. His intention seems good, but seduced
by his lust for power it merely masks the evil with which he has sided and
continually uses in his attempts to obtain the ring. Gandalf, on the other
hand, renounces the ring as a weapon he might use, preferring it to be carried
by the smallest characters in the free West to Mt Doom where alone it
could be ‘unmade’. Moreover, Saruman’s character shows how evil often consumes
itself. He is ultimately murdered by Grima Wormtongue, his own servant in evil.
Tolkien’s epic fantasy provides much more
food for thought on the nature of evil besides these few observations. And discernable
to Christians who are familiar with them are the biblical themes of vocation,[28]
mercy and justice,[29]
the sinner-saint tension,[30]
theology of the cross versus theology of glory,[31]
sin,[32]
and the like. As an evangelical tool The Lord of the
Rings probably is not as useful as The Chronicles of Narnia, owing
to the latter’s more exhaustive treatment of Christian themes and overt
parallels to the salvation history. But it is far from useless. The
Lord of the Rings inspires its readers to contemplate the themes of good
and evil very deeply, and in ways that lend themselves to further reflection on
Christian doctrine. For Tolkien buffs intrigued by what inspired him, to learn
that he was in fact a devout Catholic may prompt them to dig deeper and
discover for real in Christianity what inspires their imaginations in The
Lord of the Rings. Harry Potter Of the three fantasies we are briefly
evaluating, Harry Potter is undoubtedly the most secular. Of course,
that does not make it automatically evil or bad, but certainly far less useful
evangelistically. Most would agree, I think, that Harry Potter
is a good harmless read in itself. It is not so much the stories themselves
that raise concern, but what spiritual paths children might pursue as a result
of reading them. While not overloaded with positive lessons relatable to the
Christian Faith, well-armed children and adults can enjoy these books as simply
an enjoyable and unserious read. Gene Veith suggests the following: “The ability to tell the difference between fantasy and reality is an essential survival skill. In fact, it is a definition of sanity.” (page 144) “The best way to inoculate children against
being confused by Harry Potter or seduced by the fantasies that are far
worse, in addition to giving them a solid grounding in the word of God, is to
expose them to good literature, including good fantasy.” (page 148) Which begs the real issue underlying most of
those that we have discussed: the vocation of parents. How Christian parents
and godparents live out their vocations as the primary instructors of their
children may often prove the difference between a reading experience being
fruitful or dangerous. Parents do need to help their children distinguish
fantasy from reality, and then to discern whether literature aligns with
biblical teaching or with some other ethic or religious ideal. While many
Christians piously point out deficiencies and dangers in Harry Potter,
some with good reason, the answer to helping their children who are already
enamored by the stories surely lies in sharing the experience with them
and discussing it, rather than baulking at the books altogether. And if parents
take an active interest in the reading pursuits of their children from as early
an age as possible, then the Harry Potter books may prove a stepping
stone to more profound and beneficial fantasy like the others we have
evaluated. These things said, how do we evaluate the Harry
Potter books, and what ought parents and children be aware of when reading Harry
Potter? It seems to me that the chief value of the Potter
books is their proven success in simply getting children to read, and that is
to Rowling’s credit. They are also undoubtedly an effective ‘escape’ for
readers young and old, like Tolkien’s and Lewis’ books. But there are different kinds of ‘escape’.
Some fantasies such as The Chronicles of Narnia draw you out of your own
world for a while and invite you back into it with renewed perspective in a positive
way. In fact, the mundane and ordinary aspects of life are somewhat focal in
Lewis’ books. The story of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe does not
end in Narnia but after Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy return from Narnia
through the Wardrobe to face the real world in England during World War Two.
Likewise, in The Silver Chair Eustace Scrubb and Jill Pole return from
Narnia to the bad, materialistic school where they were often bullied, as
different people able to make a difference.[33]
For the children who enter Narnia in Lewis’ books, that magic land is always a
place to grow in order to better face their realistic world, not a place
for cosy escape. And for the reader it is similar. The experience of reading
the book is itself like walking through the wardrobe, and with the high quality
ideals and values and Christian content we ponder there, we are all the better
equipped to face our own real world.[34]
However, the kind of ‘escape’ promoted in Harry
Potter is rather different. Harry is a wizard stuck with his ‘Muggle’ uncle
and aunt who hate him. His real parents are dead, murdered by the enemy
Voldemort, and it is clear that he does not really belong in the Muggle world.
Life with his uncle and aunt is miserable. So his adventures at Hogwarts are
really an escape from his negatively presented family life. Far from being
sanctified or transformed through Hogwarts, the ‘mundane’ and ‘ordinary’
remains an unchanging source of misery to be escaped. The danger is that children subconsciously
liken their Christian home or life to the Muggle world. Lest this happen, Gene
Veith offers this very simple but crucially important reminder: “Parents need to make clear that Christians are not Muggles” (page 147) By doing this a potential danger can be
transformed into an opportunity for real and fruitful discussion shared by
parents and their children on the presence of Christ in daily life, the gift of
vocation and the like. There is a further subtlety of which readers
should be aware. The ‘Muggles’ get around totally ignorant of the realities of
the magical world, while the witches and wizards of Hogwarts are ‘in the know’.
Positively, this feature makes for a good rebuttal against that atheistic or
agnostic materialism that rejects anything beyond the material realm. To not
believe in realities beyond the observable and material realm is virtually
ridiculed in Harry Potter. While this quality in the Potter books
keeps pace with Christian doctrine, what Harry Potter lauds in place of
materialism does not. Quite apart from the lack of any notable Christian
spirituality, the dichotomy between the ‘magical’ and the ‘Muggle’ in
Rowling’s books bears the hallmarks of an essentially Gnostic way of thinking.
Gene Veith explains: The problem is that the Harry Potter
books treat Muggles with a sense of condescension. It isn’t a matter of even
trying to win them over. The magic the young students are given consists
largely of mean tricks to pay back the Muggles in their dismal lives. In the
world of the Harry Potter books, the universe is divided into those who
‘get it’ and those who don’t. The Gnostic heretics of old thought that way,
that there are the elite few who enjoy secret knowledge and occult power, and
the masses of the unenlightened who are not worth considering. The Gnostics
also rejected the objective, external, material world – to the point of
rejecting the doctrines of creation and the incarnation – in favour of a misty,
internal spirituality unconnected to the physical world. (pages 159-160) Conversely, the Christian answer to the
problem of materialism is Christ, the Son of God made flesh, who
embraces the material realm to redeem and sanctify it; “God so loved the
world…” (John 3:16). Christians are able to look at creation, and indeed our
very bodies, with new eyes and joyful confidence that Christ “is making all
things new” (Revelation 21:5). ConclusionWe may observe from this brief evaluation of The
Chronicles of Narnia, The Lord of the Rings, and Harry Potter
that not all fantasy can be regarded the same. Those who popularized the genre
in the twentieth century, notably C S Lewis and J R R Tolkien, were in fact
Christians who, to a greater or lesser degree, were inspired to convey profound
themes of their faith in their books. Lewis’ works especially present the
Christian worldview in an exciting and inspiring manner. Tolkien, too, has a
power over the imagination that inspires readers to admire real virtues and
steer clear of temptation and evil paths. Countless others have since written many and
lengthy fantasy series; J K Rowling’s Harry Potter books being but one
example. In this world we are daily faced with alternative, false and
destructive beliefs and beliefs systems. We need to be able to distinguish our
Christian, biblical worldview from the many subtle variations or altogether
different ways in which people view life and the universe. And reading can
provide an effective way for children to more safely learn to discern what is
real, true and good from what is unwholesome. With loving and wary parental
guidance, books like Harry Potter can give children and parents a good
opportunity to share together the experience of learning what it means to be in
the world, but not of it. Pastor Adam Hensley May 2006 Back to CLA Topics Bibliography Carpenter, Humphrey. J R R Tolkien A
Biography. Harper Collins. 1995. Forde, Gerhard O. On Being a Theologian of
the Cross. Eerdmans. 1997. Hensley, Adam. Wicca. Essay. Semester
2, 2000. Lewis, Charles Staples. The Chronicles of
Narnia. Harper Collins. 1998. Rowling, J K. Harry Potter and the Chamber
of Secrets. Bloomsburg. 1998. Rowling, J K. Harry Potter and the
Philosopher’s Stone. Bloomsburg. 2001. Rowling, J K. Harry Potter and the
Prisoner of Azkaban. Bloomsburg. 1999. Tolkien, John Ronald Reuel. The Hobbit.
Harper Collins. 1993. Tolkien, John Ronald Reuel. The Lord of
the Rings. Harper Collins. 1995. Tolkien, John Ronald Reuel. The
Silmarillion. Harper Collins. 1994. Veith, Gene. The Soul of the Lion, the
Witch, and the Wardrobe. Victor. 2005. “A religious plot”. Good Weekend,
The Age Newspaper. Sunday 18th December 2005 [1] There is some debate over the ‘correct’ order for reading the Narnia Chronicles. Some advocate the order suggested by the chronology in the books themselves. Others suggest the order in which C S Lewis actually wrote them. While others, in appreciation of the art of story-telling, consider the order of their release the best order in which to read them. (For more details and leads to a fuller discussion, see Veith, page 25, and the web link http://www.aslan.demon.co.uk/narnia.htm) [2] Though released in three parts on screen, The Lord of the Rings is, strictly speaking, a six part novel. [3] “A religious plot”. Good Weekend, The Age Newspaper. Sunday 18th December 2005. [4] Matthew 13:34: Jesus told the crowds all these things in parables; without a parable he told them nothing. [5] That is, those who object to the book, and “those who do not want children or anyone else exposed to Christianity” (page 53) [6] Gene Veith offers a good discussion on Pullman and his atheistic agenda in chapter 10. On page 165 he quotes Philip Pullman, as quoted in Peter Hitchens’ The Most Dangerous Author in Britain, 63: “I hate the Narnia books,” says Philip Pullman, “and I hate them with deep and bitter passion.” The Chronicles of Narnia, he says, are “one of the most ugly and poisonous things I have ever read, with no shortage of nauseating drivel.” His antipathy is motivated in large part by his hatred of Christianity, which, he thought, Lewis’ work conveyed very effectively. [7] In the movie version, this dialogue is fitted into a talk between Tumnus and Lucy Pevensie as they watch Aslan walking away up the beach from Cair Paravel at the end of the movie. In the book, it is pivotal in setting the scene of the children’s first encounter with the Lion. [8] Cf the First Commandment. [9] See below [10] cf Thesis Twenty-One of Martin Luther’s Heidelberg Disputation of 1518: The theologian of glory calls evil good and good evil. The theologian of the cross says what a thing is. [11] Of course, magic is just ‘not allowed’ in the Muggle realm, so mostly takes place at Hogwarts and from there. [12] C S Lewis also wrote a science fiction trilogy, Out of the Silent Planet, Paralandra and That Hideous Strength. [13]The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. 1996, c1989 (Ge 6:5). Nashville: Thomas Nelson. [14]American Standard Version. 1995 (Ge 6:5). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc. [15] This accords well with the Hebrew yêster maheshebôth, literally form or frame of the thoughts, and suggests the power of the human mind to utilize images as we think, ponder or meditate. [16] We discuss this further below. [17] In the book, Saruman actually forsakes ‘white’, desiring to be Saruman ‘of many colours’, just has he has in heart and mind forsaken innocence and humility in favour of power, pride and cruelty. [18] He does so by breathing on the statues, people the White Witch had turned to stone. This is reminiscent of our Lord who breathed on His disciples (John 20:22-23), authorizing them to forgive sins and thus give life to sinners whose hearts are cold and dead as stone (cf Ezekiel 36:26, Jeremiah 31:31-34) [19] From my reading it seems to me she has no other purpose than to write stimulating books, drawing on what it takes to achieve her continued success. [20] For instance, though they appear similar the Wiccan pentagram has one of its five points directed upwards, while the Satanist version is inverted. [21] Cf Mark 10:18 & par. [22] Evil comes in similar guise in other books. For example, in The Silver Chair the beautiful woman dressed in green who captivated Prince Rilian turned out to be the green serpent who killed his mother. [23] cf Gene Veith: “She is not really queen by right. Satan is sometimes called ‘the ruler of this world’ (John 12:31), and so he is, by conquest but not by right. Christ is the true King, the ‘only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords’ (1Tim. 6:15). The Devil – with the Witch – is a usurper…” (page 57) [24] The Voyage of the Dawn Treader [25] The Magician’s nephew, chapter 4: The bell and the hammer. The temptation scene in this chapter reflects profoundly on the nature of real temptations, especially that of Eve in the garden with the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. The lure of finding out what would happen upon ringing the bell proved too enticing for Digory. [26] Mordor, the land of the dark lord Sauron is in the East, while the Hobbits, Elves and Men are in the West. [27] Tolkien: “My ‘Sam Gamgee’ is indeed a reflexion of the English soldier, of the privates and batmen I knew in the 1914 war, and recognized as so far superior to myself.” This quote, related in Humphrey Carpenter’s biography of Tolkien, shows how some of the characters in The Lord of the Rings were inspired by Tolkien’s experience of WWI. Tolkien admired the courage and sacrifice of the men in the trench, and this in part inspired Tolkien’s creation of the Hobbits who ultimately prove the most instrumental in the war against Sauron in Middle Earth. Nevertheless, this is no evidence that Tolkien had in mind to make his entire book an allegory of the ‘Great War’. [28] Such as Frodo’s ‘calling’ to take the ring to Moria, rather like Christians bearing the cross as they persevere in their God-given vocations. [29] Cf ‘pity’ that
‘stayed Bilbo’s hand’ when he had the opportunity to slay the wretched Gollum.
Compare this to Romans 12:19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave
room for the wrath of God; for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I
will repay, says the Lord.” [30] Cf Gollum versus Smeagol. Compare Romans 7:14f. [31] Cf the different attitudes and aspirations characters have toward the one ring. Ultimately, those who would use it against the dark lord are blinded by their (human) pride, while those who take the tough road to Mordor are humble enough to know better. [32] Cf the riddle containing the meaning of the rings of power, and that line: ‘nine for Mortal Men doomed to die’. The Lord of the Rings presents the race of ‘Men’ as basically fallen, too prone to temptations to power not to succumb to Sauron’s (Satan’s) temptations via the one ring. Isildur, Aragorn’s forebear, failed to destroy the evil thing because he was seduced by its power and beauty. Aragorn though, would be the ‘good king’ who would not make the same mistake. Though not a perfect allegory (not surprising, since Tolkien hated allegory as we have noted) broadly speaking Isildur may be compared to the First Adam and Aragorn to the Second. [33] In The Voyage of the Dawn Treader Eustace is a different boy
after his stint in Narnia and surrounds. Before he was spoilt, sulky and nasty,
after he is far less so, as Jill Pole notes in the beginning of The Silver
Chair. [34] Cf Gene Veith, pages 30-34 The world inside for further reflection on the wardrobe as a doorway to Narnia |