A Harry Potter “Must Listen”

If you want to better understand J.K. Rowling as a writer, and as a result better understand Harry Potter, you need to listen to this interview with Stephen Fry (the voice of the UK audio books). Here’s the transcript.

A few gems:

we need to feel fear, and we need to confront that in an controlled environment. That’s a very important part of growing up, I think. And the child that has been protected from the dementors in fiction, I would argue, is much more likely to fall prey to them later in life in reality.

And also, what are we saying to children who do have scary and disturbing thoughts? We’re saying that’s wrong, that’s not natural, and it’s not something that’s intrinsic to the human condition. That they’re in some way odd or ill….

I’ve taken horrible liberties with folklore and mythology, but I’m quite unashamed about that, because British folklore and British mythology is a totally bastard mythology. You know, we’ve been invaded by people, we’ve appropriated their gods, we’ve taken their mythical creatures, and we’ve soldered them all together to make, what I would say, is one of the richest folklores in the world, because it’s so varied.

I’m not entirely sure Lewis would be as shocked about Rowling’s reading of the magic portals as she and Fry think.

In any case, listen to the interview. Fry talks a little too much, but overall, it’s worth a listen.

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