Potter Pundits exclusive material. The meaning of Christmas in Harry Potter.
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Hog’s Head PubCast #73: Christmas 2009
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{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
Fascinating stuff, Travis. Interesting how the celebration of the holidays grows less pronounced as their significance increases. So that, in DH, it comes as a shock that it’s Christmas Eve. As if JKR’s pointing past the outward ’show’ of the holidays into their deep truth. As if Harry’s understanding of them is growing, changing.
And it’s intriguing, to, how the real ‘power’ of Christmas isn’t made apparent until Harry’s suffered, and grappled with his suffering. Then the lights of Christmas show him hope, even though it takes further loss before he embraces it.
In yet another fluke of synchronicity, I was just writing about this topic, though I took it in a different direction. I’d be interested to hear your thoughts.
Interesting snippet from the potter pundits. The question about the inhabitants of the church being muggles and magic folk got me thinking. You never do see the magic folk in the Potterverse worship. Ever. No Buddhist chants, no grace, no mass or service (although here we hear in DH we hear it). Do you think that Ms. Rowling purposely kept it at arm’s distance? There is the cross that Harry carves into a tree. But no prayer over the grave. There is Harry standing over the graves of his parents – there’s scripture on two of the graves – but no prayer, no plea, no nothing. They gather for Christmas dinner at the Weasly’s – but no grace. It seems odd. It’s there – but it’s not. I find the actual act of worship purposely missing. And I wonder why.
Joivre,
Rowling stated a number of times that if she had developed that theme then she would have given that game away regarding the point and end of her story.
Have a look at some of the previous discussions we’ve had in the “Hogwarts School of Theology” category.
Thanks for the heads up Korg. Those were interesting discussions. It seems that although Ms. Rowling was afraid to give away too much – a couple of commentors here accurately predicted the outcome of the books (with the exception of the Hallows, who could predicted that) a year befor DH came out. It was shocking how right they were!
Joivre, ’tis true, people have laboured mightily on this blog to understand and explain how JKR expresses her beliefs about religion in the HP books. Under the category Korg cited, the post The Quad on the Quad is particularly illuminating, especially comments 3, 4 and 16 by Korg, Travis and revgeorge (or the HHHH as I refer to them in text messages).
Having said which, let me offer a secularist response to your question.
It’s hard to generalize about 61 million people but the majority of people in the UK are not very deeply religious, despite having a culture rich in religious references. They observe the religious holidays, and certainly have beautiful buildings and ceremonies and rituals to structure their observances, but most of them are not believers. Here are some stats:
A Eurobarometer opinion poll in 2005 reported that 38% “believed there is a God”, 40% believe there is “some sort of spirit or life force” and 20% said “I’don’t believe there is any sort of spirit, God or life force”.[54] A survey in 2007 suggested that 42% of adults resident in the UK prayed, with one in six praying on a daily basis.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_the_United_Kingdom#Secularism.2C_tolerance_and_anti-
Assuming that JKR is writing first of all for her countrymen, I’m guessing that she would gain greater acceptance phrasing the spiritual beliefs in the books in terms of “a spirit or some sort of life force” rather than God and Christian beliefs specifically. This would also have the advantage of being more inclusive. At the same time, she could include the manifestations of religion which are already in the popular culture – Christmas presents and church services and quotes from the Bible.
There is another perspective which we have also explored in these posts. By including more specific references to the Christain faith, JKR would run the risk of having her books placed in the “Religion” section of book stores and libraries, from which location they would attract a much smaller readership.
In other words, she had to aim wide to catch more readers.
Red Rocker,
The HHHH…
The Hog’s Head Hermetic Hermaphrodites…
Who have you been talking to?
Red Rocker, I took the liberty of adding in the link to the previous THH post you mentioned.
I agree Red – In other words, she had to aim wide to catch more readers. And actually the study you cite involving the belief systems of Europeans is no surprise to me. When I resided in Europe – I could easily note the absences in some of the greatest Cathedrals I’ve ever seen. I had forgotten about that. It was interesting to me that although there were many Catholics where I lived – the Catholic Communities in Europe were quite small. Outside of Rome, rituals are not that popular. Neither good, nor bad in my book – it is what it is.
My original comment may be tainted with my innate love of ritual. My faith my quiver – but I love my religion’s rituals. Always have. My father, a quality control engineer, always came home every day during my childhood at 5:25pm. I knew what time of the year it was by the way the light hit my Dad’s face when he came in the door. There were rituals when I would arrive backstage for a performance, rituals dressing, rituals when practicing, etc. etc.
When I heard the comment on the pottercast, I thought I was missing rituals. Hogwarts is pretty English – but there is diversity there so I was hoping for a little something from everywhere. But Red you are also right that JKR would run the risk of having her books placed in the “Religion” section of book stores and libraries, from which location they would attract a much smaller readership. And besides – Hogwarts has rituals – just not religious ones – and I love them. It calms me. It comforts me. They make me feel secure – even when I’m not.
The Hog’s Head Hermetic Hermaphrodites sounds good.
We’ll go with that.