Comments on: PotterTeeVee is on the Air…With Travis Prinzi!

By: Jenna St. Hilaire

Jenna St. Hilaire — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 17:47:50 +0000

Joivre, I think the Potter books are more complex than that. Racism is certainly a part of the tale–you’re right there. But there are other driving forces in the story, quite a lot of them, some of which are even more central to the story than the theme of interracial relations. For instance, the alchemical drama and Christian symbolism, and the facing of death with courage and love.

I think the Gothic themes of the book play into that last particularly well. If Harry takes on the role of Gothic heroine, and I tend to think Travis and John Granger are right in their analysis there, he does so with some value to the story. It’s not about Harry being effeminate, it’s a literary trope; he plays the sort of role that Mina Harker plays in Dracula, wandering about in the dark and getting exposed to danger, challenging an evil too great for himself, discovering that he and the monster are part of each other, and offering himself as a sacrifice for the good of his friends.

By: Joivre

Joivre — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 04:33:33 +0000

Is there really a question as to Ms. Rowlings decision as to have a male or female protagonist? And if so – who cares? I am confused as to the revelance of it in comparison to the overall arc of racism and thus the final solution of Hitler, which is the ultimate of evil presented here. Simple though it may be.

Harry feminized or Hermione masculanized makes no difference.

The charge is racism.

Though, correct me if I am wrong.

By: Red Rocker

Red Rocker — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 03:19:17 +0000

Have only watched the first 27 minutes, but already am fired up to debate the proposition that Harry is a passive character who regularly gets rescued like a Gothic heroine. I’ll watch the rest before I respond.

But as a preliminary shot across the bows: I don’t think you can make the argument that JKR feminized Harry because she toyed with the idea of making him into a Harriet. From The Connection, Oct 12, 1999:

Q: Why male protagonist, not female?:

A:”He was too real to me by then to turn him into a girl. He was a boy in my head and I already had Hermione and I had Ron and I was too fond of them by then to want to tamper with them”

By: Jenna St. Hilaire

Jenna St. Hilaire — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 00:28:22 +0000

Never would have thought I’d get into Gothic lit, but I’m really enjoying it. Superb talk, Travis! Your comments on Wuthering Heights made me think that book might have a point worth reading it for, which is a first for me.

By: thebardling

thebardling — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 13:44:29 +0000

Great talk Travis. Apart from Greg Wilbur’s discussions of the series this is the only other time I’ve watched or listened to a lecture on all things Potter (apart from all the great reads here and over on John Granger’s site).

By: Amy H. Sturgis

Amy H. Sturgis — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 11:12:35 +0000

Fantastic news! I look forward to watching the recording.

By: aerisflowers

aerisflowers — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 06:33:35 +0000

My laptop at work had a melt down and I had to stay late…unfortunately I missed your talk Traivs. I’m so glad that there’s a recording – I’m looking forward to watching it!

By: Joivre

Joivre — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 00:34:11 +0000

Great talk Travis! I really enjoyed what you had to say. You look way too young to be a sage Potter Pundit, but Potter Pundit you are. It was a very charming talk and I was glad to see it on the very new Potterteevee.

You mentioned a list of Gothic Novels to start on. Might I also add Goethe’s Faust (definitely an early foreboding of Voldemort’s fear of Death) and Goethe’s The Sorrows of Young Werther (which has so very many Snape elements to it. In fact, I see young Snape as Werther sometimes sacrificing himself for this love of a married woman).