I have spent some time this week talking with friends about the latest installment in the Harry Potter series due out this summer. Most of us, old and young alike, are eagerly awaiting it's release. A few have come forward to say they are taking a lot of flack from various family members for allowing their children to read such "satanically evil" prose. They have been told they are risking their child's soul for letting them read anything that mentions witchcraft. In this instance I think silence would have been a better choice for those offering opinions.
C.S. Lewis wrote a children's series full of mythology and supernatural happenings (it even had a witch). I find it peculiar that many Christian parents have no trouble allowing their children to read The Chronicles of Narnia yet they will flee from Harry Potter.
It is a well written tale. It deals with the issues of good and evil. The struggles of growing up. The difficulty in feeling different from others. The blessings of true friends. The value of teamwork. Finding out that things are not always what they seem to be. Using your mistakes to learn to do better.
Fables and faerie tales have been used for hundreds of years to impart wisdom to young minds. There is no more to fear in Cinderella's faerie godmother than there is at Hogwarts. (Boarding school for young wizards and witches)
Read it or not.
If you don't, you are missing out on a fantastic tale.
3 comments:
All of our family, from my husband and myself, on to daughter, love Harry Potter. I believe it will be a new childhood classic. It is written with such great attention to detail and plot structure that there are no non sequiters. At the same time, it moves along, holds your interest and is not stuffy. Since Rowling draws from mythology and legend, children learn the names before they are introduced in a classroom, i.e., my daughter's class just studied myths. It was easy for her to remember the Roman godess of wisdom, Minerva, because she knew Minerva McGonagal, the very wise professor. I found the books an excellent way to discuss the subject of why Christians are not supposed to do magic and the spiritual dangers of the occult. At the same time, we shared some wonderful times following Harry's life. Can't wait for July 16th - I'll get the book just in time for the longest airplane flight of my life - I bet I don't sleep.
I am counting down the days. When book five came out (on my birthday no less) I sat down and read it stragiht through.
ignore the spelling above, many days with little sleep.
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