Morality and the Unknown: a blog entry in honor of J. K. Rowling and Harry Potter’s Birthday
July 31st is J. K. Rowling’s birthday.[1] It is also the birthday of her famous fictional hero, Harry Potter.[2] Rowling is a person to whom I am greatly indebted; it is her writing which caused me to begin, in earnest, my reading of fantasy and science fiction books and to finally write down the thoughts and ideas which had long resided only in my mind. For her and her creation’s birthday, I’ve decided to discuss the ways in which Harry Potter’s birthdays play an important part in the series, specifically the way in which they are doors into the unknown.
Birthdays can be memorable events or easily forgotten. The day itself is rarely a huge step in one’s life (because being twenty-two years and 364 days old does not feel much different than being exactly twenty-three years old) but is rather an opportunity to look back on the entire year, over which there can be substantial changes in a person’s life, and to look ahead towards the future. It can be a day of celebration during which family and friends happily offer congratulations and hopes for a good future. The celebration is not just in honor of that one day but rather in honor of the entire life of the individual. Throughout the Harry Potter series, some of Harry’s birthdays are memorable in and of themselves; additionally, some are also a first step towards other important events, which greatly impact Harry’s life and show his character through the decisions he makes when faced with uncertainty and fear.
Harry’s eleventh birthday is the day when he takes his first step into the wizarding world, from which he had been removed for his own protection and of which he had no knowledge. It is on 31 July 1991 (in the timeline of the Harry Potter series) when Harry first reads the Hogwarts letter that had been sent to him. Copies of this letter had been showing up magically at Privet Drive, causing Petunia Dursley and Vernon Dursley (Harry’s aunt and uncle) great worry, because they had been hoping that they could prevent Harry from developing his magical abilities, of which they are afraid. The letter is addressed to Mr. Potter and states, quite plainly, “We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.”[3] Such a statement would be surprising to any Muggle who read it, and since Harry has been raised in a Muggle home, he is surprised as well.
This birthday is the first time Harry gets a glimpse of the world he is about to enter — a world in which the letter he has just received is considered perfectly normal and would even be anticipated by children in wizarding families. His situation is similar to the ones that are faced by us ordinary humans as we grow older; as we learn more about the world and about people who are different from ourselves, we realize that ideas which seem new to us, when we hear about them for the first time, are actually topics that people have been discussing for ages before we were even born. Many of the same concerns which plague our minds and questions about life which confuse and excite us are similar to those which many others have thought of before, but they are new to us.
Throughout the series, Harry learns more about the wizarding world and is fascinated with it. Because he is not afraid of exploring a new world and learning more about it (unlike the Dursleys) he finds great adventure and new experiences. He has friends who become like family and a school which feels like a home. His life is filled with both comforts and confusions, like our own. There are times when life is wonderful and intriguing and times when it is scary and dangerous. As we learn more about the world around us, as we meet new people and learn new ideas, we find for ourselves and discover unintentionally that life contains many wonderful lessons and unanswered questions.
The way in which Harry approaches the new people he meets is very different from the way in which Lord Voldemort and the Death Eaters treat those who are different from them. The Death Eaters think that they are superior to anyone who is not a pure-blood witch or wizard; they are unwilling to consider Muggle-borns like Hermione, “half-breeds” like Hagrid, and werewolves like Lupin as individuals who deserve rights and full membership in society. Harry, although he feels a bit lost in this new world that he has never known before, does not automatically think the worst of the people he meets. He learns that witches and wizards are, in many ways, just like Muggles in that they can be both good and bad. Harry does not distance himself from Hagrid, Lupin, and Hermione even when he finds out how they are different from other people and even though he knows that others may think badly of him for being associated with them. He even feels some compassion for people such as Professor Snape and Draco Malfoy, who have hurt him, when he finds that they themselves have been hurt by others. In our own lives, we frequently meet people who are different from us and find that they are just as human and just as deserving of rights. When seeing someone behave badly in one instance and then morally in another, we realize that an initial opinion of a person may have been incomplete. Human beings are complicated people and we cannot really know everything about someone based upon the group they are in, what we have heard about them, or on our initial reaction to their differences. We find instead that there is richness in human existence which can only be found by our interactions with the many different people who share the world.
Harry’s seventeenth birthday is, once again, a time of stepping into a situation about which he knows little and for which he does not feel prepared. At seventeen, he is considered a legal adult in the wizarding world, but since he is Harry Potter, his birthday also means that the protection he once had at number four Privet Drive will no longer exist. He has to grow up and leave the protection of childhood even more literally and suddenly than most others. The truth, though, is that he has been growing up for his whole life. The loss of the protection he had at number 4 Privet Drive is metaphorically the culmination of the maturity he has gained up to that point. Similarly, in our lives, although there are certain birthdays which signify an important milestone, even more important are all the years which lead up to them, which made us ready to take on the responsibilities we will now face.
After Harry leaves number four Privet Drive, he travels once again to The Burrow, the home of the Weasley. Once again, Harry learns new information about the wizarding world and, more importantly, sees once again that his friends really do care about him and consider him family.
“It’s traditional to give a wizard a watch when he comes of age,” said Mrs. Weasley, watching him anxiously from beside the cooker. “I’m afraid that one isn’t new like Ron’s, it was actually my brother Fabian’s and he wasn’t terribly careful with his possessions, it’s a bit dented on the back, but — ”
The rest of her speech was lost; Harry had got up and hugged her. He tried to put a lot of unsaid things into the hug and perhaps she understood them, because she patted his cheek clumsily when he released her, then waved her wand in a slightly random way, causing half a pack of bacon to flop out of the frying pan onto the floor.[4]
Being included in a tradition by the Weasleys is important to Harry and he is moved that they would think of him, even when they have so much else to focus on, from Bill’s wedding to fighting in the war against Lord Voldemort. Similarly, when we see that our loved ones have thought of us, even when they didn’t have to, we feel that they are there for us. We see through their actions that they take us into consideration when making decisions and make sure to include us in their lives.
Soon after his seventeenth birthday, Harry must take another step into the unknown. He knows that is about to face the most difficult challenge of his life, that of finding and destroying all of Lord Voldemort’s horcruxes and then killing Voldemort himself, and his friends prove loyal once more. Ron and Hermione go with him on his journey, even though the odds against them are great, because they know that it is important to stop Voldemort and to help their friend in any way they can. They are not sure what to do, and they fight along the way, but in the end, they succeed. Harry’s love of his friends provides a great foundation in his life, and because of them, he is strong enough to face any unknown and face any danger. We seek in our lives stability and comfort like what Harry finds with his friends. The people who we love become trusted individuals who will be there for us in the confusing times, so that we can explore the world and face difficult challenges with loved ones by our side. Although the challenges we face are not battles against the most evil wizard who ever lived, our friends can be just as important to us as Harry’s friends are to him.
An idea developed throughout the series is the question of how a person reacts to the unknown or to new ideas or people. The way a person reacts to these situations shows a lot about who they are. Lord Voldemort is afraid of the unknown, and his actions are partly a manifestation of these fears, as he seeks immortality out of fear of death. As Dumbledore wisely points out to Harry, “There is nothing to be feared from a body, Harry, any more than there is anything to be feared from the darkness. Lord Voldemort, who of course secretly fears both, disagrees. But once again he reveals his own lack of wisdom. It is the unknown we fear when we look upon death and darkness, nothing more.”[5] Lord Voldemort’s fears control him. His obsession with preventing death turns him into a being that is not fully human anymore. He is filled with hatred for anyone who is not a pure-blood witch or wizard, not realizing that there are good people in all groups. Instead of taking the time to learn more about life and realizing that it is filled with great mystery and new knowledge, he seeks only power to control lives. He is too afraid of uncertainties to place great trust in anyone other than himself or to love another person. In trying to prevent himself from facing the difficulties and uncertainties of life, he also loses out on the good parts of life — the love, happiness and friendship. Harry, in not being afraid of the unknown, experiences both the horrible and wonderful parts of life. He knows the pain of losing loved ones and of feeling betrayed, but he also knows the joys of having friends and of believing that the world can be a better place. As Harry gets older, he must face danger time and time again, as he finds his way not just to adulthood but also to a level of maturity that he needs in order to do the right thing. He must face his fears and find courage. Because he has lived his life in a way that has caused him to experience both horror and happiness, he knows that it is possible and morally right to take actions that would lessen the horror and increase the happiness in others people’s lives. As Dumbledore says to Harry in the train station to the afterlife, after Harry has sacrificed himself to make Lord Voldemort mortal once more, “By returning, you may ensure that fewer souls are maimed, fewer families are torn apart. If that seems to you a worthy goal, then we say good-bye for the present.”[6] Harry can face the uncertainty of death and the uncertainty of returning once again to the bloody battlefield because he knows that there can be good in life and believes that creating a future with more justice, happiness, friendship, and love in the lives of others is worth dying for and fighting for. In our own lives, we experience sorrow and joy, comfort and pain, enmity and friendship when we open up our minds and hearts to the world around us. No matter the bad parts of life, we know that the good parts are worth preserving and sharing with others.
When we reach milestones like birthdays, it is important to look both into the past and look forward to our future. We find that if we have spent our time acting in a way that has made life better for those around us, the day is all the more meaningful and can provide us with the encouragement to take moral actions in the future.
Happy Birthday to J. K. Rowling and Harry Potter!
References
[1] http://www.mugglenet.com/jkr/biography.shtml
[2] http://www.hp-encyclopedia.com/characters.php?page=harry
[3] Rowling, J. K. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. New York: Arthur A Levine Books an imprint of Scholastic, 1997, pg 51.
ISBN: 0-590-35340-3
[4] Rowling, J. K. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. New York: Arthur A. Levine Books an imprint of Scholastic, 2007, pg 114.
ISBN: 978-0-545-01022-1
[5] Rowling, J. K. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. New York: Arthur A. Levine Books an imprint of Scholastic, 2005, pg. 566.
ISBN: 0-439-79132-4
[6] Rowling, J. K. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. New York: Arthur A. Levine Books an imprint of Scholastic, 2007, pg 722.
ISBN: 978-0-545-01022-1
July 31st is J. K. Rowling’s birthday.[1] It is also the birthday of her famous fictional hero, Harry Potter.[2] Rowling is a person to whom I am greatly indebted; it is her writing which caused me to begin, in earnest, my reading of fantasy and science fiction books and to finally write down the thoughts and ideas which had long resided only in my mind. For her and her creation’s birthday, I’ve decided to discuss the ways in which Harry Potter’s birthdays play an important part in the series, specifically the way in which they are doors into the unknown.
Birthdays can be memorable events or easily forgotten. The day itself is rarely a huge step in one’s life (because being twenty-two years and 364 days old does not feel much different than being exactly twenty-three years old) but is rather an opportunity to look back on the entire year, over which there can be substantial changes in a person’s life, and to look ahead towards the future. It can be a day of celebration during which family and friends happily offer congratulations and hopes for a good future. The celebration is not just in honor of that one day but rather in honor of the entire life of the individual. Throughout the Harry Potter series, some of Harry’s birthdays are memorable in and of themselves; additionally, some are also a first step towards other important events, which greatly impact Harry’s life and show his character through the decisions he makes when faced with uncertainty and fear.
Harry’s eleventh birthday is the day when he takes his first step into the wizarding world, from which he had been removed for his own protection and of which he had no knowledge. It is on 31 July 1991 (in the timeline of the Harry Potter series) when Harry first reads the Hogwarts letter that had been sent to him. Copies of this letter had been showing up magically at Privet Drive, causing Petunia Dursley and Vernon Dursley (Harry’s aunt and uncle) great worry, because they had been hoping that they could prevent Harry from developing his magical abilities, of which they are afraid. The letter is addressed to Mr. Potter and states, quite plainly, “We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.”[3] Such a statement would be surprising to any Muggle who read it, and since Harry has been raised in a Muggle home, he is surprised as well.
This birthday is the first time Harry gets a glimpse of the world he is about to enter — a world in which the letter he has just received is considered perfectly normal and would even be anticipated by children in wizarding families. His situation is similar to the ones that are faced by us ordinary humans as we grow older; as we learn more about the world and about people who are different from ourselves, we realize that ideas which seem new to us, when we hear about them for the first time, are actually topics that people have been discussing for ages before we were even born. Many of the same concerns which plague our minds and questions about life which confuse and excite us are similar to those which many others have thought of before, but they are new to us.
Throughout the series, Harry learns more about the wizarding world and is fascinated with it. Because he is not afraid of exploring a new world and learning more about it (unlike the Dursleys) he finds great adventure and new experiences. He has friends who become like family and a school which feels like a home. His life is filled with both comforts and confusions, like our own. There are times when life is wonderful and intriguing and times when it is scary and dangerous. As we learn more about the world around us, as we meet new people and learn new ideas, we find for ourselves and discover unintentionally that life contains many wonderful lessons and unanswered questions.
The way in which Harry approaches the new people he meets is very different from the way in which Lord Voldemort and the Death Eaters treat those who are different from them. The Death Eaters think that they are superior to anyone who is not a pure-blood witch or wizard; they are unwilling to consider Muggle-borns like Hermione, half-breeds like Hagrid, and werewolves like Lupin as individuals who deserve rights and full membership in society. Harry, although he feels a bit lost in this new world that he has never known before, does not automatically think the worst of the people he meets. He learns that witches and wizards are, in many ways, just like Muggles in that they can be both good and bad. Harry does not distance himself from Hagrid, Lupin, and Hermione even when he finds out how they are different from other people and even though he knows that others may think badly of him for being associated with them. He even feels some compassion for people such as Professor Snape and Draco Malfoy, who have hurt him, when he finds that they themselves have been hurt by others. In our own lives, we frequently meet people who are different from us and find that they are just as human and just as deserving of rights. When seeing someone behave badly in one instance and then morally in another, we realize that an initial opinion of a person may have been incomplete. Human beings are complicated people and we cannot really know everything about someone based upon the group they are in, what we have heard about them, or on our initial reaction to their differences. We find instead that there is richness in human existence which can only be found by our interactions with the many different people who share the world.
Harry’s seventeenth birthday is, once again, a time of stepping into a situation about which he knows little and for which he does not feel prepared. At seventeen, he is considered a legal adult in the wizarding world, but since he is Harry Potter, his birthday also means that the protection he once had at number four Privet Drive will no longer exist. He has to grow up and leave the protection of childhood even more literally and suddenly than most others. The truth, though, is that he has been growing up for his whole life. The loss of the protection he had at number 4 Privet Drive is metaphorically the culmination of the maturity he has gained up to that point. Similarly, in our lives, although there are certain birthdays which signify an important milestone, even more important are all the years which lead up to them, which made us ready to take on the responsibilities we will now face.
After Harry leaves number four Privet Drive, he travels once again to The Burrow, the home of the Weasley. Once again, Harry learns new information about the wizarding world and, more importantly, sees once again that his friends really do care about him and consider him family.
“It’s traditional to give a wizard a watch when he comes of age,” said Mrs. Weasley, watching him anxiously from beside the cooker. “I’m afraid that one isn’t new like Ron’s, it was actually my brother Fabian’s and he wasn’t terribly careful with his possessions, it’s a bit dented on the back, but — ”
The rest of her speech was lost; Harry had got up and hugged her. He tried to put a lot of unsaid things into the hug and perhaps she understood them, because she patted his cheek clumsily when he released her, then waved her wand in a slightly random way, causing half a pack of bacon to flop out of the frying pan onto the floor.[4]
Being included in a tradition by the Weasleys is important to Harry and he is moved that they would think of him, even when they have so much else to focus on, from Bill’s wedding to fighting in the war against Lord Voldemort. Similarly, when we see that our loved ones have thought of us, even when they didn’t have to, we feel that they are there for us. We see through their actions that they take us into consideration when making decisions and make sure to include us in their lives.
Soon after his seventeenth birthday, Harry must take another step into the unknown. He knows that is about to face the most difficult challenge of his life, that of finding and destroying all of Lord Voldemort’s horcruxes and then killing Voldemort himself, and his friends prove loyal once more. Ron and Hermione go with him on his journey, even though the odds against them are great, because they know that it is important to stop Voldemort and to help their friend in any way they can. They are not sure what to do, and they fight along the way, but in the end, they succeed. Harry’s love of his friends provides a great foundation in his life, and because of them, he is strong enough to face any unknown and face any danger. We seek in our lives stability and comfort like what Harry finds with his friends. The people who we love become trusted individuals who will be there for us in the confusing times, so that we can explore the world and face difficult challenges with loved ones by our side. Although the challenges we face are not battles against the most evil wizard who ever lived, our friends can be just as important to us as Harry’s friends are to him.
An idea developed throughout the series is the question of how a person reacts to the unknown or to new ideas or people. The way a person reacts to these situations shows a lot about who they are. Lord Voldemort is afraid of the unknown, and his actions are partly a manifestation of these fears, as he seeks immortality out of fear of death. As Dumbledore wisely points out to Harry, “There is nothing to be feared from a body, Harry, any more than there is anything to be feared from the darkness. Lord Voldemort, who of course secretly fears both, disagrees. But once again he reveals his own lack of wisdom. It is the unknown we fear when we look upon death and darkness, nothing more.”[5] Lord Voldemort’s fears control him. His obsession with preventing death turns him into a being that is not fully human anymore. He is filled with hatred for anyone who is not a pure-blood witch or wizard, not realizing that there are good people in all groups. Instead of taking the time to learn more about life and realizing that it is filled with great mystery and new knowledge, he seeks only power to control lives. He is too afraid of uncertainties to place great trust in anyone other than himself or to love another person. In trying to prevent himself from facing the difficulties and uncertainties of life, he also loses out on the good parts of life — the love, happiness and friendship. Harry, in not being afraid of the unknown, experiences both the horrible and wonderful parts of life. He knows the pain of losing loved ones and of feeling betrayed, but he also knows the joys of having friends and of believing that the world can be a better place. As Harry gets older, he must face danger time and time again, as he finds his way not just to adulthood but also to a level of maturity that he needs in order to do the right thing. He must face his fears and find courage. Because he has lived his life in a way that has caused him to experience both horror and happiness, he knows that it is possible and morally right to take actions that would lessen the horror and increase the happiness in others people’s lives. As Dumbledore says to Harry in the train station to the afterlife, after Harry has sacrificed himself to make Lord Voldemort mortal once more, “By returning, you may ensure that fewer souls are maimed, fewer families are torn apart. If that seems to you a worthy goal, then we say good-bye for the present.”[6] Harry can face the uncertainty of death and the uncertainty of returning once again to the bloody battlefield because he knows that there can be good in life and believes that creating a future with more justice, happiness, friendship, and love in the lives of others is worth dying for and fighting for. In our own lives, we experience sorrow and joy, comfort and pain, enmity and friendship when we open up our minds and hearts to the world around us. No matter the bad parts of life, we know that the good parts are worth preserving and sharing with others.
When we reach milestones like birthdays, it is important to look both into the past and look forward to our future. We find that if we have spent our time acting in a way that has made life better for those around us, the day is all the more meaningful and can provide us with the encouragement to take moral actions in the future.
Happy Birthday to J. K. Rowling and Harry Potter!
References
[1] http://www.mugglenet.com/jkr/biography.shtml
[2] http://www.hp-encyclopedia.com/characters.php?page=harry
[3] Rowling, J. K. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. New York: Arthur A Levine Books an imprint of Scholastic, 1997, pg 51.
ISBN: 0-590-35340-3
[4] Rowling, J. K. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. New York: Arthur A. Levine Books an imprint of Scholastic, 2007, pg 114.
ISBN: 978-0-545-01022-1
[5] Rowling, J. K. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. New York: Arthur A. Levine Books an imprint of Scholastic, 2005, pg. 566.
ISBN: 0-439-79132-4
[6] Rowling, J. K. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. New York: Arthur A. Levine Books an imprint of Scholastic, 2007, pg 722.
ISBN: 978-0-545-01022-1
Skepticon 4: 19 – 20 November 2011
The Midwest's Largest Skeptic Conference Springfield, Missouri
-
Recent Comments at The Eternal Bookshelf
Mugglenet- Emma Watson states 'Reality TV' helped her prepare for 'The Bling Ring' 2012/05/29Emma Watson is in this week's issue of Entertainment Weekly in which she described how she prepared for the role of Sofia Coppola's film The Bling Ring. Emma stated, "I just watched a ton of reality TV. I was doing an English course [at Brown University]. So I would go from reading Virginia Woolf to [watching] Kim Kardashian. I kind of loved i […]
- Mashable: MuggleNet top 'Magical Real-World Creation Inspired by Potter' 2012/05/29Earlier this week, Mashable rolled out their 5 Magical Real-World Creations Inspired by Harry Potter, and coming in at No. 2 on the list was MuggleNet! The top spot went to Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans, which you can purchase courtesy of Jelly Belly. "While not featured in the books or films, MuggleNet is an important part of the Harry Potter experie […]
- MuggleNet offering chance to cover Grand Opening of 'Harry Potter: The Exhibition' in Singapore 2012/05/29If you live in Singapore and would like a press pass to attend the Grand Opening of the Harry Potter: The Exhibition, then MuggleNet is looking for you! We will provide one press pass to a qualified Harry Potter fan, to cover and report on the Grand Opening event, which is scheduled to take place on Friday, June 1st at 2:30PM. If you feel you are able to cov […]
- MuggleNet Interactive hosts summer trivia-based Quidditch Tournament 2012/05/29The sixth annual SNITCH Quidditch Tournament begins in just under one week on MuggleNet Interactive, as the top Quidditch teams from across the world prepare to claim the prized Quidditch Trophy. If you haven't checked out Quidditch on MNI - no, it's sadly not a game of taking off from the ground on broomsticks. But there are Chasers, Beaters, Keep […]
- Pottermore Insider updates progress on 'Chamber of Secrets' 2012/05/29The Pottermore Insider was recently updated to show current progress on releasing Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets on the Interactive website. From the Insider: Chamber of Secrets update: This week, we're in the sound studio recording audio for the Chamber of Secrets Moments. We're also working on Chapter Three, The Burrow, and Chapter Seven […]
- Order your yearly subscription to Quidditch Quarterly for all your Muggle Quidditch news 2012/05/29Looking to own a piece of Muggle Quidditch history? Then order a year long subscription to the International Quidditch Association's magazine: Quidditch Quarterly. Quidditch Quarterly is the only magazine dedicated to the real-life sport of quidditch and the official publication of the International Quidditch Association. QQ is a 60-page full-color maga […]
- Olympic Quidditch teams jerseys available for purchase now - go support your country! 2012/05/29The sport of Muggle Quidditch is growing increasingly popular around the world and this has never been more evident than with the upcoming exhibition matches that are taking place at the 2012 Summer Olympic Torch Ceremony in Oxford, London this July. At this time, four countries will be represented for this incredible honor: Team UK, Team USA, Team Australia […]
- MuggleNet presents: a fan written guide to Harry Potter conventions 2012/05/29Summer is rapidy approaching, and that can mean only one thing: the time for the ever-popular Harry Potter conventions is drawing near. Our newest submission from resident editorialist hpboy13 features a comprehensive guide to attending these conventions. If you've never attenteded a Harry Potter convention before - or if you would just like to learn mo […]
- Untitled 2012/05/29This past week thousands of fans around the world picked up their copy of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone and rediscovered the very old magic of the book series. We watched as Harry was sorted into Gryffindor - "not Slytherin, not Slytherin!" - and then we all got a crash course in Transfiguration, where we discovered it was possible to […]
- Memorial Day Sale at WB Shop - Save up to 60% on 'Harry Potter' merchandise 2012/05/29The WB Shop has a Memorial Day savings event going on right now through Monday, May 28th, which will allow you to save up to 60% on selected items, including Harry Potter Blu-ray and DVD purchases. Some of the select items on sale include: Save $5 on All Adult Shirts Save $5 on All iPhone Cases Save 20% on Personalized Hogwarts Acceptance Letters Save 15% on […]
- Emma Watson states 'Reality TV' helped her prepare for 'The Bling Ring' 2012/05/29
