THOMAS FLEMING: SLYTHERIN TOWARDS GOMORRAH? (A Review of Harry Potter)

Chronicles: A Magazine of American Culture ^ | 12/04/01 | Thomas Fleming

[ouroboros]

bump

[Arkinsaw]

I was expecting another anti-Potter screed but am pleasantly suprised at a well thought out and presented literary criticism. Amazing.

I like the Potter books....as fluffy nonsense. Fluffy nonsense is fun sometimes, like cotton candy. I think the author of this piece is pretty close to the mark.

Good post.

[junta]

accurate

[Dr. Eckleburg]

Rowling's inability to understand evil.

Wrong. She understands evil quite well, thank you. And she litters her prose with allusions to it constantly.

Her "Vlabatsky/Blavatsky" anagram is a good example. Recently, I've read that both Charlie Manson and John Hinkley often read the writings of New York theosophist, H.P. Blavatsky.

Rowling keeps fine company, as do the children who read this crap.

[Dr. Eckleburg]

Cotton candy rots your teeth. But dentists love it.

[Texaggie79]

Ohh, a potter thread, this is bound to get over 500 posts!

[ouroboros]

Nice graphic (You have seen the HUGE HONKING GRAPH though, right?). BTW, it's havin' not hav'in. The "e" is already gone so the ' should replace the "g".

[Theresa]

"Wrong. She understands evil quite well, thank you. And she litters her prose with allusions to it constantly."

So? The battle between good and evil is what makes a story a story. What do you want in a story, a battle between good and good? Except for the movie Easy Rider, I have never read, or heard a story that did not have good guys and bad guys.

[Theresa]

She understands evil quite well,

How would you know unless you understand it yourself?

[Texaggie79]

Why are you telling me that? I pu havin'

[homeschool mama]

bump <><

[redrock]

Harry Potter.......much ado about nothing.

Although it always seems there has to be some 'do-gooder' telling you what you can or can't do.....

redrock--Constitutional Terrorist

[nopardons]

Have you ever read Blavaysky's books ? Just WHAT do you know about theosophy ? Apparently NOTHING, if you can find it in any of the HP books.

Sodom and Gomorrh were destroyed becuase of sexual practices ( supposedly ) and inhopitality. Neither of which make an appearence in any HP book or film.

Have YOU persinally, at ANY time, been read / have read any fairy tales ? Have you ever read ANY books on / about the KIng Arthur legends ? Have you seen any of the movies or T.V. shows about Arthur ? Have you ever read " THE WATER BABIES ", " THE WIZARD OF OZ ", " THE ODESSEY ", or seen movies about any of these things ? Hmmmmmmmmm ? How about Shakespeare's plays ? Coe on, tell us ; inquiring minds want to know.

[ouroboros]

Why are you telling me that? I pu havin'

Oh, that's so uncool. You know you just changed it at the source.

[Texaggie79]

I think you might need to get some sleep ;-)

[tpaine]

We all need a rest.

From you.

[Texaggie79]

Why do you try to group yourself with the rest of the decent FReepers?

Outkast ain't just a good rapper.

[Dr. Eckleburg]

I think I understand evil. It's not such a hard concept to grasp. Any 10-year-old child who can read the Bible knows what evil is.

Unlike Rowling, who also understands evil, I would hope I do not advocate it; promulgate it; toy with it; advance it; embellish it; or disquise it as children's literature.

[Dr. Eckleburg]

You obviously missed Robin Williams in "Popeye."