Harry Potter, Christ figure?

            

Through the release of her first novel of the Potter series (Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s stone) J.K. Rowling sparked an international Pottermania craze. The Potter series brought people together in a large international and informal community.  Despite the large fandom, J.K. Rowling’s internationally popular phenomenon was critiqued and viewed with skepticism by various groups. In particular, religious sects reacted negatively towards the Harry Potter series due to the dominant role of magic within the series. Magic is associated with occult activities and it has been argued that such references would encourage impressionable children to participate in similar behavior. Religious conservatives felt Rowling’s stories encouraged children to embrace witchcraft. The fallout from this controversy included lawsuits, book burnings, campaigns, book bans in school environments and the American Library Association to place the series on the banned books list.

With the release of the final novel in the series, underlying Christian themes and imagery unfolded. After years of averting questions on whether Christian themes were present in the Potter series, Rowling affirmed the Christian allegory in her final book Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. It has been argued Potter is treated as a Messianic figure as he dies a sacrificial death, is tortured using the Cruciatus curse, and has an afterlife experience at “King’s Cross.” Potter resurrects and triumphs over Voldemort. Upon considering these parallels many Christians question whether Rowling crafted the Harry Potter story according to the Passion and death of Christ. But is Harry Potter representative of a Christ figure?

Using Kozlovic’s 25 structural characteristics of the cinematic Christ-figure as a framework, Harry Potter can be identified as a Christ-like figure. Potter displays Savior qualities every time he defends the wizard world from the evil (Devil figure) Voldemort. Harry Potter sacrifices his own life in order to save the world (which occurs on multiple occasions, and by doing so, he is able to destroy the evil wizard). In comparison to Christ’s scars on his hand and feet, Potter has a scar on his forehead as he withstood the killing curse (and temporarily defeats Voldemort). As described by Kozlovic, Christ-figures in films are simple, generally distinguished by a lack of wealth. Harry Potter is raised in humble circumstances. After the death of his wizard parents he lives under the stairs of the Dursley’s. Harry also has the physical traits of a Christ figure as argued by Kozlovic- the blue eyes.                 

                                             

Another common identifier as described by Kozlovic is a decisive death and resurrection. Potter spends three days in a coma after battling Voldemort. Potter is the object of Voldemort’s wrath and attention in comparison to Christ who is the object of Satan’s wrath. Harry descends into the Chamber of Secrets, and endures the Cruciatus Curse (pain and suffering paralleled with Christ enduring suffering on the cross).

Upon considering these factors and drawing upon discussion on this topic from a course I took last year, I can’t help but question whether young Christian readers easily identify Harry Potter as a Christ figure or simply a fictional character that engages in magical quests and combats? I also question whether the intended young audience can easily identify argued symbols, signs and metaphors present in the Harry Potter series as allusions and aspects of the Christian gospel message?