It should be of no surprise, least of all to myself, that the news.com.au article “Harry’s magic wearing thin” is the type of article that inspires incomprehensible rage within the consciousness of the average Harry Potter fan. New.com.au is rarely a good example of outstanding journalism (C’mon people, have you been reading your Brisbane Times?), and this article further castigates it as one way to erode your brain synapses. I’d hate to think that this article got printed and that valuable forests are being cut down to perpetuate this trash.
Back on topic, I will admit that I’m a massive fan of the series. I was once cynical Potter heathen, but delved into the series on the basis of curiosity, and voila - hooked, line and sinker.
With that disclaimer acknowledged, and despite my obvious bias, there are a lot of problems with Emma Macdonald’s analysis of Harry Potter and her sketchy inferences to the moral degeneration of the characters and plotline. My dear, there are bigger moral evils to fry that any that might be hidden between the lines of Rowling’s FICTIONAL STORIES.
The first example shows McDonald’s ignorance of the storyline and casts doubts over whether she has read them at all.
“Recent Potter books are full of loopy people with no idea of right and wrong (and not just the baddies). Hagrid, who originally rescued Harry from his miserable life with the Dursleys and whom Ron and Hermione also liked, is suddenly portrayed as a dubious character they now shun for no apparent reason.”
Eh? Harry, Ron and Hermione shunning Hagrid for no apparent reason? Evidence please!
“Also, what example are the recent books showing children? Hermione, already clever, uses a “time-turner” to get extra minutes for school work and performs a spell to shorten her teeth, while another girl puts a magic love potion in Harry’s “chocolate cauldrons” to make him invite her to a dance. It’s as if Potter author J.K. Rowling is insinuating that cheating, plastic surgery and spiking drinks is acceptable.”
That’s a fairly dubious inference. As a rather sensational comparison, another fictional story states that it is perfectly acceptable for God to destroy entire civilisations, murder innocent people, and “purge the world of sinners”. And, golly! This is the basis of the moral values for the majority of the people of the planet! I don’t remember Rowling’s protagonists ever justifying genocide as the right thing to do. Really, Rowling’s books are quite tame in comparison to some biblical stories.
I also like how the news.com.au article made a special mention of the alleged qualifications of the article’s writer, as if it gives more credence to the message. It’s tempting to quote Bill Hick’s views on children, but in this instance I’ll refrain.
