Wednesday, July 27, 2005
Over the past few days I have been rereading the sixth Harry Potter book and, as usual, noticed some things I missed the first time around. The first thing was a possible political allegory. It seems to be cropping up a lot--whether in Star Wars or what have you. The Ministry of Magic, at war with the Dark Wizards, hunts down and arrests three suspects who turn out to be innocent but whom the Ministry continues to hold because they do not wish to be seen to be incompetent. Naturally, some liberals and defensive conservatives, will read this as a response to the British and American governments' detainment of terror suspects. They could be right, given the author's British background, but somehow I just can't equivocate the bumbling idiot Fudge and his Auror friends who detain people unawares just to be seen to be doing something about Voldemort to Bush and Blair. It was, after all, the Ministry who refused to believe Voldemort was back in book 5 until he appeared right in their headquarters. That sounds more like the Left, refusing to believe terrorists are guilty until they're caught detonating an atomic bomb in Manhattan and the pompous, incompetent Fudge more an allegory for Jacques Chirac than for George Bush.
I still don't know what I think about the final scene in which Snape murders Dumbledore, proving that Harry was right and everyone else was wrong. Kids already think they're misunderstood; I don't know that it's a good idea to reinforce that thought. But you've got to wonder: what did Jesus' disciples think when one of His own friends betrayed him to His death? Had any of them ever wondered why Judas was allowed to be in the band when he seemed more like a Death Eater? Had any of them ever warned Jesus that Judas was stealing the money he was supposed to be guarding and suggested he be thrown out? Had Jesus ever told them, "I trust Judas"? Maybe or maybe not. And I'm not sure, until Book 7 hits the stores, what the aftermath of Dumbledore's death will be. I just think there might be parallels.
As a side note, this country is way too obsessed with shuttles launches.
I still don't know what I think about the final scene in which Snape murders Dumbledore, proving that Harry was right and everyone else was wrong. Kids already think they're misunderstood; I don't know that it's a good idea to reinforce that thought. But you've got to wonder: what did Jesus' disciples think when one of His own friends betrayed him to His death? Had any of them ever wondered why Judas was allowed to be in the band when he seemed more like a Death Eater? Had any of them ever warned Jesus that Judas was stealing the money he was supposed to be guarding and suggested he be thrown out? Had Jesus ever told them, "I trust Judas"? Maybe or maybe not. And I'm not sure, until Book 7 hits the stores, what the aftermath of Dumbledore's death will be. I just think there might be parallels.
As a side note, this country is way too obsessed with shuttles launches.
// posted by The Pendragon @ 6:51 AM 
