| Submit your comments on this article |
| Home Front: Culture Wars |
| Harry Potter and the Global War on Terror |
| 2007-07-21 |
| Jim Pinkerton, Charleston Daily Mail . . . "Order of the Phoenix" echoes World War II: As in 1930s Europe, evil forces are gathering in Harry's world, just as he himself is growing into duty-minded manhood. "If Voldemort is building up an army," the teenager says, "then I want to fight." Yet a key character in the film, evocatively named Cornelius Fudge, is too blind to see the looming danger. As Ty Burr, film critic for The Boston Globe, explains: Fudge ends up "looking very much like the Neville Chamberlain of this fictional universe." Chamberlain, of course, was the British prime minister who thought he could "appease" Hitler and so avoid war. Ever since, Chamberlain has epitomized myopia and weakness -- in contrast to his far-seeing and stouthearted successor, Winston Churchill. So now we can see why "Potter" does so well: It appeals to multiple audiences. Kids can enjoy all the magic and special effects, even as older audiences -- including the youngsters who have been growing up in the real world, alongside Harry in his reel world -- can appreciate the larger meanings and historical parallels. Today, in 2007, we are in a war. Several wars, in fact, from Afghanistan to Iraq -- to wherever in the world a terrorist might be lurking. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., is correct when he says, as part of his presidential stump speech, that we must confront, whether we want to or not, "the transcendent challenge of our time, which is the struggle against radical Islamic extremists." At some level, all Americans, even the young ‘uns, understand the truth in McCain's words. It's possible to argue the strategy and tactics of -- and even the most apt name for -- "The Global War on Terror." It's even possible to argue over the origins of the current war, whether Sept. 11, for instance, was an unprovoked attack, or "blowback" from past American policies. But what's not possible to dispute is that we are in a war now. There are people around the world who are waking up every morning determined to kill us. . . . When kids see "Harry Potter," they should be thinking first about defending their country, and their civilization, against evildoers wielding weapons of mass destruction. . . . |
| Posted by:Mike |
| #10 the books are about universal good vs evil. It's not just a WW2 metaphor. If your kids read it, they may get a another excellent good vs evil reference? Wow! that would be terrible, wouldn't it? It doesn't make readers cultists, like the Quran, it's FICTION with a good lesson, unlike the Quran |
| Posted by: Frank G 2007-07-21 20:15 |
| #9 I almost seems childish to me that adult writers, no matter how exceptional they write, need to go back to WW2 for material for the broad picture of good vs. evil. These are the times. Now. The WW2 era was just a dress rehearsal. Oh, the big bombs were invented then, but now when we know the awful power of nuclear weapons, and still evil marches toward world domination in the face of such power. Not an evil which believed in simple superiority, but todays evil embraces death before life, death as a means to glory and victory, death as the goal. Today, either evil wins, and all good men die, or good wins and all evil men die. |
| Posted by: wxjames 2007-07-21 19:35 |
| #8 No wait, thatn was a differnt moviei |
| Posted by: Himmler the WonderTyper 2007-07-21 18:18 |
| #7 De ship sinks. |
| Posted by: Himmler the WonderTyper 2007-07-21 18:18 |
| #6 I wouldn't dare! |
| Posted by: Frank G 2007-07-21 15:10 |
| #5 Agreed, Frank. Just got my copy a few minutes ago, but can't get started on it until tomorrow unfortunately. So please don't give away the ending! |
| Posted by: lotp 2007-07-21 14:03 |
| #4 Dumbledore's voice carried no hint of a threat; it sounded like a mere statement, but Fudge bristled as though Dumbledore were advancing on him with a wand. "Now see here, Dumbledore," he said, waving a threatening finger. "I've given you free rein, always. I've had a lot of repect for you. I might not have always agreed with your decisions, but I've kept quiet. There aren't many who'd have let you hire werewolves, or keep Hagrid, or decide what to teach your students without reference to the Ministry. But if you're going to work against me --" "The only one against whom I intend to work," said Dumbledore, "is Lord Voldemort. If you are against him, then we remain, Cornelius, on the same side." Excerpt from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by JK Rowling, Scholastic Press, 2000. (Page 709) Note: I went back to read this passage in the awful days following September 11 |
| Posted by: Seafarious 2007-07-21 13:29 |
| #3 Kids can enjoy all the magic and special effects, even as older audiences -- including the youngsters who have been growing up in the real world, alongside Harry in his reel world -- can appreciate the larger meanings and historical parallels. Um, no. If this were true, the Potter series would be a lot less popular (with adults). Far too many adults seem determined not to see any historical parallels with the Nazis, unless they're looking at George Bush. |
| Posted by: Angie Schultz 2007-07-21 13:24 |
| #2 saw Order of the Phoenix last weekend. Dark, like the book, and excellent. Read all the books - Getting my new Potter book via Amazon today, so I may not be on the Burg much this weekend :-) Pinkerton can be a real tool sometimes, but he's on the mark here |
| Posted by: Frank G 2007-07-21 12:51 |
| #1 I have read that series and I agree that there are many parallels between the Death Eaters and the Nazis. One thing especially stands out - while the element of magic is fantasy, the moral choices which the main characters make are consistently realistic and positive. |
| Posted by: Grumenk Philalzabod0723 2007-07-21 12:32 |