Author Insight: Richard Abanes on Fantasy, Part 2
Richard Abanes, author of The Truth Behind the Da Vinci Code and One Nation Under Gods: A History of the Mormon Church, has written a new book focusing on popular fascination with fantasy in books and movies, Harry Potter, Narnia, and The Lord of the Rings(Harvest House, 2005). Part 1 was posted last week.
What do you think about Christians who say Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling is writing in the same vein as C.S. Lewis [Narnia] and J.R.R. Tolkien [Lord of the Rings]?
That’s absolutely false. Absolutely false. For example, [these reviewers] are real big on symbolism. And they say, “This symbol is really a reference to Jesus or is really a reference to the Father or is really a reference to maybe the atonement.” Well, who would know better whether that’s so? J. K. Rowling. So I hunted down, out of dozens and dozens of interviews, what she said about this symbolism, about that theme. What did she say about this character? When you read what she says, they have nothing to do with Christianity. Nothing at all. These other people who are trying to make them Christian are ignoring what she’s saying. And I don’t think that’s fair to her. I don’t think it’s fair to the books. I don’t think it’s fair to Lewis and Tolkien, who really did write from a Christian perspective.
So are the Christians simply engaging in wishful thinking?
I think it’s wishful thinking and selective choosing of facts. For example, you can have someone pick a symbol. These people pick a symbol in Harry Potter and say, “See, this was a symbol for Christ in the Middle Ages.” Is that true? Yes. But it was also a symbol for 10 other things throughout history. And it was a symbol used in pagan lore and witchcraft. So in the context of the story of Harry Potter, you need to allow those symbols to fit into what the backdrop is.
What is going on culturally if people persist in taking that approach? Is it just a desire to be hip?
It is a deep desire to not be viewed as some backward, Bible-thumping fundamentalist wacko. They’re trying to blend in with society, blend in with culture so intensely that they are allowing themselves to not really look at the facts as they stand. And it’s unfortunate because, again, you can’t just make things up as you’re going along.
Whether they are Hindus, astrologers, or even advancers of homosexuality in the church, . . . everyone wants to raise his banner and say, “Harry Potter is really talking about us.” That’s the danger with symbology. It can be made to read anything. That’s why we have to go back to J. K. Rowling, to what has she said, to find the context, and judge it that way.
What about a mature Christian adult picking up Harry Potter and reading it either for entertainment or just to figure out what it’s all about? Do you have any problem with that?
No, have a good time. That’s part of our Christian freedom. My primary concern is not to tell people what they can and cannot read or to ban books or to burn books. I’m just trying to say, “When it comes to your kids—parents, child care workers, church youth pastors—be careful, know what’s in the books, know what’s not in the books, and then make a good decision about specific children.” Studies show young kids are very, very much affected by what they see and hear. Make sure you know what you’re introducing them to before you do so.
posted by Stan Guthrie at 6:00 AM
StanGuthrie.com
6 Comments:
Abanes underscores Andy Crouch's point in the latest CT, by evaluating Rowling's work by what has said about in interviews. Since she's not as outspoken about her faith (she's part of the church of Scotland), he disputes any Christian themes in the books. Rowling has not denied her book are influenced by faith--she's not explicitly claimed they are either. The most recent reference I could find was in Time, when she was asked about faith and HP, and said, "it's not like Dumbledore is Jesus", which is a wonderful bit of misdirection on her part. In her books, Dumbeldore isn't the Jesus figure. Harry is--(and his mother was as well).
"Writing in the same vein" is an interesting phrase and could be a sticking point. Both Lewis and Tolkein were more open about their faith and how it influenced their work, so far Rowling has been been cagey in giving anything away. She's been very clear that she was influenced by Lewis, though.
On the surface, I see more Christian themes in Rowling than in Tolkein. In his book, does Abanes address the topic of Christian themes in Tolkein in detail, to contrast with Rowling's approach? Or does he rely on Tolkein's faith, which is well known. (Stephen King, for example, wrote an essay about LOTR--the essay appears in a reprinting of Salem's Lot--in which he interprets LOTR as a reworking of Bram Stoker's Dracula)
There are a few disadvantages in evaluating Rowling at this point -- we don't know how her story ends, and we don't know much about her. She's much more reclusive than either Lewis or Tolkein, who carried on their work at Oxford while writing, while she's hounded by the press, and has the electronic media to worry about--24/7 television, the internet, etc.
Lastly, I wonder how Abanes would see Tolkein without the influence of Lewis--part of the affection for Tolkein, I think, and the reason evangelicals will give him a hearing, is because he played a major role in bringing lewis to faith. Tolkein, you coud say, gave us Lewis, and our love for Lewis makes Tolkein OK.
Not sure how you can see more Christian themes in HP than in LOTR. The latter was instrumental in my youthful search for God, and in fact I wrote a high school paper on all the Christian themes I suddenly discovered in Tolkien--the books are saturated with them. No one told me about them. I don't think you can say the same for HP.
Regarding Andy's provocative column, I have a hard time seeing how Tolkien and Lewis have lost their power to reach today's audiences, since book sales continue to boom, and the stories have been made into major motion pictures.
Your (and Andy's) argument is basically from silence. That's not very strong. If what Rowling does say contradicts the Christian approach your are hoping for, then I think we need to go by what she has said, not what she has not said.
All that aside, HP may be very good literature, regardless of whether or how much it upholds Christian values. I think all Rich Abanes is saying is that parents and youth leaders can't simply assume this literature is good for all kids and should take the time to critically evaluate it before passing it on.
Stan
I don't think Lewis and Tolkein have lost their power, at least in the US. Lewis is not as big a star in the UK, and I don't know about Tolkein. Crouch's line about the old man's stories having lost their power to charm is referring to the UK, though he could have been clearer.
We're going to have to have coffee or lunch sometime and talk about Tolkein and Potter. My point wasn't that there's no Christian themes in LOTR, but to my eye, they are under the surface --there's no Aslan in LOTR; it's not a "what if Jesus was a Lion" story the way the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe is. HP is much like LOTR in that regard.
Does Abanes provide evidence that 1) Rowling is not a believer, or 2) that Christian themes are not in the book? That would be something new. Otherwise he's arguing from silence.
Potter has Christian themes from the beginning--the greatest evil in the world is defeated by a baby; a mother gives her life to save her son's, her sacrifice proving stronger than death (and Rowling's been clear in interviews that HP's mother could have saved herself and willingly gave herself for her son.) In fact, when Dumbledore explains to Harry about his mother's sacrifice, he talks about "deep magic" --the same deep magic that's in Narnia. In the last 2-3 books, Rowling's made it clear that Lord V's evil is fueled by his fear of death.
Crouch was making a point-- I think--that people in the UK needed Potter in a way that we in the US do not.
Interesting.... But I don't see how Rich is arguing from silence if he is quoting Rowling. You seem to be the one doing that, since you admit JKR has been pretty cagey in her answers. You're also asking RA to prove two negatives--not an easy task!
In any event, I'm sure all this speculation and argument among Christians can only help sales! ; )
Hey, in college I played D&D, too (even as a Christian, though I would not recommend that to others). Anyway, thanks for the input, Andy (and for the clarification on your column). I think it's healthy for Christians to examine these things. We don't have to agree, but it is good to look at things critically, which is what I think RA is trying to do here.
Greetings all, Rich Abanes here. Allow me to make a clarification. There ARE Chrisian themes/symbols in Harry Potter, as I mention in my book—just as their are occult themes/symbols, pagan themes/symbols, mythology themese/symbols. ROwling has produced an entirely eclectic work—NOT a Christian work. Moreover, even the so-called "Christian" symbols can double (even triple) as other symbols.
Also, much of this "Harry-Potter-is-Really-Christian argument is based on absurd assumptions and interpretations (read John Granger) that are invented in direct contradiction to what Rowling herself has explicitly stated (e.g., the oriin of Harry's name, the theme of her books, etc etc etc). To contradict the author's own explanations and interpretations of her own tales is silly.
And as for Rowling's faith, I do indeed discuss that in my book—sans refernece to the very public fact that for about a year she flaunted an adulterous relationship with the man eventually became her husband. Hmmm, I just can't see that being very consistent with a Christian testimony. She also has advocated, on more than one occasion, how great/fun taking "revenge" can be. She has even recommended/praised the resoundingly anti-Christian books of Philip Pullman (His Dark Materials), saying that they are ideal reading for kids. Really? The writings of the anti-Lewis are ideal for kids? This all sounds rather un-Christian to me.
The HP books are basically an eclectic mixture of symbols and themes from all over the literary map. And it is all against the backdrop of real-world occultism, not any kind of biblical worldview.
Just my added 2 cents.
Richard Abanes
Post a Comment
<< Home