Harry Potter fans anticipating the July 21st release of the last and seventh book in the series might enjoy (not quite the right word) this piece about whether or not the great boy wizard should sacrifice himself for the wellbeing of others in this upcoming volume. Will Rowling ultimately resort to Christian metaphor? Is that too predictable a plot twist? An excerpt:
Thus, it’s significant that Rowling — in an early interview with a Canadian newspaper — noted that she is, in fact, a Christian. “Every time I’ve been asked if I believe in God, I’ve said, ‘yes,’ because I do. But no one ever really has gone any more deeply into it than that and, I have to say that does suit me. … If I talk too freely about that, I think the intelligent reader — whether 10 or 60 — will be able to guess what is coming in the books.”
Also, Rowling has acknowledged the influence of beloved Christian works like the seven-volume “The Chronicles of Narnia” by C.S. Lewis and “The Lord of the Rings” cycle by J.R.R. Tolkien. Both of these fantasy classics, noted Tobias, feature endings that combine death and rebirth, along with the bittersweet passing of a magical age.
“Part of being a hero is to have a great love and to be willing to make a great sacrifice for that love,” he said. “It seems to me that Harry Potter has been walking down that same road. … It’s just hard to see him going home and settling down. He’s been through too much.”