Maritza Cantu Composition November 28, 2001 Harry Potter's Battle Against Evil There is a popular preconception in Christian society that the words "witchcraft," "wizard," and "magic" fall under a veil of demoniac influence. This hasty bias is usually the source of many misunderstandings and misgivings in popular culture. In 1997, the first installment of a seven part series of books was released in the United States. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone was a hit among children, teens, and adults alike. The latest volume, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, has become the fastest-selling book in publishing history. Coincidentally, the Christian Community reputed the books a threat to religious morality as their popularity skyrocketed. They claimed that because of the series' heavy concentration on magic, children were being led to occultism and devil-worship. In reality, this claim is based solely upon the books' use of the words "witchcraft," "wizard," and "magic." These words are simply taken out of context, and responded to with detrimental criticism. Harry Potter does not lure its readers to Satanism or witchcraft; it is nothing more than a tale of fantasy and adventure. A major determinant of the controversy surrounding the Harry Potter series is ignorance. The pre-judgments impressed by the critics are mainly a result of their narrow-mindedness. Ironically, most of them have not taken the time to sit and read the series in its entirety. The books were published by Scholastica children's book company. Each book is written with a reading level for children in the third grade. Surely, any adult willing to expand their limits and be a little more open-minded would not object to reading through the books. However, it is much more convenient to jump to the conclusion that the tales are evil rather than trying to interpret their true meaning. Generation after generation of children have been exposed to stories involving magic. If Harry Potter is to be reputed for introducing children to witchcraft, so should the numerous other fairy tales given to children worldwide. Fairy tales such as Cinderella and The Sword in the Stone both contain magic in some form, but are never reputed to allure people to evil. Rumpelstiltskin, Aladdin, Snow White, and Sleeping Beauty are popular fairy tales containing magical themes. However, none of these have come under controversy for these themes. Perhaps the Potter books' surpassing popularity is the reason they have been singled out for criticism. Many times, critics tend to overlook any good in whatever they rebuke. Throughout the series of Potter books, one major theme is conveyed: Love conquers all evil. How can a theme of love overpowering evil compel people to embrace evil, satanic morals? The Harry Potter books in no way denounce God, nor portray evil as righteous. No incantations are directly written and followed step by step. No spells are used to conjure demons or devils. Just as any other story line with the theme of "good vs. bad," Harry Potter constantly strives to overcome the "bad" characters he encounters. Despite the truth behind many Christian beliefs, there are certain cases where they're wrong. The Harry Potter series will not produce a generation of Satanists. They are purely fantastical books written for enjoyment and entertainment. Children will not be led astray by words or phrases found in these books. People need to learn to be open-minded to new things, not shut them off automatically because of their popularity. In the end, children will rebel; they will want to do what people fear. |