Comments on: Of Boggarts

By: Al

Al — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 21:54:50 +0000

Peter,

Great to hear from you! Hope that you are doing well at the moment. I have just added your travelblog.

Blessings,
Alastair

By: Peter Shack

Peter Shack — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 19:01:32 +0000

Al,
I have really been enjoying reading your posts. I have yet to delve into the world of Harry Potter. I would need a full month with no obligations to get through the whole series. I am lost to the world when in a book.
Take care,
Peter Shack
PS You have my permission to replace Education by Wonder with our travelblog

By: Karan

Karan — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 22:53:21 +0000

You said exactly what I felt but not had the eloquence to phrase. C.S. Lewis always does this to me also. I’m so glad there are people who can express what I feel when I can’t!

By: More Harry Potter? « Reflections of a Sojourner

More Harry Potter? « Reflections of a Sojourner — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 18:42:53 +0000

[...] Alastair, Of Boggarts [...]

By: Jeffrey Steel

Jeffrey Steel — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 18:05:58 +0000

Al,

I need to contact you. It looks like I am transferring to St. Andrews to finish the PhD since my supervisor is moving there. Though, I will remain living in Durham since I am in my parish working. Can you contact me on my email with your phone number?

jeffrey[dot]steel1@btinternet.com

By: J.R.R., C.S., and J.K.? « Uber Goober

J.R.R., C.S., and J.K.? « Uber Goober — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 00:35:56 +0000

[...] August 7th, 2007 Read Al Roberts on Harry Potter, Christians and literature. Posted in Uncategorized | [...]

By: Al

Al — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 17:00:43 +0000

Great post! Thanks for linking to it.

By: The Scylding

The Scylding — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 16:50:03 +0000

Alastair,

Having finished HP7 last night, I posted a short comment on my blog - http://scyldingsinthemeadhall.blogspot.com/2007/08/hope-against-all-hope.html - for what it is worth.

By: The Boar’s Head Tavern »

The Boar’s Head Tavern » — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 14:20:26 +0000

[...] Alastair writes on “Boggarts.” Good post on Christians and fiction. Posted by: Michael Spencer @ 10:19 am | Trackback | Permalink [...]

By: Al

Al — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 21:24:14 +0000

Julana,

You are quite right about the dark parts of the books. A number of the later books seem to be written with more of a teens and young adult readership in mind. I would not recommend them to younger readers without adult supervision.

Your observation about Rowling’s attention to the marginalized and oppressed is a good one. Rowling is very much a postmodern author in this respect, acutely aware of the silencing of the ‘other’ and also aware of how even ‘good’ characters are complicit in and unwittingly sustain oppressive social structures. The books display a moral vision of some clarity, whilst having characters with a far greater degree of moral complexity than most children’s books. The line between good and evil runs through all the characters and not just between them.