April 6, 2018 at 1:53 p.m.
SPA CATHOLIC
Saratoga seniors find Catholic connections in Harry Potter novel
Saratoga seniors find Catholic connections in Harry Potter novel
The seniors in Erin Crowther's English class studied "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone," the first in a series of best-selling books by novelist J.K. Rowling about a teenaged wizard. The students looked for Catholic symbolism in the text.
"We were trying to find ways to prove that Harry Potter was loosely based on Catholicism," explained senior Ryan Ruschak.
The group had to read the first book in class. However, many were hooked and finished the rest of the seven-book series in just a few weeks, said Ms. Crowther, who has read the books several times herself.
"I know a lot of parents are against their kids reading Harry Potter," Ryan told The Evangelist. He'd tried to read the books when he was younger, but found them too scary.
Some parents banned their children from reading the series, believing the books promote paganism or witchcraft. However, a Catholic News Service review of one of the movies based on the novels stated that the books should be regarded as simply works of fiction.
Rev. Jose Antonio Fortea, a Spanish priest who has performed exorcisms, said in a 2012 Catholic News Service article that the books could be fun, as long as they were seen through the lens of entertainment, not factual information.
He also noted that he was able to see himself in Harry -- something the Spa Catholic students experienced, as well. All of the seniors at the school will be going on to colleges in the fall, much like the Harry Potter character went to the Hogwarts school for wizardry.
After the Spa Catholic students found ways that Catholicism was represented in the first novel, they created posters or other projects and gave reports to their class.
Delaney Bacher constructed a mobile showing symbols and characters in the book. "Harry Potter is synonymous with Jesus," she said, drawing parallels between Dumbledore, the school's headmaster, and God -- and between bad-guy Voldemort and Satan.
Delaney had read the books before, unlike many of her classmates. However, reading the novel with fresh eyes, she said she "got more of a positive message out of the story.
"I do think it will inspire me in college to keep my faith," she said, adding that she will be attending the University of Vermont next year, majoring in biology.
"The references got more and more [frequent] throughout the series," Ryan noted. "It definitely puts a different perspective on the way that you read."
Amelia Bielefield enjoyed the comparison of Dumbledore to God: "Dumbledore always sees what people are up to," she told The Evangelist. "He understands Harry's problems."
"One of my favorite [symbols] was the sorting hat," said Bridget Naughton, noting that, in the novels, the hat made final judgments, placing students into one of four houses at the school, as God "sorts" human souls. (Bridget decided that, for now, she was a Gryffindor girl; Ryan and Delaney leaned toward Ravenclaw.)
Bridget had read "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" before, but enjoyed reading it again specifically from a Catholic perspective. "I thought it was cool," she said. "We're reading the same pages, but we're getting a lot out of it."
Finding the symbols was easy. With a little research, the students were able to decode a lot of hidden meanings. "The bully's name is Draco," said Ryan -- a name that's Latin for "snake."
In the books, the character of Draco is part of the Slytherin house, a dormitory populated by students who are cunning and often a little evil. Snakes often symbolize the devil in the Bible.
The Spa Catholic seniors found that Harry Potter's name is in the Bible. Isaiah 64:8 states: "Yet you, Lord, are our Father./We are the clay, you are the potter;/we are all the work of your hand."
The students learned that the Bible was even quoted in later books of the series. The gravestone of James and Lily Potter, Harry's parents, features 1 Corinthians 15:26: "The last enemy to be destroyed is death."
The project was a good way to end their senior year, the students agreed.
"I really liked reading about how he was just thrown into this situation with no warning," said Ryan, who will be heading to the University of Maryland next year to major in chemical engineering.
If Harry Potter was able to go to Hogwarts and fight off the evil Voldemort, the Spa Catholic senior is almost certain he'll be able to hold his own in Maryland.[[In-content Ad]]
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