The Banning of the Harry Potter Series - Free Essay Example

The Harry Potter Series had been a controversial topic sense the first book Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone that came out in 1997. When we were first introduced to Harry Potter the Boy who Lived. Throughout the books we are introduced to different characters both good and bad, there are deaths, torture, and discrimination but do I believe that the books should be banned? Not entirely. The book shows us that anyone can be a hero no matter what happens when you were younger or who your family is. J.K. Rowling shows us that we should stand up for what we believe in even if others around us dont believe in the same thing. To be strong and to be proud of who we are and where we came from. But not everyone feels the same way about the books like I do. Some people find the Harry Potter books to be inappropriate reading because of the way Harry and his friends behave. Some note that Harry lies, breaks rules, and disobeys authority figures, including the professors at Hogwarts, and that he ends up being rewarded and praised for his actions.They feel that heroes should be entirely good people who do as theyre told and respect others (Harry Potter Banned). While this may be the case in some instances, students could use this as a learning opportunity because no one is perfect and human beings all make mistakes. So when they say our heros should be entirely good it makes me cringe. So there saying when I get older I cant be someones hero because Ive made mistakes in my life hows that fair? What their saying isnt entirely wrong breaking rules, lying, and disobeying authority is never good and can lead to other bad things later in life but should they really blame books for their problems or should they be looking at the ones raising them? One school that banned Harry Potter was St. Marys Island Church of England school in Chatham, Kent. Head teacher Carol Rockwood explained that The Bible is very clear and consistent in its teachings that wizards, devils and demons exist and are very real, powerful and dangerous and Gods people are told to have nothing to do with them. She added that I believe it is confusing to children when something wicked is being made to look fun. (Harry Potter Banned). Some people think that the Harry Potter books (especially the later ones) are too dark and scary for children to handle. The series begins as Harry is orphaned, and he soon learns his parents were violently killed. There are intense battles. Good people die, suddenly and horribly. (Harry Potter Banned). Death has always been a big part of the serious. As the series progresses, it is death that defines Harrys character development. Cedrics death leaves Harry traumatized. Siriuss death shows Harry the high cost of Harrys mistakes and the extent to which death can alter his future. Dumbledores death, of course, leaves Harry rudderless and vulnerable, forcing him to mature to a new level of personal responsibility. (At the BookShelf) By Book Seven, Harrys own death represents the ultimate boon that bestows upon him the power to at last defeat Voldemort, whose vulnerability is created by horcruxes, dark magic used to protect him at the expense of his living soul. As Harry marches to his death, Every second he breathed, the smell of the grass, the cool air on his face, was so precious. In this moment, as Harry accepts death, life itself becomes sweet, even beautiful † a sharp contrast to the cursed life that Voldemort cannot escape from. (At the BookShelf) This contrast is again the pivot-point of the mortality theme that Rowling develops. Voldemort looks like death, he brings death wherever he goes, his army are the Death-Eaters, and several aspects of his iconography associate him with the Grim Reaper of legend. (At the BookShelf) In spite of this objection, Snape is willing to die for the cause of righteousness, just as James and Lilly were, just as Sirius was, just as Dumbledore was, and just as all the casualties of the Battle of Hogwarts were. Even Harrys poor owl, Hedwig, chooses to die to protect something she loves. (At the BookShelf) When perceived as a pattern, heroism in Harry Potter means accepting death. In contrast, fighting against death is analogous to raging against the storm for Shakespeares King Lear, who, like Voldemort, is reduced to a cursed existence in consequence. (At the BookShelf) But one side of the Harry Potter controversy are those who say that J.K. Rowlings Harry Potter books are wonderful fantasy novels with powerful messages for kids and the ability to make even reluctant readers eager readers.(Harry Potter Controversy) Some Christians believe Harrys magical exploits pose an active danger. According to them, Hogwarts teaches the kinds of witchcraft explicitly condemned as punishable by death and damnation in the biblical books of Deuteronomy and Exodus. (Good Education) So no I wouldnt recommend a little kid reading these books and they should they be banned from elementary schools. But do I think they should be banned from high schools and libraries? No. In High School were almost adults so shouldnt it be our choice to read what we want? The Harry Potter series is alike Fahrenheit 451 because in both books there was a problem that had two sides good v.s evil and rebellion v.s The Law. There where people changing sides in both books.