Amanda Cockrell (2004) suggests that the popularity of our famous boy Harry Potter, the “recent shift in the focus of censorship effort from sex to occult” and “fundamentalist parents’ ” belief of fantasy fiction as deceiving (pp. 24-25). Also from my point of view, the deep reason for religious right in the US to completely disapprove fantasy is from the influent of the ultraconservative Christian parents because as in 2009 the proportion of Christian in the US is 75% which account for the major of the US population. Taylor and Carlson (as cited in Cockrell, 2004) points out that they regard imaginary companion of their children as devil, thus, believe the successful Harry Potter fantasy fiction as a business of evil art and need to be kept away from their children.
Another point is while only Harry Potter is labelled as deceiving and all while other fantasy such as fairy tales, Wizard of Oz or even Lord of the Rings with magic-rich is approved. To fundamentalist Christian parents perception, magic will come to find the child and nothing will be stopped unlike the other totally separated fantasy worlds which have nothing to do or relate to the real world. The fairy conceptstories will remain a story whereas Harry Potter suggests that the magic relate to the real world and taking children in to the fantasy world. Cockrell (2004) explains this as Rowling fantasy exists there, along with the normal world of Muggles (non-magic people). In the first book of Harry Potter, despite everything the Duddleys family made to keep Harry away from magic, it comes to him itself, unstoppable and impenetrable. Thus, the condemn of Harry Potter in the US
Reference:
America becoming less Christian, survey finds. (2009, March 09). CNN Living. Retrieved from http://articles.cnn.com/2009-03-09/living/us.religion.less.christian_1_american-religious-identification-survey-christian-nation-evangelical?_s=PM:LIVING
Cockrell, A. (2004). Harry Potter and the Witch Hunters: a social context for the attacks on Harry Potter. The Journal of American Culture, Vol 29, No 1
Cockrell, A. (2004). Harry Potter and the Witch Hunters: a social context for the attacks on Harry Potter. The Journal of American Culture, Vol 29, No 1
Rowling, J. K. and M. GrandPré (2003). Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Large Print Press.
Hi Simon,
ReplyDeleteI think since the rise of pop culture, and it's ability to permeate almost every medium of print/media it will as you say find the child. Harry Potter shouldn't be looked at as a piece of fantasy to be revered, but something to be used in the context of 'fun'. You haven't really given your own personal thoughts on the matter, what do you think?