The Deathly Hollows, Alchemy, and the Simpsons

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Well, we're just about a week away from the final Harry Potter book and I'm sure every fan of the series is in a state of frantic anticipation. Here are a few things to hopefully tie you over until the 21st. Let's start with some tantalyzing quotes from Jo Rowling herself.

ROWLING ON THE OCCULT AND CERTAIN CHRISTIANS

First, to dispel the wild idea coming from various Christian and Wiccan corners that suggests these books are seriously intended to encourage and/or will greatly entice children to practice real witchcraft:

"I don’t believe in witchcraft, though I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve been told I’m a practicing witch. Ninety – let’s say ninety five percent at least, of the magic in the books in entirely invented by me. And I’ve used things from folklore and I’ve used bits of what people used to believe worked magically just to add a certain flavor, but I’ve always twisted them to suit my own ends. I mean, I’ve taken liberties with folklore, um, to suit my plot.

"Witches and wizards are a huge part of children’s literature. It’ll never go away, I don’t think it will ever, ever, ever go away, 100 years, 200 years time there’ll be another kind of wizard’s story...

"Not once has a child come up to me and said, ‘Due to you, I’ve decided to devote my life to the occult.’ People underestimate children so hugely – they know it’s fiction.

"When people are arguing from that kind of standpoint I don’t think reason works tremendously well. But I would be surprised if some of them had read the books at all."

"Harry Potter and Me," A&E Biography, 13 November 2002.

And one more Jo quote from 2000:

"I don't believe these things and I'm certainly not encouraging any child to take an interest in the occult... In America, I've had practising witches coming up to me and saying thank you. I tell them not to. I don't consider them evil but I don't believe in what they do."

Anne Johnstone, "The hype surrounding the fourth Harry Potter book belies the fact that Joanne Rowling had some of her blackest moments writing it - and that the pressure was self-imposed; a kind of magic," The Herald (Glasgow), 8 July 2000.

ADDRESSING CATHOLIC & THE SO-CALLED PAPAL CONDEMNATION

And for those Catholic that think Ratzinger (now Pope Benedict) actually came out against Harry Potter, I strongly recommend reading the following John Granger article for the full story on those unfortunate and silly events that ensued a couple of summers ago: “Pope Opposes Harry Potter”? Hardly.

Now, on to the fun stuff...

REAL PROOF FROM THE AUTHOR HERSELF THAT ALCHEMY IS KEY TO UNDERSTANDING THE STRUCTURE AND SYMBOLISM OF THE BOOK SERIES:

"I’ve never wanted to be a witch, but an alchemist, now that’s a different matter. To invent this wizard world, I’ve learned a ridiculous amount about alchemy. Perhaps much of it I’ll never use in the books, but I have to know in detail what magic can and cannot do in order to set the parameters and establish the stories’ internal logic."

Anne Simpson, "Face to Face with J K Rowling: Casting a spell over young minds," The Herald, 7 December 1998.

So, just where is this alchemy? Well, the best introduction I've come across to this topic has to be the 2-part essay, "Alchemy and Harry Potter" (click here for part II) by Arianhrod, located over in the Leaky Cauldron's Scribbulus essay archives.

After that, you may want to check out another Granger article, "Alchemy: Jung, Burckhart, or McLean?", as well as anything else found within the "literary alchemy" category on his blog, hogwartsprofessor.com (though not positive, I'm pretty sure Granger was the first to key in on the alchemic influences).

LAST BUT NOT LEAST, VIDEOS GALORE TO KEEP YOU ENTERTAINED

“Hidden Secrets of Harry Potter” A&E show:

The 1st part (of 5, all available on YouTube) from a recent documentary speculating on what will happen in the 7th book:



This second video clip is part 1 (of 2, again, both on YouTube) from a fun British interview of Jo regarding the new book and movie:



"J.K. Rowling" A&E Biography (the title says it all):



Click on here for parts 2, 3, 4, and 5 of this special (all about 9 1/2 minutes long). There are some neat sketchings of her own visions of what certain characters look like at the beginning of the second clip, so you know.

The Simpsons "Wiz Kids" Potter Parody:



And if you liked that one, be sure to also check out these other two Simpsons clips:

"Flanders Reads Harry Potter"
"J.K. Rowling Appears on the Simpsons"

PREDICTIONS ANYBODY?

Let me just close this post with two predictions: (1) sadly, Hagrid will die; (2) trust Snape (he's not as bad as he so often seems to be).

Feel free to share your own speculations and findings.