Reading History from Harry Potter
Since
her very first book, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, love has been a
very strong driving force in J. K. Rowling’s novels. It was Harry’s mother Lily’s
love that saved him from the death spell. In the end, it was also love that
moved Harry to offer his life for his friends in Hogwarts.
I
remember the first time I saw a Harry Potter book. We were able to buy a
newsprint copy of the Philosopher’s Stone in 2000. Those were stormy days in
the Philippines
as we were in the midst of a typhoon season, but economic and political storms were
also sweeping through the nation. Unrest was rife and protests against the
incumbent leader that time were spilling over onto the streets of Manila . My family was also
tested by life’s storms as my mother was very sick and approaching death. To
distract us from the ongoing political turmoil then, and the trial in the
family, my sister Helen, a very good story teller, was reading aloud to my nephews
and nieces from the book about the little boy Harry with his friends and their
adventures at Hogwarts while we would lie down or sit on native “banig” (mats) in our house in Makati,
near the sites of the political protests. A warm family atmosphere was created,
with a Harry Potter story to keep us together. I can clearly recall my little
nephews’ eyes wide open as they heard the story of Harry, especially when the students
gained points in the game of Quidditch. In the first book, Gryffindor points (Harry’s
group) were announced, showing that they had lost in the final school cup
competition. Then points were added to the group because of the bravery of the
three main protagonists Ron, Hermione and Harry, but they weren’t enough to
secure the school cup. Unexpectedly, other points were counted in their favor because
Neville Longbottom, petrified by a Petrificus Totalus spell by Hermione as he stopped his friends from breaking
Hogwart’s rules . Thus, Harry Potter followers were delighted to see Neville
once again in the sequel, still faithful to the camaraderie and friendship which
was present from the very beginning of the first book.
When
this Harry Potter craze began, I was just starting out as a teacher in values-
education and Music, Arts and Physical Education (MAPE). I tried to adapt the
Hogwarts point system to my MAPE class as the second Harry Potter book and film,
the Chamber of Secrets was making waves among my teen students. The point
system of Hogwarts helped me as a MAPE and Values teacher. It was quite
effective for maintaining discipline among my students while we enjoyed our
class time too.
On another angle, as Philippine history continues
to repeat itself with our leaders holding on to power, with journalists and
human right activists striving to survive, with the finger of corruption being pointed
at state and church officials, and with scandals exposed every now and then… came
the death of Cory Aquino in 2009, one of the most admired figures in Philippine
modern history, someone who had set an example as a leader who detested power
at its best, an example reminiscent of the destruction of the powerful and
coveted ring in the Lord of the Rings Saga or the elder wand in Harry Potter’s Deathly
Hallows. The death of Cory Aquino turned the political tide in favor of her
son, Noynoy who won the presidency in a landslide victory. Now the Deathly
Hallows concludes the Potter saga—a fitting reminder for political leaders to
follow Harry Potter by destroying the elder wand which grants its holder
invincibility. Hopefully, our leaders will not allow themselves to be
intoxicated by power as they serve our people humbly like Cory and Ninoy Aquino.
With
our history during the first decade of the 21st century, simultaneously with Harry
Potter’s books being published also in the past decade, I think the Deathly
Hallows ending was far-sighted as Harry took the path of the “family,” recounted
in the film’s epilogue 19 years later. Harry destroyed the elder wand because
he valued his friends and family. It’s a fitting ending that uplifts after one watches
the movie, or finishes reading the book.
At
King’s Cross train station where muggles (ordinary mortals) and wizards pass in
order to enter Hogwarts, the story of the Boy-Who-Lived ends. It was also a
crossroad when Harry saw Dumbledore after he [Harry] was killed by Voldemort. It
is a fitting end and a suitable beginning. Happily for everyone, Rowling made
the story open ended, and preserved the tradition of Hogwarts with a special
value for the family, where the magic of true love is transmitted and the
fantasy and dreams of children safeguarded. And so, with Rowling’s Harry Potter
the magic of love will live on forever and its story retold over and over
again. I admire Rowling as she was able to preserve her integrity and upheld
values, as challenging a task at that may seem. Then she concluded her story with
good winning over evil, as some writers usually provide a dark and grim finale.
Thus, Rowling has ventured to follow in the tradition of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien,
and help influence imagination and creativity of our kids in the 20th and the
21st century, and even beyond…