The Harry Potter series showcases a world of magic and wonder for a young boy who never knew he had such powers. For some, the world of witches and wizards is a fun realm of fantasy meant as a harmless escape from reality. For others, the series is a dangerous and slippery slope that leads young children to actually make a pact with the devil and become witches and wizards themselves. Further, some of those people decide that the proper way to handle the evil they see in the book is to ban and/or burn the Harry Potter books. However, burning is less about preventing evil, and more about having and maintaining power.
Throughout history people from all over the world have burned books. In early Christianity (post printing press), the popes would order books to be burnt or put on a banned books list to keep their people safe. Hans Joachim Hillerbrand, in his article “On Book Burnings and Book Burners- Reflections on the Power (and Powerlessness) of Ideas”, states, “…the story of Christianity became the story of both affirmation and rejection of words. Some words were declared to be a true word, certain words were contested, and they were labeled heretical word” (Hillerbrand 4). However their claim to save people was less about the people and more about keeping people committed to the Catholic Church.
The burning and banning of the Harry Potter books continues this pattern of a getting rid of something to hold power. Because Witchcraft is seen as devil worship, the books became the antithesis of Christianity. The books are filled with those unholy words that spark unholy ideas. These ideas that live within the books are the big reason for the dislike by the Church. By burning books, the ideas they contain can be burned as well, keeping people loyal to the church. The support of the Church for these actions to keep them in power, making “the history of Christianity turned into the story of the suppression of ideas, intermittently manifested in the burning of books” (Hillerbrand 4).
I need to put a conclusion on this yet and finish off my points.
I think you have a really strong argument on book burning. I’d never really examined book burning as a way of keeping power. I always assumed it was a way of preventing knowledge from being known. I’m not sure if you could work this idea into your paper. Both ways seem like a good way of keeping power. You may also want to talk about how book burning doesn’t seem to be as popular anymore comparing it to book banning. I believe the article talks about that as well, although I’m not 100% sure.
Hi Gabby,
I completely agree with your views on book burnings. It seems throughout history that book burning was used as a form of having power. A good example you could include is when the Nazi’s did book burnings in World War II Germany. We all know that was a sense of entitlement and power showing just how much authority they had over the Jews. I believe some Christians have taken this power and have ran with it. Books like Harry Potter aren’t evil, but the act of burning something and creating this power struggle definitely is. Good Journal, if you include maybe a few examples from history besides the article you read, I think it would be great!