Archbishop of Sydney

Harry Potter

By + George Pell
ARCHBISHOP OF SYDNEY
9 December 2001

One newspaper claimed that the author, an Englishwoman with a young daughter, was the most successful writer in English since Shakespeare. Many other books and films have been marketed slickly, but never succeeded like Harry. What is the secret of his appeal?

a like a good different escapist read, which has to be well written, to take me into other worlds. Would Harry's magic work with me too?

a still read a lot; all sorts of things. A probably owe this gift to a young Christian Brother, my teacher in grade five, who launched us into the many kingdoms of fiction. Being able to read easily is the key to all knowledge and we have to be grateful to any new author who can entice millions of young readers into this adventure, and expand their imaginations.

Harry Potter is an eleven year old wizard, whose parents were killed in the struggle against evil. When he goes to Hogwarts, the boarding school for witchcraft, this struggle is resumed. The language is crisp and powerful, the plot is complicated and fast moving, with unexpected turns.

Often when we read a book beforehand, we don't like the characters in the film version, but most viewers seem to have liked the way Harry, and his friends Ron and Hermione (the film taught me how this name was pronounced) were cast. So too with the adults.

The headmaster Dumbledore, a venerable patriarch, the deputy Minerva McGonagall (what a great name), the giant Hagrid, the nasty teacher Shape are all well known English character types, populating an unusual Gothic school building set in an exotic countryside.

Some Christians have criticised both book and film as giving respectability to witchcraft, to the occult world of good and bad magic. To my mind there is not much danger of this, because the world of fantasy is so extreme, such a clever and unusual stimulation of the imagination. It is clearly unreal; interesting and totally peculiar.

More importantly the book (and the film, which differs slightly) are full of good moral teaching just like traditional fairy stories. Harry learns that his parents were killed by the evil Lord Voldemort, and the story tells how he and his two friends, continue this fight, conquer their fears, and put themselves at risk for one another as loyal friends. Ron is prepared to sacrifice his life in the chess game so Harry and Hermione can find the stone, and prevent it being used for evil purposes.

a happen to believe that it is important for all us, and children, to learn that good and evil are real spiritual forces, that each of us has to commit himself against evil. Voldemort lied to Harry that there is no good or evil, only power, that his parents were cowards; and in a final violent physical struggle Harry triumphed and good prevailed. All of us, and especially the young, need to be reminded good is more powerful and will have the last word.

When Harry was obsessed by the image of his dead parents, his headmaster explained there was neither knowledge nor truth in that apparition. But there is a good dose of moral truth in Harry Potter, book and film. And it is a great yarn.