Being an evildoer and being evil is not always the same thing; author J.K Rowling’s character Professor Severus Snape from the Harry Potter series is balancing on that very line. Although being unfair and mean to the protagonist Harry Potter all through the series, Professor Snape is revealed as a hero in the seventh book Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (2007). This essay focuses on some of the complex psychological reasons as to why Snape acts the way he does towards Harry and why many readers consider him to be just as great a hero as the protagonist. It argues that his difficult upbringing is the cause of his complexity and the series of books are analyzed from a structuralist perspective, using A.J Greimas’ actantial model and Frank Kermode’s theories about endings and plot twists. Snape’s hate for Harry’s father, caused by years of bullying, is examined as well as his love for Harry’s mother. This essay also discusses in what ways Snape’s change of allegiance, brought on by his eternal love for Harry’s mother, is a great aid in defeating the Dark Lord.

Den här uppsatsen tittar på hur Harry Potter-böckerna kan användas för att diskutera moralfrågor i skolan. Syftet är att belysa användbara delar av Harry Potter-böckerna och ge exempel på hur och varför de är användbara för att diskutera rasism och jämlikhet mellan kön. Analysmetoden är en tematisk analys, där alla sju Harry Potter-böckerna har lästs noggrant för att plocka ut teman som överensstämmer med sådana teman man bör diskutera i skolan enligt läroplanen. Det jag kommer fram till är att Harry Potter-böckerna mycket väl skulle kunna användas för att diskutera frågor som rasism och jämlikhet mellan kön då detta är centrala teman i böckerna. Baserat på tidigare forskning kring litteratur och klassrumsdiskussioner av moraliska frågor kommer jag fram till att Harry Potter-böckerna skulle fungera väl i undervisningssituationer där man diskuterar moraliska dilemman eller dylikt.

This essay will look at some characters from the Harry Potter novels, their attitude to deaht and their ability to love. The focus is to look at how their different stances to death and love make them good or evil. Most attention will be given to some key characters: Lord Voldemort, Harry Potter, Severus Snape, and Albus Dumbledore. Their attitudes to death is first to be dealt with, followed by an investigation of their ability to love. After that, a conclusion by analysing more briefly some minor characters who are part of Voldemort’s Death Eaters. The analysis is mainly restricted to Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, but there are a few examples from some of the other books in the Harry Potter series as well.

Harry Potter-series are widely popular fantasy-novels that have influenced young readers all over the world on various issues, one being gender. Many arguments have been proposed to explain how the Harry Potter-series has a gender-biased attitude. Although previous research has covered a wide variety of claims, this essay will focus on examining the language and word choices made to describe the male and female characters of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. The word choices consist of both traditionally masculine adjectives and verbs as well as adjectives and verbs with negative connotations. To obtain a comprehensive view of the gender-biased tone of the two novels, the essay will not only examine the language, but also investigate if there is a gender-biased way of portraying the characters based on how their behaviour is described. These observations will be combined with previous research which includes Sara Mills’ investigation of sexist language and indirect sexism, Heilman and Donaldson’s critical perspective on the Harry Potter-novels, and Turner-Bowker’s study of stereotyping in young readers’ literature. These studies support my arguments and show that that there is a gender-bias in the way the characters are described, both through language and in the way that the character’s act in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

No description available.

The Harry Potter series has been a phenomenal publishing success for their author J. K. Rowling. This thesis argues for the use of these books as a worthwhile teaching asset, especially in the promotion of values in our schools. It particularly focuses on the use of these books for Values Education in the curriculum area of Religious Education. While the world continues to change and evolve there are some aspects of our societies that remain unchanged and the power of stories is one of these stable forces. This thesis looks at the importance of stories in teaching our youth about values, especially Christian values. It also provides research on how critics and youth have responded to the stories about Harry Potter through undertaking a review of critical comments and by actually asking young people what they feel about aspects of the novels. Comment is made on what Christian values can be found in the Harry Potter series and how they are shown through the choices characters make. This thesis also looks at how the power to choose is a fundamental basis of Christian religion and that through our choices we live out our humanity. Mention is made of Values Education in both State and Catholic schools and how, in recent years, we have seen increased moves by both Federal and State Governments to instigate Values Education programmes in Australian schools. This study also looked at how curriculum changes in Tasmania, at both State and Catholic levels, encourages the teaching of values through the use of resources that connect with our young people and teaching strategies that encourage higher-order thinking skills. An analysis is also made regarding the connection between the Harry Potter series and the hero journey motif. This connection provides some answers as to why the series is so popular and why our youth feel some connection to the characters in the books.Through research and analysis this thesis found that the Harry Potter series is popular with our youth and that they are connected to the characters in the books and the choices they make. This study also found that the series, through the characters and choices they make, provides itself as a valuable teaching tool because it is able to be used in both secular and Catholic schools regardless of attacks on the books by Christian groups. Studies undertaken indicated that the values presented in the books are compatible with our Australian societal values and that with the use of good teaching strategies the books can assist students in developing their higher-order thinking skills. The Harry Potter series can be used to assist youth in acquiring values that will assist them in their personal development and to help them become useful contributors to our modern world. Through the character of Harry Potter and his experiences students can learn more about themselves and the values they need to overcome those difficulties that they, like all of us, face in life.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.