Jesus as portrayed in the Gospel of Mark is someone who would resonate with readers of Harry Potter because of his words and acts of resistance and justice. However, for many of them there are obstacles to even reading the Markan Gospel. Some of them are unfavourable perceptions of Christianity and the Bible. Others are merely uninterested or are unfamiliar with what the Markan story really is. The purpose of this study is to explore how Mark can be read using a popular culture reading lens, like the Harry Potter literature, to expand the horizons of the Harry Potter audience. An examination of the social and historical background will provide a first-century context of resistance to oppression. Using the Harry Potter lens, I will juxtapose that text with the Gospel of Mark as a whole to show that there is a pattern of resistance enacted by Jesus throughout. I will then carry out an exegetical analysis of Mark 10:32 45, again juxtaposing it with the Harry Potter text. The intertextual connections drawn from this analysis will be considered in terms of how they can impact the Harry Potter audience and provide them with new horizons. This project will therefore be given a reading strategy to help them read Mark 10:32 45 through the lens of the Harry Potter novels. This lens allows the reader to both transform and be transformed by the Markan text and will highlight how Jesus acts to resist and subvert the role of tyrannical rule in the lives of his followers, much like the resistance and subversion seen in the story of Harry Potter.

This study travels into the magical world of Harry Potter as both story and book series to explore its reception in Iran. The purpose of this study is to discover how the magical world of Harry Potter has broken down cultural boundaries and reinforced others, and has attracted many children and adults as readers in Iran, where it is read mostly through translated versions and where certain aspects of the story are censored or adapted for an Iranian audience. I will discuss how the Harry Potter series is read and received differently in Iran and North America by comparing critical responses, for example, to religion, magic, and technology in the series. By using the text-oriented branch of reader-response theory, which is supported by theorists such as Wolfgang Iser and Georges Poulet, I will explain how readers of the Harry Potter series leave their own world and engage in the world of the novel. Also, by applying the reader-centered school of reception theory, as argued by scholars such as Stanley Fish, I will discuss the role of the reader's personal life experiences and cultural background in the reading process. In order to better explore the influence of cultural communities on both readers and writers, this study will explain intercultural theories and the importance of cultural similarities and differences in both producing and interpreting a text. This study will also consider the cross-cultural factors that may affect the writing and reading processes. These factors include religious, social, literary, and historical issues which vary for readers from different countries. To discuss the intercultural reception of the series in Iran, I will analyze the Persian translations of the series as well as the important role of cultural norms and the issue of censorship in the process of translation in Iran. I am very interested in the intercultural aspects of the reception of the book series as someone who grew up in Iran and first read Harry Potter in translation there, before moving to Canada where I undertook graduate studies in comparative literature and continued to follow the series and its critical reception in English. The reception of the novel in Canada is similar to that of most Western countries and there are not enough cultural specificities to warrant a study of Canadian reception alone, except for its French translations as part of the reception in Quebec. However, as I will study further, the translations for French Canada are done in France, so I will compare translation strategies of French and Iranian translators. Contrary to Quebec, where there are currently no Quebecois translations of the Harry Potter series and where readers read translations by a French translator from Europe, in Iran readers have several translations of each volume to choose from. As a result of the issue of censorship in Iran, Persian translators of Harry Potter have to find the best possible method in order to transfer the Western series into Persian for an Islamic culture. This thesis discusses the specific challenges of translating from English to Persian, but I will also refer to celebrated theorists such as Jeremy Munday, Lawrence Venuti, Antoine Berman, and Friedrich Schleiermacher, who discuss different methods of translation, which enable French and Persian translators of the series to transfer both cultural and literal contexts in the most faithful way possible. I will compare the reception of the Harry Potter novels in the context of North American societies and Islamic Iranian society by discussing which aspects of the series are more closely studied by Western and Iranian critics and how these choices reflect different cultural norms, values, beliefs, and taboos concerning childhood and children's literature, especially in terms of gender relations and religion. As I will explain, the series has been condemned by extremist Christians in the West for prompting the dark arts and the occult. These negative critics claim that the series presents magic as fun and harmless, thus promoting sorcery and convincing children that they can use magic in order to reach their goals. Since magic is more a part of Iranian everyday culture, the series is not criticised for presenting magic in Iran, but it is marginally accused of being a Zionist plot aimed at destroying the morality of children. On the other hand, positive critics in both the West and Iran argue that the series promotes modern values and teaches morality by presenting the notions of love, sacrifice, friendship, family, and self discovery."--Résumé abrégé par UMI.

Thesis (MPhil (Afrikaans and Dutch))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series is the latest popular addition to translated Afrikaans children’s literature. Although these books have a double readership, the Afrikaans translations are primarily aimed at young Afrikaans children who either can’t speak English, or whose English is too poor to understand the original text on their own. Translating for children makes specific demands on the translator. One such demand involves the choices the translator is forced to make during the translation process by taking into account the child reader’s limited cultural experience and world knowledge. This implies that the translator cannot translate automatically by merely transferring synonyms from one language to another, but should take on the role of a cultural mediator who bridges the gaps between the source and the target cultures and takes responsibility for successful intercultural communication. This study investigates the culturally mediating role of the Afrikaans translators, Janie Oosthuysen and Kobus Geldenhuys, in a comparative study of the target texts, Harry Potter en die beker vol vuur and Harry Potter en die halfbloed prins. The proposed translation method is a functionalist approach with loyalty. According to this apporach, the translator should have a thorough background knowledge of both the source and target cultures and the functions these texts perform in their respective cultures, as well as the range of available translation strategies for a specific translation situation. Care should also be taken not to mislead the target reader. A descriptive methodology is followed, pointing out the absence of consistent translation norms and a well-planned translation strategy in both target texts, thus increasing the cultural divide between the source and the target cultures which could confuse the young Afrikaans reader.

No description available.

The magical fictional setting of the Harry Potter novels is not one separated from our own. It features the same nations and the same history as the real world. Its society is parallel to ours due to similar traditions and hierarchies, such as heteronormativity, ageism, racism, and fascism. Some of these are clearly problematised in the novels, others are not. While issues of racism and blood status are clearly at the forefront of the story of Harry Potter, there are layers to the conflict which reveal that there is more to the discriminatory dilemma than the issue of blood purity. This essay aims to investigate how teachers can use J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series to lead a discussion about othering and discrimination, focusing on the issue of ableism in particular. The goal when studying processes of othering in Harry Potter is not necessarily for the reader to identify with the protagonists. Instead, textual silences will be interpreted to investigate whether the othering of people like the readers themselves, an othering the reader partakes in when empathising with the protagonists, can be compared to ableism in the real world, and how teachers can use Harry Potter as means to introduce the idea of able-bodiedness as a social construct. By applying crip theory to the text, it can be stated that the division between the protagonist and his non-magical Other is based on ableist ideologies, which result in a positioning of the non-magical as disabled in the magical society. This position is maintained by naturalising the link between impairment and character flaws.

The motif of twins is one that permeates strongly throughout the Harry Potter series. Fred and George as a pair are immensely popular with fans, and the “very curious” twinship of Harry and Voldemort’s wands is a relationship greatly explored in the saga. In my paper, I shall further explore this prominent Potter motif and delve into the origins and symbolism behind this twinship. I will also recall the dark conclusion to the tale of the Weasley twins. The death of Fred as related to the series’ theme as a whole and the death of Harry in the attempt to remove his parasitic twin, Voldemort’s unintended horcrux, will be discussed. There will also be exploration of missing and broken twins, for example, where is Romulus since we know a Remus? Why are Padma and Parvati in different houses? What is the symbolism of Harry’s broken wand? I will discuss how Voldemort’s creation of horcruxes is an intentional twinning of his self, and thus a mutation of nature. An exploration of numerology in relation to this twin discussion will also be included. This paper will show that the motif of twins is not just an interesting addition to the Potter novels but rather a tie-in to the story’s core of insisting on duality when the truth is in wholeness.

This essay argues that the Harry Potter books can be used to analyse various methods and theories regarding pedagogy since the school setting is a major part of the stories. J.K Rowling’s characterisation of the teachers is the basis for the analysis, which focuses on the teaching methods of the teachers at Hogwarts, but also how the pupils are affected by them from the critical perspective of cultural studies. The essay will investigate how the pupils are affected by the boarding schools, examination process as well as the grading system. Certain Professors at Hogwarts will also be analysed based on their teaching methods and these professors are Lupin, Snape, Umbridge, Dumbledore and Lockhart. Different methods have been discovered to work differently on different pupils, but the same methods have also been shown to work differently depending on how they are implemented. Leadership styles in the classroom appear to have a heavy influence on the pupils’ performance. This thesis argues that through a literary analysis of the Harry Potter books with a focus on the portrayal of the school setting by using cultural studies as well as pedagogical theories will demonstrate the impact of various teaching methods in the EFL-classroom as well as the regular classroom. In the EFL-classroom, knowledge of how certain methods and theories work can be very beneficial. The ability to provide confidence to pupils has been discussed and that is a part of EFL-teaching that is highly relevant, since it can be difficult for some pupils to find the courage in order to learn.

Thesis advisor: Susan Michalczyk / Children's series books have historically been frowned upon by educators and librarians alike. Due to this, thousands of the books have been disregarded as the equivalent of ‘trashy' literature for children, and have thus been excluded from the classroom. How has this scorn gained credence? Are series legitimate reading material for children? This paper explores the history and the beneficial uses of children's series books in the classroom. Series books aid in the teaching of reading and provide a forum for children to gain literary confidence. They also assist in the learning of other languages and are instrumental in reading intervention situations. Specifically, this paper considers the literary aspects, practical applications, and criticism directed at the Nancy Drew and Harry Potter series. Examined closely, series prove to be highly educational and indispensable to the formation of lifelong readers. / Thesis (BA) — Boston College, 2004. / Submitted to: Boston College. College of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: English. / Discipline: College Honors Program.

Abstract The questions of this essay are: <ol type="1">What is Richard Abanes’s criticism against occult elements in the Harry Potter books? How can Abanes’s – from a Christian point of view - religiously motivated criticism of the four first Harry Potter books be seen as an expression of moral panic and the construction of folk devils according to Cohen's scientific theory in popular culture? The questions are answered through a content analysis of Richard Abanes's book Harry Potter and the Bible: the menace behind the magick based on Stanley Cohen's theory of moral panic and folk devils. The aim is thus to develop a religious-scientific understanding of religiously motivated criticism of popular culture. The result of the essay shows that the biggest criticism Abanes has against the occult elements in the Harry Potter books is that the occult becomes glamorized, normalized and packaged in a box of fun, adventures and excitement. But according to critics like Abanes and the Christian Right, this is dangerous to children and young people as the occult pulls them away from God and closer to the devil. They can develop an interest in the occult and Wicca and later seek out occult sects and religious communities. According to Abanes, the Harry Potter books are dangerous as the author has mixed innocent imagination with real events, people and objects. Because of this, the boundaries are blurred and children can find it difficult to discern what is reality and fantasy. The moral panic of the Harry Potter books is created primarily by the Christian Right, as the concerns and fears of the actual threat the books issue are magnified. Whatever the truth of their statements, Abanes and other critics create fears within the Christian community so that Christian parents won’t allow their children to read the Harry Potter books, because they can contribute to the curiosity of the occult and an attraction to the devil, and can twist their morals. The deviant behaviors in the Harry Potter books that are not appreciated by the Christian Right are to lie, steal, and to be evil, something that Harry and other good characters do, therefore could Abanes's criticism contributes to the creation of moral panics and folk devils. Also, criticism against J. K. Rowling's character, morals and way of life has made her a folk devil.

Submitted by William Justo Figueiro (williamjf) on 2015-07-10T21:05:30Z No. of bitstreams: 1 32b.pdf: 2594508 bytes, checksum: 030317d1490a5082903bb435463e7a22 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2015-07-10T21:05:30Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 32b.pdf: 2594508 bytes, checksum: 030317d1490a5082903bb435463e7a22 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-02-28 / CAPES - Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / As apropriações dos fãs sobre a narrativa Harry Potter assumem direcionamentos variados. O seguinte trabalho tenta dar conta dessas relações que ocorrem na continuidade do consumo, da recepção. Esse enfoque de pesquisa toma como princípio a fundação de novas relações comunicacionais, entendidas no conceito ainda inacabado de midiatização. Em nossa tarefa optamos pelo método abdutivo, juntamente das operações de analogia e homologia, com vistas a descobertas criativas, não-tautológicas. Trata-se de um estudo de múltiplos casos de pesquisa ancorados numa perspectiva qualitativa. Ademais, assumem-se como perguntas de horizonte os questionamentos sobre as matrizes presentes nos dispositivos selecionados: a sócioantropológica, a semio-discursiva e a tecno-tecnológica. O sentido do que os admiradores da série fazem atravessa exemplos distintos, impulsionados pela consolidação da internet. Para compreender essa relação contemporânea selecionamos três dispositivos que reinterpretam o enredo original: dois sites de fanfictions – fanfiction.net e Floreios e Borrões, duas páginas do Facebook – A Varinha e Harry Potter – e um fã-clube baseado em Porto Alegre, os Herdeiros de Sonserina. Primeiramente faremos descrições e breves apontamentos sobre o funcionamento dos casos. Analisa-se então, por analogia e homologia, a relação que mantêm entre si, dentro da lógica de práticas dos fãs. Dessa reflexão encontramos alguns indícios que qualificamos como a verticalização dos dispositivos, a prevalência do valor de culto e as limitações interacionais das estruturas formadas. Contudo, essa formulação exige questionamentos de ordem comunicacional para se tornar completa. Assim, ao final desenvolvemos novas abduções, ou seja, elaboramos hipóteses sobre o sentido das criações com relação à série original. Nossas pistas refletem a partir dos fenômenos observados como: a expansão dos circuitos de fãs; a coexistência com paradigmas de comunicação anteriores; a preocupação em formar programas de apropriações; a legitimação dos produtos canônicos; o pacto da indústria com as apropriações dos fãs; a delimitação das criações pelas estruturas e hierarquias dos dispositivos; e as qualidades temporais das derivações. / The appropriations of fans on the Harry Potter narrative assume varied directions. The following work attempts to explain these relations occurred at the continuity of consumption, beyond the first stage of reception. This approach takes as principle the foundation of new communication relations, understood at the unfinished concept of mediatization. In our task we have chosen the abductive method, along the operations of analogy and homology, looking for creative, non-tautological, discoveries. This study is based upon multiple cases of inquiry anchored in a qualitative perspective. Furthermore, we selected as basic questions three matrices present in the selected devices: the socioanthropological, the discursive-semiotic and the techno-technological. The sense of what the admirers of the series makes cross distinct examples driven by the consolidation of internet. To understand this contemporary relationship we have selected three devices that reinterpret the original plot: two websites of fanfictions - fanfiction.net and “Floreios e Borrões”; two Facebook pages – “A Varinha” and “Harry Potter”; and a fan club based in Porto Alegre, the “Herdeiros de Sonserina”. First of all, we will make descriptions and brief notes about the functioning of the cases. Then we can analyze, by analogy and homology, the relationship they maintain with each other, within the logic of practices of fans. We found evidence such as formation of hierarchies, prevalence of cult of the series and the limitations formed by selected structures. However, this formulation requires questionings of communication order to become complete. Thus, at the end we have developed new abductions, in other words, we have elaborated hypothesis about the meaning of creations related to the original series. Our inferences from the observed phenomenon perceived such processes: the expansion of fan circuits; the coexistence with previous communication paradigms; the intentions on forming appropriation programs; the legitimacy of the canonical products; the pact of the industry with the appropriations of the fans; the delimitation of the creations by the structures and hierarchies of devices, and temporal qualities of poaching activities.