Sammi   Vanderstok
[Pick   the   date]

J.K.
Rowling   created   a   fantastical   world   in   her   Harry   Potter   series   complete   with   locations,   history,   and   cultural   nuances.
She   gave   depth   to   her   world   by   having   her   characters   face   issues   that   people   today   are   struggling   with.
She   even   created   historical   legends   and   myths   of   the   wizarding   world   and   had   her   main   characters   interact   with   them.
But   one   interesting   thing   to   note   about   Rowling’s   use   of   wizarding   legend   is   that   in   the   Harry   Potter   series   we   hear   more   about   the   folklore   than   we   do   about   the   actual   wizard   history.
Instead   of   having   her   main   character   interact   and   know   about   past   wizards   or   historical   events,   Rowling   has   her   characters   unearth   old   legends   and   discover   artifacts   that   had   only   been   mentioned   in   young   wizard   tales.
From   Harry’s   very   first   adventure   in   Harry   Potter   and   the
Sorcerer’s   Stone   until   his   final   quest   to   destroy   Voldemort,   wizarding   legends   offer   solutions,   literally,   to
Harry   and   his   quests.
In   seeing   how   Rowling   puts   so   much   emphasis   on   wizarding   lore,   it   is   my   belief   that   she   is   expressing   an   opinion   that   the   moral   messages   gained   from   folklore   are   more   important   than   the   actual   history   of   a   society.
There   may   be   various   reasons   why   J.K.
Rowling   put   so   much   emphasis   on   developing   a   mythological   past   for   her   wizarding   world.
It   could   be   that   Rowling   wanted   to   include   some   heart ‐ warming   tales   that   reminded   her   young   adult   audience   of   their   childhood   stories.
Or   it   could   be   that
Rowling   wanted   to   create   a   mystery   that   her   young   heroes   would   be   familiar   with.
It   is   even   possible   that   the   lack   of   historical   presence   and   heavy   reliance   on   folklore   in   her   series   was   an   unconscious   oversight.
But   seeing   the   extensive   nature   folklore   has   in   the   Harry   Potter   series,   it   seems   that   the   above   explanations   are   too   simple   to   cover   the   importance   of   her   choice.
One   reason   that   Rowling   may   have   chose   myths   to   teach   her   characters   lessons   is   that   myths,   in   essence,   are   universal   truths.
Myths   and   folklore   are   thought   to   be   figurative   stories   about   how   people   within   different   cultures   deal   with   certain   universal   life   issues;
1
every   culture   has   them,   and   it   is   one   of
1
Susan   Sellers,   “Contexts:   Theories   of   Myth,”   in   Myth   and   Fairy   Tale   in   Contemporary   Women’s   Fiction   ( New   York:   Palgrave   Macmillan,
2001),   http://site.ebrary.com.online.library.marist.edu/lib/marist/docDetail.action?docID=10057407&p00=myths%2C%20fairy%20tales%2C%20%20fe minism   (accessed   May   2,   2010),   p.4.
Page   2   of   13

the   influences   that   shape   how   a   society   sees   the   world   and   understands   their   cultural   traditions.
There   are   many   different   theories   as   to   the   purpose   and   importance   of   myths   for   human   beings,   but   myths   are   almost   universally   acknowledged   as   a   tool   in   helping   to   figure   out   the   world   and   each   other.
Joseph   Campbell,   a   literary   analyst   who   has   done   extensive   research   about   the   structure   of   mythology   and   specifically   the   hero ‐ quest,   discusses   the   importance   of   mythology   in   a   society   in   The
Power   of   Myth .
In   the   book,   he   argues   that   “myths   are   [the]   clues   to   the   spiritual   potentialities   of   the   human   life.
[They   show]   what   we’re   capable   of   knowing   and   experiencing   within.”
2
He   then   goes   onto   say   that   myths   “have   to   do   with   the   themes   that   have   supported   human   life,   built   civilizations,   and   informed   religions   over   a   millennia,   [they]   have   to   do   with   deep   inner   problems,   inner   mysteries,   inner   thresholds   of   passage.”
3
According   to   Campbell,   myths   are   a   form   of   literature   that   deals   with   universal   issues.
He   saw   them   as   central   to   human   kind   and   their   desire   to   live   an   enlightened   life.
He   even   goes   onto   state   that   myths   are   there   to   provide   insight   and   answers   to   universal   issues.
He   says   that   the   value   of   a   myth   is   that   they   help   the   present   generation   learn   from   the   past   and   he   evens   issues   a   warning   to   the   reader   that   “if   you   don’t   know   what   the   guide ‐ signs   are   along   the   way,   you   have   to   work   it   out   yourself.”
4
Carl   Jung,   a   man   who   researched   and   tested   a   lot   of   psychoanalytic   ideas   and   also   contributed   his   concept   of   archetypes   to   literary   analysis.
5
Jung,   like   Campbell,   continues   on   a   similar   thread   and   states   that   myths   “offer   crucial   messages,   providing   insights   into   unrealized   or   neglected   aspects   of   personality,   and   issue   warnings   of   imbalance   or   wrong   action.”
6
In   considering   what   both   of   these
2
Joseph   Cambell   with   Bill   Moyers,   The   Power   of   Myth,   ed.
Betty   Sue   Flowers   (New   York:   Anchor   Books,   1988),   p.
5.
3
Joseph   Cambell   with   Bill   Moyers,   The   Power   of   Myth,   ed.
Betty   Sue   Flowers   (New   York:   Anchor   Books,   1988),   p.
2.
4
Joseph   Cambell   with   Bill   Moyers,   The   Power   of   Myth,   ed.
Betty   Sue   Flowers   (New   York:   Anchor   Books,   1988),   p.
2.
5
Susan   Sellers,   “Contexts:   Theories   of   Myth,”   in   Myth   and   Fairy   Tale   in   Contemporary   Women’s   Fiction   ( New   York:   Palgrave   Macmillan,
2001),   http://site.ebrary.com.online.library.marist.edu/lib/marist/docDetail.action?docID=10057407&p00=myths%2C%20fairy%20tales%2C%20%20fe minism   (accessed   May   2,   2010),   p.4.
6
Susan   Sellers,   “Contexts:   Theories   of   Myth,”   in   Myth   and   Fairy   Tale   in   Contemporary   Women’s   Fiction   ( New   York:   Palgrave   Macmillan,
2001),   http://site.ebrary.com.online.library.marist.edu/lib/marist/docDetail.action?docID=10057407&p00=myths%2C%20fairy%20tales%2C%20%20fe minism   (accessed   May   2,   2010),   p.
5.
Page   3   of   13

theorists   were   stating,   it   seems   that   the   true   meaning   and   value   of   a   culture’s   myths   are   indeed   the   lesson   that   are   at   the   heart   of   the   tale.
One   example   of   Rowling   emphasizing   the   morals   within   her   fairy ‐ tales   is   in   how   she   wrote   The
Tales   of   Beedle   the   Bard.
This   book   is   one   of   the   few   accompanying   texts   that   Rowling   wrote   about   the   wizarding   world   of   Harry   Potter,   and   it   is   remarkable   that   she   chose   to   write   about   wizarding   fairy   tales   instead   of   the   plentiful   array   of   other   wizarding   issues.
Then,   she   created   the   book   in   such   a   way   that   it   includes   the   literary   analysis   of   each   story   by   her   most   wise   character,   Albus   Dumbledore.
She   could   have   just   as   easily   simply   made   a   collection   of   wizarding   fairy   tales   for   readers   to   enjoy,   but   the   fact   that   she   includes   the   insights   of   the   most   respected   and   moral   wizard,   Dumbledore,   shows   that   she   is   trying   to   impart   the   value   of   the   fairy   tales   more   than   the   actual   stories   themselves.
For   example,   in   Dumbledore’s   commentary   on   “The   Wizard   and   the   Hopping   Pot,”   which   is   a   pro ‐ muggle   fairy   tale,   he   says   “a   simple   and   heart ‐ warming   fable,   one   might   think—in   which   case,   one   would   reveal   oneself   to   be   an   innocent   nincompoop.”
7
Dumbledore   goes   onto   explain   that   the   pro ‐
Muggle   fairy   tale   that   taught   the   message   of   brotherly   love   between   wizards   and   muggles   was   nothing   short   of   miraculous   because   wizards   have   practically   been   at   war   with   non ‐ wizards   for   over   five   centuries.
8
How   wizards   should   co ‐ exist   with   the   larger   non ‐ magical   society   is   the   backdrop   for   the   entire   Harry   Potter   series   and   as   the   reader   learns   more   about   the   wizarding   world,   the   more   they   see   the   issue   of   superiority   and   inferiority   come   up   in   terms   of   how   much   muggle   blood   one   has   in   their   ancestry.
Considering   how   contentious   the   issue   “The   Wizard   and   the   Hopping   Pot”   is   dealing   with,   and   considering   the   fact   that   it   leaves   the   reader   with   a   clear   moral   to   embody,   one   can   see   that   this   fairy   tale   is   definitely   beyond   “simple   and   heart ‐ warming.”
9
It   is   relating   a   truth   that   can   bring   peace   to   wizarding   world   while   being   conveyed   through   a   medium   that   will   exist   for   generations   to   come.
Seeing
7
J.
K.
Rowling,   “The   Wizard   and   the   Hopping   Pot”   in   The   Tales   of   Beedle   the   Bard   (New   York:   the   Children’s   High   Level   Group,   2008),   p.11.
8
J.
K.
Rowling,   “The   Wizard   and   the   Hopping   Pot”   in   The   Tales   of   Beedle   the   Bard   (New   York:   the   Children’s   High   Level   Group,   2008),   p.12.
9
J.
K.
Rowling,   “The   Wizard   and   the   Hopping   Pot”   in   The   Tales   of   Beedle   the   Bard   (New   York:   the   Children’s   High   Level   Group,   2008),   p.11.
Page   4   of   13

how   this   myth   and   its   message   have   reached   the   ears   of   countless   witches   and   wizards,   it   would   make   sense   that   Rowling   would   want   to   identify   this   large   influence   and   magnify   it.
Another   reason   why   Rowling   could   be   trying   to   convey   a   message   through   her   use   of   myth   instead   of   history   has   to   do   with   how   the   British   society   in   general   views   their   folklore   and   mythology.
In
2008   there   was   a   survey   done   by   a   local   British   newspaper   asking   which   British   characters,   such   as
Winston   Churchill   and   Sherlock   Holmes,   were   real   and   which   were   fictitious.
Surprisingly,   the   survey   revealed   that   over   50%   of   the   people   believed   that   Sherlock   Holmes   was   real   and   almost   25%   believed   that   Winston   Churchill   and   Florence   Nightingale   were   mythological.
10
There   was   also   an   equal   amount   of   confusion   between   the   real   kings   of   British   past   like   Richard   the   Lionheart,   and   fictitious   kings   like   King
Arthur.
People   were   even   unsure   about   the   reality   of   fairly   internationally   known   characters   like   Gandhi   and   Cleopatra.
11
Of   course   it   is   hard   to   judge   whether   or   not   this   survey   was   completely   representative   of   the   entire   British   nation,   but   it   does   bring   up   an   interesting   point.
How   much   influence   has   British   folklore   had   upon   how   the   British   view   their   own   past?
British   history,   like   the   history   of   almost   every   nation,   is   a   mixture   of   good   governance   and   tyrannical   rulers,   of   national   progression   and   the   brutal   conquest   of   foreign   lands,   and   of   national   identity   mixed   in   with   the   repression   of   other   cultures.
Although   there   are   of   course   noteworthy   characters   in   England’s   past   like   Sir   Isaac   Newton   (discovered   gravity),   William
Wilberforce   (politician   who   headed   the   abolition   of   slavery   in   England)   and   William   Shakespeare,
12
there   are   also   countless   examples   of   immoral   leaders   who   used   their   power   to   a   negative   effect.
So   if,   for   example,   a   parent   was   faced   with   having   to   use   a   British   historical   figure   as   a   role   model   for   their   child,
10
“Legendary   figures   are   just   myths,”   Aberdeen   Evening   Express ,   February   4,   2008,   p.
8,   http://online.library.marist.edu/login?url=http://proquest.umi.com.online.library.marist.edu/pqdweb?did=1423699671&sid=1&Fmt=3&clientI d=14836&RQT=309&VName=PQD   (accessed   May   5,   2010).
11
“Legendary   figures   are   just   myths,”   Aberdeen   Evening   Express ,   February   4,   2008,   p.
8,   http://online.library.marist.edu/login?url=http://proquest.umi.com.online.library.marist.edu/pqdweb?did=1423699671&sid=1&Fmt=3&clientI d=14836&RQT=309&VName=PQD   (accessed   May   5,   2010).
12
Encyclopedia   of   the   Nations,   “Famous   Britons”   in   United   Kingdom,   Advameg   Inc.,   http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Europe/United ‐ Kingdom ‐ FAMOUS ‐ BRITONS.html
(accessed   May   9,   2010).
Page   5   of   13

how   many   of   them   would   ever   tell   their   child   to   be   like   King   Henry   VIII
13
?
If   they   did,   they   would   be   encouraging   violence   as   a   means   of   control,   the   misuse   of   women,   and   the   execution   of   whoever   you   don’t   like.
In   many   ways,   it   is   much   easier   to   gleam   life   lessons   from   the   British   legends   than   it   is   to   try   to   find   the   heroic   deeds   of   past   British   rulers.
It   could   be   that   the   un ‐ romantic   reality   of   British   history   is   one   reason   why   British   culture   has   long   romanticized   its   mythological   heroes.
In   trying   to   guide   the   future   generations   to   make   honorable   and   selfless   choices,   it   would   be   easier   to   point   their   youth   to   myths   like   the   legend   of   King   Arthur   and   his   adventures   to   create   the   British   Empire   than   any   one   historical   ruler.
And   indeed,   from   the   10 th
century   on,   there   have   been   countless   references   and   stories   done   on   King   Arthur   and   all   the   quests   he   went   on.
14
There   are   even   parts   of   England   that   claim   to   be   a   part   of   the   Arthurian   legend,   like   the   city   of   Glastonbury   which   claims   to   be   the   burial   site   of   Arthur   and   Guinevere,   and   Cadbury   Castle   in
Somerset   which   claims   to   be   where   Camelot   was.
15
There   have   been   princes   named   after   him,   King
Henry   VII   named   his   eldest   son   Arthur,   and   King   Arthur’s   Round   Table   became   synonymous   with   how   medieval   England   conducted   its   court   and   activities   like   their   tournaments.
16
We   also   see   how   much   influence   it   has   had   on   popular   culture   with   all   the   books   and   movies   that   have   explored   the   Arthurian   legend   over   the   centuries.
So   why   would   we   see   the   legends   of   Arthur   pop ‐ up   time   and   again   in   British   culture?
Not   because   it   is   the   literal   past   of   the   country,   because   indeed   it   is   not,   but   because   Arthur   was   a   symbol   of   what   they   wanted   their   culture   to   be   like.
If   one   compares   how   England   focuses   so   much   on   its   legendary   past   to   how   Rowling   develops   the   wizarding   world’s   folklore,   one   will   find   a   lot   of   common   ground.
In   her   series,   Rowling   depicts   wizard   history   much   like   the   actual   history   of   Great   Britain—extremely   muddled   and   hard   to   learn   from.
13
Anniina   Jokinen,   “King   Henry   VIII   of   England”   in   Luminarium:Anthology   of   English   Literature,   http://www.luminarium.org/renlit/tudorbio.htm
(accessed   May   9,   2010).
14
15
Geoffrey   of   Monmouth,   The   History   of   the   Kings   of   Britain,   ed.
Lewis   Thorpe   (London:   Penguin   Classics,   1966),   p.107.
Norris   J.
Lacy   et   al,   ed.,   “Topography   and   Local   Legends”   in   The   New   Arthurian   Encyclopedia   (New   York:   Garland   Publishing   Inc.,   1996),   p.455.
16
Norris   J.
Lacy   et   al,   ed.,   “Tournaments”   in   The   New   Arthurian   Encyclopedia   (New   York:   Garland   Publishing   Inc.,   1996),   p.458.
Page   6   of   13

In   The   Tales   of   Beedle   the   Bard ,   Dumbledore   mentions   some   of   the   dark   sides   of   wizarding   past   and   how   medieval   wizards   used   to   use   the   Unforgivable   Curses   when   dueling   each   other.
17
We   also   hear   the   occasional   mention   of   dark   wizards   and   some   of   the   gruesome   things   they   did   in   history   throughout   the
Harry   Potter   series,   like   invent   Horcruxes
18
.
Seeing   how   Rowling   parallels   wizarding   history   with   British   history   could   also   explain   why   Rowling   makes   very   little   effort   to   have   her   characters   be   knowledgeable   about   wizarding   history.
One   of   the   best   examples   of   this   is   how   she   develops   the   character   of   Ron   Weasley.
All   throughout   the   Harry   Potter   series   Ron   remains   ignorant   of   wizarding   history   and   the   only   knowledge   he   seems   to   retain   is   the   childhood   stories   that   he   grew   up   with.
He   is   dependent   upon   Hermoine’s   instruction   for   his   entire   duration   at   Hogwart’s   and   when   Ron   recognizes   The   Tales   of   Beedle   the   Bard   in   the   final   Harry   Potter   book,   Harry   comments   that   “the   circumstance   of   Ron   having   read   a   book   that
Hermione   had   not   was   unprecedented.”
19
Of   course   this   quote   is   also   referring   to   Ron’s   level   of   literacy,   but   it   also   shows   why   Ron   is   so   uninformed   about   wizarding   history—he   has   no   desire   to   learn   or   study   the   ancient   past.
But   not   only   in   Ron   is   the   apparent   ignorance   of   history   strong,   Rowling   seems   to   put   history   in   a   secondary   role   throughout   her   entire   wizarding   world.
Its   importance   never   seems   to   leave   the   classroom,   and   Hermione   ends   up   being   the   main   exception   to   the   rule   that   no   one   seems   to   care   about   wizarding   history   once   they   leave   school.
But   if   one   considers   the   theory   that   Rowling   is   stating   that   the   lessons   learned   in   history   are   more   important   than   remembering   the   actual   history   itself,   then   her   apparent   disregard   for   history   begins   to   make   sense.
17
J.
K.
Rowling,   “Babbitty   Rabbitty   and   Her   Cackling   Stump”   in   The   Tales   of   Beedle   the   Bard   (New   York:   the   Children’s   High   Level   Group,
2008),   p.86.
18
19
J.K.
Rowling,   Harry   Potter   and   the   Half ‐ Blood   Prince ,   (New   York:   Scholastic   Inc.,   2005),   p.
497.
J.K.
Rowling,   Harry   Potter   and   the   Deathly   Hallows ,   (New   York:   Scholastic   Inc.,   2007),   p.135.
Page   7   of   13

It   is   also   important   to   note   that   Rowling’s   writings   have   been   directly   influenced   and   based   off   of   British   mythology.
According   to   the   Encyclopedia   of   Arthurian   Legend,   “common   elements   in
Arthurian   fantasy   are   a   young   protagonist   assisted   by   siblings   or   friends,   a   quest   to   acquire   magical   artifacts,   a   supernatural   guide,   a   confrontation   between   good   and   evil   in   which   the   child   plays   a   crucial   role,   and   a   good   deal   of   folklore   associated   with   the   “Old   Ones.”
20
This   description   in   particular   is   surprising   because   it   sounds   almost   exactly   like   the   story   line   of   the   Harry   Potter   series.
If   one   analyzes
Harry   Potter   even   briefly,   one   will   see   similarities   in   how   Harry   is   the   prophesied   to   bring   peace   to   the   wizards   like   how   Arthur   is   prophesized   to   bring   peace   to   Britain.
21
There   are   also   similarities   between
Merlin   and   Dumbledore   and   Harry’s   ever ‐ present   quests   throughout   the   series.
But   not   only   does   Rowling   create   a   story   in   line   with   Arthurian   myths,   she   completely   bases   her   work   off   of   England’s   mythological   characters   and   creatures.
Her   entire   series   is   about   witches,   wizards,   and   the   magical   world   they’re   a   part   of.
More   specifically,   the   way   she   develops   her   fantastical   world   is   in   line   with   how   the   British   viewed   magic   in   their   mythological   past.
She   has   her   characters   interact   with
Western   magical   creatures   like   the   basilisk,   the   dragon,   the   giant,   the   unicorn,   the   elf,   and   the   centaur.
She   has   her   heroes   go   on   quests   for   magical   objects   like   the   Philosopher’s   Stone   while   having   them   use   magical   artifacts   like   time ‐ travelling   necklaces.
Seeing   how   Rowling   directly   drew   upon   England’s   mythological   history,   one   would   assume   that   she   herself   noticed   what   power   mythology   holds   in   influencing   people.
The   final   reason   why   it   seems   that   Rowling   is   stating   that   mythology   supersedes   the   past   is   because   another   famous   British   author,   J.R.R.
Tolkien,   wrote   his   novels   for   this   exact   purpose.
When
Tolkien   was   asked   about   why   he   created   the   Lord   of   the   Rings   series,   he   wrote   a   letter   explaining   that
20
Norris   J.
Lacy   et   al,   ed.,   “Juvenile   Fiction   in   English”   in   The   New   Arthurian   Encyclopedia   (New   York:   Garland   Publishing   Inc.,   1996),   p.257.
21
Geoffrey   of   Monmouth,   The   History   of   the   Kings   of   Britain,   ed.
Lewis   Thorpe   (London:   Penguin   Classics,   1966),   p.92.
Page   8   of   13

his   goal   behind   creating   Middle   Earth   was   to   create   a   mythology   that   Britain   could   claim   as   its   own.
22
In   later   letters,   Tolkien   espoused   this   idea   even   more   clearly   as   he   wrote   that   he   hoped   his   Middle ‐ Earth   mythology   could   guide   England   for   centuries   to   come   in   ways   the   existing   mythology   could   not.
23
If   one   reads   Tolkien’s   works,   especially   his   book   of   Middle ‐ Earth   mythology   called   The   Simillarion,   one   can   see   how   he   does   indeed   establish   a   complete   mythology.
He   compiles   almost   every   form   of   myth   starting   from   the   Creation   of   Middle ‐ Earth   to   the   famous   heroes   who   sacrificed   themselves   for   the   sake   of   peace   in   the   lands.
24
When   trying   to   explain   why   he   felt   he   needed   to   develop   mythology,   Tolkien   replied   that   “myth   and   fairy ‐ story…must   reflect   and   contain   in   solution,   elements   of   moral   and   religious   truth   (or   error),   but   not   explicit,   not   in   the   known   form   of   the   primary   real   world.”
25
Tolkien   believed   that   mythology   was   critical   in   trying   to   guide   people   towards   a   better   future.
He   saw   the   value   of   including   a   mythology   within   the   history   of   a   country   because   it   offered   examples   of   how   future   generations   should   act   and   think.
Once   again   this   topic   can   be   explored   in   much   more   depth,   but   even   in   these   short   quotes   one   can   see   that   Tolkien   exercised   his   created   mythology   to   guide   his   characters,   and   in   his   case   took   this   idea   to   a   new   level   by   hoping   that   his   created   mythology   would   guide   all   of   Great   Britain.
One   interesting   thing   though   is   when   Rowling   herself   was   asked   by   interviewers   whether   she   was   influenced   by   Tolkien,   she   responded   that   “if   you   set   aside   the   fact   that   the   books   overlap   in   terms   of   dragons   &   wands   &   wizards,   the   Harry   Potter   books   are   very   different,   especially   in   tone.
Tolkien   created   a   whole   mythology;   I   don’t   think   anyone   could   claim   that   I   have   done   that.
On   the   other
22
John   C.
Hunter,   The   Evidentce   of   Things   Not   Seen,   Journal   of   Modern   Literature   (Winter   2006),   volume   29 ‐ 2,   http://online.library.marist.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=mzh&AN=2006530679&site=ehost ‐ live ,   p128   and   136.
23
John   C.
Hunter,   The   Evidentce   of   Things   Not   Seen,   Journal   of   Modern   Literature   (Winter   2006),   volume   29 ‐ 2,   http://online.library.marist.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=mzh&AN=2006530679&site=ehost ‐ live ,   p.136.
24
25
Jane   Chance,   Tolkien   and   the   Invention   of   Myth:   A   Reader   (Kentucky:   University   Press   of   Kentucky,   2004),   p.
20.
John   Gough,   Tolkien’s   Creation   Myth   in   the   Simillarion:   Northern   or   Not?,   Children’s   Literature   in   Education,   published   March   1999,
Volume   30 ‐ 1,   http://online.library.marist.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=mzh&AN=1999028365&site=ehost ‐ live ,   p.3.
Page   9   of   13

hand…he   didn’t   have   Dudley.”
26
But   although   Rowling   may   not   have   received   inspiration   from   Tolkien   in   terms   of   her   plot   and   characters,   and   as   she   says,   didn’t   develop   an   entirely   new   mythology,   it   seems   that   on   a   deeper   level   she   did   mimic   how   Tolkien   used   mythology   as   a   moral   compass.
One   example   is   that   Rowling,   like   Tolkien,   has   her   characters   refer   back   to   folklore   and   myths   in   order   to   seek   guidance.
In   J.R.R
Tolkien’s   writings   he   not   only   takes   time   to   create   an   in   depth   mythology,   there   are   numerous   scenes   in   his   Lord   of   the   Rings   trilogy   where   one   of   the   characters   refers   back   to   the   ancient   legends   of   the   land   and   feel   inspiration   to   continue   on.
One   scene   in   particular   is   when   Samwise   and   Frodo   are   on   their   journey   to   Mordor   and   losing   faith   that   they   can   succeed,   when   Samwise   jumps   into   an   approximate   20   page   retelling   of   the   history   of   one   of   Middle ‐ Earth’s   hero’s   called   Hurin.
27
If   one   then   takes   this   example   and   looks   at   how   Rowling   inspires   and   guides   her   characters,   a   lot   of   similarities   surface.
One   of   the   largest   examples   of   how   Rowling   uses   folklore   to   guide   her   characters   is   how   she   framed   the   downfall   of   Voldemort.
In   the   beginning   of   the   Harry   Potter   and   the   Deathly   Hallows,
Dumbledore   leaves   Hermione   The   Tales   of   Beedle   the   Bard   which   has   the   story   “ The   Tale   of   the   Three
Brothers.”   In   the   story,   the   reader   finds   out   about   the   legend   of   the   Elder   Wand   and   how   it   supposedly   is   makes   the   wielder   undefeatable.
But   at   the   end   of   the   story   the   brother   who   owns   the   elder   wand   dies   and   the   moral   is   that   can   never   beat   off   death   and   seeking   to   do   so   will   always   end   in   tragedy.
The   interesting   thing   is   that   of   all   the   ways   that   Voldemort   could   have   been   defeated,   it   is   his   disregard   for   the   moral   of   a   story   that   ultimately   leads   to   his   downfall.
What’s   even   more   interesting   is   that   Rowling   doesn’t   only   make   Harry   the   hero   because   of   his   duel   with   Voldemort,   but   she   includes   how   Harry   learns   the   lesson   from   “The   Tales   of   the   Three   Brothers”   and   handles   the   three   Hallows   in   the   proper   way.
Harry   takes   to   heart   that   one   can   never   fool   death   and   as   such   he   is   able   to   resist   the
26
John   Granger,   “Tolkien   and   Rowling:   A   Case   for   “Text   Only”,   Deathly   Hallows   Lectures   (October   9,   2008)   http://www.hogwartsprofessor.com/tolkien ‐ and ‐ rowling ‐ a ‐ case ‐ for ‐ text ‐ only/   (accessed   May   10,   2010).
27
J.R.R.
Tolkien,   The   Return   of   the   King   (New   York:   Ballantine   Publishers,   1965),   p.221.
Page   10   of   13

temptation   the   Resurrection   Stone   and   Elder   Wand   offer.
The   last   few   pages   of   the   seventh   book
(before   the   epilogue)   end   with   Harry   deciding   to   never   use   the   Elder   Wand   and   as   such   he   breaks   the   deadly   cycle   it   had   begun   in   its   legendary   past.
28
Having   the   Harry   Potter   series   end   in   this   way   is   very   dramatic   and   like   Tolkien’s   emphasis   on   mythology,   Rowling   solidifies   the   use   of   legends   as   a   moral   compass.
One   final   point   that   one   should   notice   is   that   Rowling   takes   artistic   license   with   her   own   mythology   and   turns   wizarding   myths   into   real   wizarding   history.
She   creates   the   legend   of   the   Chamber   of   Secrets   and   then   has   it   become   the   actual   location   of   Voldemort’s   2 nd
attempt   to   return   to   power.
She   takes   the   Deathly   Hallows   and   makes   their   presence   real   and   vital   for   defeating   evil.
Then,   she   takes   real   historical   artifacts   of   the   wizarding   world   and   gives   them   legendary   qualities.
The   4   artifacts   of   the
Hogwart’s   founders   either   become   Horcruxes   or   become   one   of   the   few   weapons   that   can   destroy   the
Horcruxes,   like   Gryffindor’s   sword.
If   we   then   think   about   what   effect   her   blending   of   legend   and   reality   produce,   one   can   see   that   the   purpose   of   the   legend   becomes   more   magnified.
The   Chamber   of   Secrets   is   supposed   to   fulfill   Slytherin’s   goal   of   purging   the   school   of   un ‐ pure   wizards   and   by   making   Voldemort   actually   access   the   place,   the   purpose   of   Slytherin   becomes   embodied.
The   point   of   the   Deathly   Hallows   is   to   teach   children   that   death   should   never   be   evaded   or   meddled   with   and   when   they   become   real,   the   purpose   of   the   story   becomes   the   solution   to   stopping
Voldemort.
The   four   artifacts   of   the   Hogwart’s   founders   not   only   symbolize   the   four   houses,   but   when   all   of   them   are   united   then   the   school   can   remain   whole   and   prosperous,   and   Harry   has   to   discover   and   utilize   every   one   of   them   to   stop   Voldemort.
Considering   that   Rowling’s   personification   of   wizarding   legends   seem   to   lead   to   the   moral   of   the   legend   also   becoming   literal,   it   seems   that   Rowling   was   indeed   trying   to   convey   the   message   of   morals   being   the   actual   lesson   of   an   event.
28
J.K.
Rowling,   Harry   Potter   and   the   Deathly   Hallows ,   (New   York:   Scholastic   Inc.,   2007),   p.749.
Page   11   of   13

In   considering   the   impact   J.K.
Rowling   has   had   upon   this   generation’s   young   people,   it   is   important   to   not   only   notice   the   new   trends   and   styles   she   has   created   through   her   literary   writings;   it   is   also   important   to   notice   the   morals   and   messages   she   is   conveying   and   supporting.
Through   her   characters   she   is   encouraging   her   audience   to   adopt   a   certain   worldview   and   to   live   by   a   certain   moral   standard,   and   it   seems   that   she   is   trying   to   tell   her   reader   to   look   to   the   past   to   find   guidance   for   the   future.
But   more   specifically,   Rowling   is   saying   that   one’s   myths,   legends,   and   fairy   tales   are   the   embodiment   of   what   our   past   has   to   offer   to   our   present   generation;   that   within   these   lay   the   truths   that   will   guide   our   society   and   its   members   in   the   right   direction.
Historically,   children’s   literature   has   been   a   tool   for   educating   the   youth   and   it   seems   that
Rowling’s   Harry   Potter   series   is   no   exception   to   this   trend.
Seeing   her   utilize   mythology   in   a   way   that   magnified   her   world   and   specifically   magnified   the   messages   she   was   trying   to   convey   was   and   is   truly   noteworthy.
In   considering   all   of   the   messages   that   Rowling   shares   through   her   Harry   Potter   series,   it   seems   that   she   is   encouraging   our   future   generation   to   never   forget   that   society   will   only   prevail   if   we   take   to   heart   the   lessons   our   culture   has   taught   us   through   the   legends   they   left   behind.
Page   12   of   13

Campbell,   Joseph   with   Moyers,Bill.
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New   York:   Anchor
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Chance,   Jane.
Tolkien   and   the   Invention   of   Myth:   A   Reader.
Kentucky:   University   Press   of   Kentucky,
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Tolkien’s   Creation   Myth   in   the   Simillarion:   Northern   or   Not?
Children’s   Literature   in
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