The Hidden Key to Harry Potter: Understanding the Meaning, Genius, and Popularity of Joanne Rowling's Harry Potter Novels [Illustrated] [Paperback]

John Granger (Author)

Book Description

What you need to know about The Hidden Key to Harry Potter:

1) It is the first critical study to unlock the inner meaning of Harry Potter by treating the series seriously as literature along the lines of Charles Dickens and Jane Austen.

2) It is the first exposé to identify Joanne Rowling as a Christian who consciously writes Christian Fantasy in the tradition of C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien.

3) It is the first full-fledged effort to predict Potter’s future course in detail – an audacious and thought-provoking adventure offered to fellow enthusiasts.

4) It is the first Muggle textbook suitable for use at Hogwarts – bringing humor, fun, and WOW! excitement to the "serious" business of Pottermania.

Low Road critics have panned the bestselling Harry Potter novels as "the literary equivalent of fast food" and as a gateway to the occult. But no one has explained the worldwide popularity of Ms. Rowling’s fiction or read it as one would read Tolkien, Hemingway, or Shakespeare. The Hidden Key takes the High Road to understanding Harry Potter’s success, through an exploration of the series’ structure, themes, and symbolism.

The astonishing conclusion of this investigation is that Ms. Rowling, demonized by some Christian critics because of the magical setting of her books, is ironically writing the most charming and challenging Christian fiction for children since Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia. The Hidden Key demonstrates that all the Potter books teach Christian doctrines - sometimes with subtlety, often baldly - in their plot, imagery, and character development. Lambasted by critics who have not read her books closely or are unfamiliar with traditional Christian literature, Ms. Rowling’s genius has been overlooked despite her books’ success.

A lover and teacher of the Great Books – including the great children’s books he reads his seven children – Mr. Granger applies his knowledge of classical philosophy and Christian traditions to reveal the secret message that explains the magic power of Harry Potter.

Find out these secrets inside:

* What is the hidden key to Harry Potter?
* Is Harry’s magic dangerous – or quite the opposite?
* What is the evidence that Rowling is a Christian novelist?
* Is the author an "Inkling"? How have we been so bamboozled?
* Who is the real-world model for Gilderoy Lockhart?
* Who is Harry, really? Why does Lord Voldemort want him dead?
* Will Wormtail kill Voldemort as Wormtongue killed Saruman?
* What may happen in the upcoming Potter books?
* How does it all end? – an UNAUTHORIZED prediction.

Editorial Reviews

Review

The Hidden Key is "must" reading for Potterites, whatever their religious orientation. -- Prof. Dr. John Warwick Montgomery, Christian Apologist, Barrister, Educator, and Author of “Myth, Allegory, and Gospel” and “Cross and Crucible”

The Hidden Key is a jazzy, gutsy exposition of the secret Christian symbolism that pervades J.K. Rowling's brilliant series. -- Stratford Caldecott, Chesterton Institute for Faith & Culture

[Combining] literary and spiritual insight with humor ... Granger proves himself a "Defense Against Dark Arts" master in the truest sense. -- Robert Trexler, Editor of CSL: The Bulletin of the New York C.S. Lewis Society

[D]elightful and provocative ... Older children and adults who have loved Potter will find The Hidden Key hard to put down. -- Dr. Scott H. Moore, Great Texts Program and Professor of Philosophy, Baylor University

From the Publisher

Joanne Rowling’s Harry Potter is the media event of the new millennium. Harry’s books and movies have hundreds of millions of fans. But whence this popularity? Fans say they love the stories and characters. Ivory Tower pundits and some Churchmen tell us the books are popular because they are so bad. Some Christian apologists have written books saying the books are harmless. Other critics have called the books Disney cartoon literature, Fast Food Reading, even a gateway to the occult!

But do any of these approaches answer the question? Could the books be so much more popular than other books because they’re much better and more profound than other books? Might readers not love them because they’re wise and wonderful?

This is the novel approach of The Hidden Key to Harry Potter – to take Harry Potter seriously as literature and explore the meaning of the series’ structure, themes, and symbolism as one would Shakespeare or Dickens. Mr. Granger begins by examining the themes of prejudice, death and bereavement, choice, and change. Next he guides the reader to an understanding of why conventional interpretations are insufficient, and why these stories (and their power) only make sense when viewed from a symbolist vantage point. Using his Latin and knowledge of the Great Books, he is able to explain convincingly why and how Ms. Rowling (who like Mr. Granger has a university degree in classical languages) has created a story and magical world that rest on Classical Philosophy and Christian Theology.

The astonishing conclusion of this exploration is that Ms. Rowling, demonized by some Christian critics because of the magical setting of the books, is writing the most charming and challenging Christian fiction for children since Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia. The Hidden Key demonstrates that each book and the series as a whole teach explicitly Christian doctrines, sometimes with subtlety but often boldly, in their plot, imagery, and character development.

Hidden Key includes perceptive reviews of critical comments to date and rich exegesis of the Harry Potter books’ formulas, influences and themes. Even fans who have read the books several times will be astonished at the layers of traditional Christian imagery and meaning revealed in Hidden Key: from the Resurrection Journey that Harry takes every year at Hogwarts to the alchemical substances represented by each character, from the symbols of unicorn, phoenix, and philosopher’s stone to the psychology of Harry’s trials and purification. Hidden Key explains the Christian meaning of Harry’s name and is bold enough to predict both his destiny as Heir of Gryffindor and as a modern Christian ‘Everyman’ or Pilgrim.

C. S. Lewis fans will be delighted to learn of Ms. Rowling’s pointed references to his Narnia series and traditional apologetics. The big surprise here is that Hogwarts’ magical milieu, rather than inviting readers to invocational sorcery forbidden by scripture, turns out to be a powerful critique of modernity’s materialist and secular ideologies. The magic of Harry Potter is not demonic but only more evidence of his being on the side of the angels (the good angels!). Not only is Ms. Rowling not a Satanist – she is the most literate Christian Fantasy writer this side of C. S. Lewis, J. R. R. Tolkien, and their circle of Inklings!

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Zossima Press; 1 edition (November 18, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0972322108
• ISBN-13: 978-0972322102
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (42 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,169,662 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

John Granger is an author, speaker, and professor. A graduate of the University of Chicago, where he studied classical languages and literature, he uses Harry Potter to teach English literature online at HogwartsProfessor.com. He is a frequent speaker at academic and fan conferences and has been interviewed as a "Harry Potter expert" in the "Wall Street Journal," the "New York Times," CNN, and the DVD of "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix." He and his wife, Mary, have seven children.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

113 of 118 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars One Of The Best Books on the "Harry Potter" Phenomenon, June 18, 2003

By 

J. S. Calvert (Houston, Texas United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Hidden Key to Harry Potter: Understanding the Meaning, Genius, and Popularity of Joanne Rowling's Harry Potter Novels (Paperback)

Let me say up front that what kept me from giving this book 5 stars was its need for better organization and a stronger editorial hand. (More of this later.) In terms of content, thought and provocative analysis, it is 5 stars all the way. Anyone seriously interested in the Harry Potter books, pro or con, should read this book.

Many Evangelical Christians consider the Harry Potter books objectionable, even Satanic, because of their magical milieu of Witches and Wizards. These objections have been stated most strongly in Richard Abanes' "Harry Potter: The Menace Behind the Magick." John Granger, an Orthodox Christian and a classics scholar, has now written a book, "The Hidden Key to Harry Potter", that challenges this view with the startling thesis that far from being Satanic, the Harry Potter books are in fact profound Christian allegories that are filled with Christian symbolism.

Granger makes a very convincing case. Among other things, he examines the numerous Christian symbols that appear in the Harry Potter books: Unicorn, Stag, Golden Griffin, Phoenix, and others. He offers a compelling analysis of the climactic scene in "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" that interprets Harry's battle with the Basilisk as an allegory of the Christian's fight against Satan and the healing power of Christ's sacrificial love. In an extensive section on alchemy (that could use a bit of pruning), Granger argues that "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" is about the transforming power of Christ in the life of the Christian. Granger also shows how Rowling's books fit squarely in the "Great Books" tradition of Austen, White, Lewis and Tolkien.

Granger argues that the Harry Potter books have been so phenomenally successful not only because they are corking good stories, but more importantly because they address the reader's spiritual needs on a fundamental, even subliminal level. This argument is certainly more convincing that the one offered by some Evangelicals, namely, that the series' runaway success is due to help from Old Scratch himself.

Granger identifies and examines some of the principal underlying themes of the books - prejudice, dealing with death, the importance of choices in determining character, among others - and offers an analysis of the central meaning of each of the four books published thus far. Then, in a section demonstrating considerable analytical courage, Granger offers his own speculations on what lies ahead in the books yet to come. Talk about going out on a limb!

It is not surprising that a great deal of this would have gone over the head of the average reader of the Harry Potter books. At the very least, one would need a working familiarity with Medieval Christian iconography to pick up on a lot of the symbolism Granger identifies. Assuming, of course, that Rowling is in fact writing from the perspective Granger claims she is. Sometimes, in reading Granger's book, I wondered what Rowling would think of all this. Would she say, "Finally, someone got it!"? Or would she be thinking, "Gee, I never knew I was putting all that stuff in my books!"? Unless and until Rowling herself speaks on these issues, we won't know. But at the least, Granger makes an excellent and thought-provoking case. And he also provides the great service of cutting through all the "Single-Mom-Turned-Overnight-Success" malarky to point out that Rowling is in fact a highly-educated woman with Firsts (the English equivalent to Summa Cum Laude) in Classics and French from Exeter, one of England's leading universities - which of course bolsters his arguments about the serious, scholarly underpinnings of these books.

On the debit side, Granger sometimes pushes his theories too far and strains credibility. For example, his analysis of some of the names, the title character's in particular, is unconvincing and gives the impression of grasping at straws. And his theory on the identity of the real-life model for Gilderoy Lockhart is torpedoed by a comment Rowling herself made in an interview. Also, Granger's intriguing arguments are sometimes undercut by the book's rather haphazard organization and its annoying redundancy. Apparently the book was based on a series of four lectures Granger gave, and this shows in the organization. One sometimes has the feeling that Granger has simply transcribed his lectures and notes into book form, without taking sufficient pains to adapt the lectures to a written medium. A stronger editorial hand was needed in preparing this book for publication.

But these are problems that could be solved in a revised edition, and hopefully one will be forthcoming.

The Harry Potter books have sometimes been likened by their Christian critics to a kind of literary Trojan Horse, sneaking Satanism and demonic influences into the citadels of our homes and our children's minds. But if John Granger is right, the books are indeed a Trojan Horse, but of a different kind: Rowling will have stormed the citadel of secular public education and public libraries with profoundly Christian books proclaiming the Gospel, disguised as stories about witchcraft. If, indeed, these are Christian books, what are the secular humanist guardians of public school portals going to do when they find out? Hold their own book-burning? If nothing else, contemplating the delicious irony in this state of affairs makes me hope devoutly that Granger's analysis is correct.

Let me repeat: anyone seriously interested in the Harry Potter books, pro or con, needs to read this book.

31 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Tremendous Insights Into the World of Harry Potter, December 5, 2002

By 

D. Trainor (Brewster, NY United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Hidden Key to Harry Potter: Understanding the Meaning, Genius, and Popularity of Joanne Rowling's Harry Potter Novels (Paperback)

This book succeeds on a number of fronts: 1) It details the important themes of the Potter books extremely well. This has allowed me to enjoy and appreciate the books much more than when I first helped read Sorcerer's Stone to my son. The Potter stories are great on their own but Hidden Key allows you to see the deep themes Rowling is baking into these stories. I guarantee you will appreciate her writing skill and the books themselves significantly more after reading this guide. 2)This has helped me to reinforce the themes in the Potter books, which are really the great themes we are faced with in life, for my son. It has given me an informed, adult view on Rowling's writing that has created many "teachable moments" with my son. In fact, I just had several more of these moments in the theater, while watching Chamber of Secrets, that were directly inspired by the Hidden Key's content.

I consider myself a decent reader but, to be honest, it's amazing how much I missed in Rowling's books that John Granger has captured in great detail. From the themes in each of the four books to the hidden meaning of most of the character's names--the detail and analysis will astound you if you are a Potter fan. Plus the predictions for the future direction of the story provide great fodder for musing and discussion. I've looked at a few of the other guides out there but they really don't compare. If you'd like to see a serious treatment of Rowling's world as literature--and benefit from the experience--this is your book. If you are a Christian reader, you'll appreciate this guide even more--although the prime criteria needed to enjoy it is being a dedicated Potter fan or the parent of one! Actually, that leads me to my only disclaimer. This book is not written for the 8 year old Harry Potter fanatic. It is probably best suited to good teen readers and adults. But I do think the 8 year old fanatic's parents should buy it so they and their child will get the most from the magical world of Hogwarts.

28 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very interesting book, January 16, 2003

By 

Jesse Carrasco (Los Angeles, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Hidden Key to Harry Potter: Understanding the Meaning, Genius, and Popularity of Joanne Rowling's Harry Potter Novels (Paperback)

I picked up this book over other Harry Potter critiques because it was the first to deal with the books as actual literature and the first to say that the stories are actually Christian based rather than anti-christian. I was extremely pleased with the results.

Having graduated as an english major, I have always been intrigued with J.K. Rowling's knowledge of so many different works throughout time and how they've shown up in her books. Granger does a good job showing the reader where these ideas come from and how they are used in the overarching story. His analysis of the christian tones in each book are amazing in that once he explains them they are so simple to see that you wonder how you didn't see it before. His predictions for the remaining three books are very intelligent and (in my opinion) quite possibly correct.

I give this 4 stars only because he tends to repeat himself a lot throughout the book. Constantly talking about alchemical transformations gets to be a little tiresome after a while. But this is definitely an interesting read for people that really want to delve into the deeper meanings of the Harry Potter story.