Examining the Harry Potter series through the lens of existentialism reveals J.K. Rowling's unmistakable ties to the philosophy, notably in the recurring theme of self-deception as a manner of avoiding one's mortality. Rowling explores the role of materialism in self-deception and the fear of death. Her characters choose between material possessions and an authentic life, for it is precisely these belongings that create a false impression of happiness. Rowling's novels display existential problems concerning material possessions: the Sorcerer's Stone, Mirror of Erised, and Horcruxes all distract from the anxiety surrounding death by creating an illusion of happiness or success for their owners.
Journal
The Looking Glass : New Perspectives on Children's LiteratureISSN
1551-5680Volume
13Issue
3Publisher
La Trobe UniversitySection Title
Emerging VoicesAuthor Biography
Nichole LeFebvre will receive her B.A. in English Literature and American Studies from Pace University in May 2010 and is currently writing a book of poetry for her honors thesis. In the summer of 2009, she received a Leadership Alliance-Mellon Initiative fellowship to research at Columbia University's Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.Date Created
2009-11-06Rights Statement
Essays and articles published in The Looking Glass may be reproduced for non-profit use by any educational or public institution; letters to the editor and on-site comments made by our readers may not be used without the expressed permission of that individual. Any commercial use of this journal, in whole or in part, by any means, is prohibited. Authors of accepted articles assign to The Looking Glass the right to publish and distribute their text electronically and to archive and make it permanently available electronically. They retain the copyright and, 90 days after initial publication, may republish it in any form they wish as long as The Looking Glass is acknowledged as the original source.Data source
OJS data migration 2025: https://ojs.latrobe.edu.au/ojs/index.php/tlg/article/view/163
