Reading, Writing, Rowling

Join us for the beginning of our Puffs-palooza!  In this episode, we talk with Dr. Melissa Aaron and Dr. Lauren Camacci about the off-Broadway play Puffs - how you can see it at home, why should see it (if you haven’t already), and why we love it so much. Warning: Spoilers abound in this episode!   Puffs imagines the seven-book Harry Potter series in a compressed timeline and from the perspective of students in Hufflepuff in those same years. This is a fan fiction approach that Henry Jenkins calls refocalization, which retells a story from the perspective of marginalized characters to provide new insights. Melissa, a theater historian who saw the play in New York, explains how the in-person play experience is different from seeing it on film, and we consider whether the play is satire, parody, or something else, and what makes it so funny. It creates an in-group experience for fans and millennials. Bringing Muggle pop culture, including fantasy geekdom, into Hogwarts corrects a gap in the original series

Are the Harry Potter novels fantasy, mystery, school story, bildungsroman, allegory, or something else? Harry Potter’s blend of genres shapes reader expectations and creates fascinating intersections. In this episode, Dr. Tison Pugh (Pegasus Professor of English at the University of Central Florida) joins Katy and Emily to discuss the wide variety of genre conventions, patterns, and themes employed in the Harry Potter series. Tison talks about his recent book Harry Potter and Beyond (University of South Carolina Press, 2020), which explores how J.K. Rowling’s novels use and also manipulate a variety of genres. Tison assures us that genre fiction can be high-quality, innovative, and worthy of study. No one genre defines the Harry Potter books, and that allows Rowling to expand both plot and themes in surprising directions.  For example, we talk about how the fairy tale and hero’s myth genres influence gender dynamics of the wizarding world in somewhat opposing ways. Reflecting on this intersection helps u

A Valentine for...Uncle Vernon?  In this episode of Potterversity, Katy and Emily talk with scholar Tim Jennings about Vernon Dursley in a way that, if it doesn’t redeem Harry’s uncle, does seek to humanize him. Why is Uncle Vernon the way that he is? What motivates him? Why is he so awful to Harry? We explore Vernon’s relationships with his wife Petunia and his sister Marge to determine what we know about how Vernon grew up, his social influences, and why he loathes the magical world. Enjoying contrarian readings of texts and using psychology to analyze literary characters, Tim provides a nuanced view of why Uncle Vernon acts as he does.  Although the series almost exclusively follows Harry’s perspective, the first chapter of the very first book begins from Vernon’s perspective, indicating his importance as a foil for Harry and the wizarding world. The Dursleys’ desperate clinging to the “perfectly normal, thank you very much” has a profoundly significant effect on the reader’s experience of the series.

What does the prevalence of violence in the Harry Potter series tell us about magical civilization - and our own?  Despite its theme of nonviolence, there’s a fair amount of violence in the Harry Potter series. On this episode, Katy and Emily talk with Dr. Aurélie Lacassagne, Associate Professor of Political Science at Laurentian University - Sudbury, in Ontario, Canada. Aurélie explains how the Harry Potter novels, which have struck a resonant chord with readers worldwide, reveal important tensions in what scholar Norbert Elias called the “civilizing process.”  As Aurélie notes, Elias connects “civilization” to self-restraint, interdependency, emotional control, and the taming of violence. However, he notes that “decivilizing” also occurs dynamically in all societies as social restraints are tested and emotions boil over. Although members of the Order of the Phoenix show empathy and try to restrain violence where possible, the Death Eaters conversely gain pleasure from torture and murder, without shame o

Uncover the meaning of Christmas in the Harry Potter novels.  On this episode, Katy and Emily talk with Dr. Beatrice Groves (author of Literary Allusion in Harry Potter and blogger at Bathilda’s Notebook) about the Christmases at Hogwarts and how they culminate in the final book’s graveyard scene at Godric’s Hollow. Emily points out that J.K. Rowling uses Christmas as a way to highlight the magic of the world she created, the particular magic of the season special even in a magical realm. Bea explains the significance of Harry choosing to stay at Hogwarts for most of his holiday breaks - and Ron, too!   One of the most important elements of Hogwarts Christmas, Bea points out, is its communal nature - sitting at a communal table, the Hogwarts faculty letting their hair down, and the merrymaking and gift exchanges that strengthen ties of fellowship. Important events happen on Christmas at Hogwarts that have larger symbolic relevance: Harry getting the Invisibility Cloak and the Firebolt as gifts, his discov

Rule-breaking for the right reasons on this episode of Potterversity. Katy and Emily talk with Dr. Beth Sutton-Ramspeck about her analysis of rule-breaking and creativity in the Harry Potter series. In the early 2000s, some parents wanted the Harry Potter books banned because the students at Hogwarts often broke the rules without consequences. We talk about why this misbehavior may actually point to important moral choices for the students, as they understand there are multiple sets of “rules” or principles in place at any given time. Sometimes the trouble they make is what John Lewis called “good trouble,” or evidence of Martin Luther King Jr.’s concept of “creative maladjustment.” We examine a variety of apparently maladjusted characters in the series: where they come by their perspective and how it’s useful to them. What constitutes creativity, and why is breaking the rules - and even defiance - a key part of it? The Death Eaters and villains like Dolores Umbridge and Voldemort are some of the most ma

Catch a glimpse of the latest in Harry Potter scholarship and get oriented to our new podcast!  In our first episode, Emily and Katy introduce the virtual Potter Studies education you can expect from Potterversity. We discuss the Harry Potter Academic Conference (HPAC) at Chestnut Hill College, which this year was held virtually. Kudos to Karen Wendling and Patrick McCauley for pulling off this gathering successfully in a way that allowed Potter scholars from all over the world to interact with each other. Hear about some of our favorite presentations, including Brent Satterly’s talk on LGBTQ responses to J.K. Rowling and several excellent close-readings of the books and movies. Many former Reading, Writing, Rowling guests appeared to discuss humor (Louise Freeman), Hogwarts: A History (Lana Whited), “creative maladjustment” (Beth Sutton-Ramspeck), Merlin and Dumbledore (Laurie Beckoff), and Quidditch (Caitlin Harper). In his featured presentation, Chris Bell wondered about whether we could read Harry as bi

In imaginative fiction, bridges provide access to magical and dangerous worlds.  During this month’s episode, Katy and Emily talk about bridges in the Harry Potter books and movies. We’ve scoured the books and films for bridge images and references to see where they’re used and how. There are not many bridges in the books - though the Brockdale Bridge’s destruction at the beginning of Book 6 and the bridge in “The Tale of the Three Brothers” have important metaphorical significance. The villainous Dolores Umbridge also acts as a conduit for evil into Hogwarts and the Ministry of Magic. The movies make good use of bridge imagery in thoughtfully chosen moments that make us ponder what connections or transformations are made there.  We also talk about how each of the seven books of the Harry Potter series creates a literary bridge from one book to the next, keeping us reading. Looking at beginnings and endings of the books helps us to see how each book provides a sense of conclusion, but also leaves the read

Literary alchemy provides clues to the romantic pairings in Harry Potter.  Why did Ron and Hermione, Remus and Tonks, and Bill and Fleur end up paired together? Literary alchemy holds the symbolic answers. Katy and John talk this month with Elizabeth Baird Hardy (Mayland Community College) and Beatrice Groves (Oxford University) about the alchemical pairings of elements that reveal themselves in the Harry Potter series and beyond.  John provides a short explanation of literary alchemy and why certain pairings - mercury and sulfur, for example, represented in Hermione and Ron - are seen as critically important. Humoral combinations (phlegm, black bile, yellow bile, and blood) also symbolically represent the resolution of contraries, central to the alchemical idea of transformation through being broken down (solve) and then joining together again anew (coagula). Elizabeth and Bea connect these alchemical weddings to Shakespeare’s comedies (and Romeo and Juliet) as well as Christian tradition. We discuss not

Far from an offhand or casually constructed story, The Ickabog intentionally continues many of the themes and structures of the Harry Potter books in a fairy tale genre.  In this month’s episode, Katy and John talk with Harry Potter scholars John Pazdziora (University of Tokyo-Komaba) and Lana Whited (Ferrum College) about our first analyses of The Ickabog, which was released in installments from June to July 2020. The slow release has allowed fans of Harry Potter once again the delights of speculating about what will happen next, and we have captured that spirit in our conversation recorded after Chapter 51 was posted.  Lana Whited points out the connections with "The Emperor’s New Clothes," while John Pazdziora shows how they fit within the French conte tradition that combined fairy tales with social criticism. Following both those traditions, The Ickabog lures the reader into a politically sharp and often violent tale. We discuss what the fairy tale theories of Bruno Bettelheim tell us about how childr

Explore the surprising relevance of Beedle the Bard’s first tale - “The Wizard and the Hopping Pot” - in this week’s episode.  “The Wizard and the Hopping Pot” seems like a simple story on the surface, but Katy and Emily with their guest Travis Prinzi (Harry Potter and Imagination) uncover the challenging complexities of this tale.  We look at the fairy tale motifs Rowling uses, and also ways this streamlined narrative acts almost as a parable. The young wizard learns his lesson in the end, but does he learn it in the right way and for the right reasons? The themes link to Christian texts like the parable of the talents, the Prodigal Son, and the Good Samaritan. Beedle’s story also references generational inheritance of power and responsibility, which echoes main ideas of the larger Harry Potter book series. These themes resonate with other works, from Maurice Sendak’s Where the Wild Things Are to The Lord of the Rings and Star Wars.  The story’s commentary explains that this narrative exists in differe

Take a closer look at the fierce and fine Ginny Weasley in this bonus episode.  Katy and Emily talk with Louise Freeman (Mary Baldwin University) about Ginny Weasley, examining why some fans dislike her as well as what is admirable about her. We compare book-Ginny with movie-Ginny and consider the effect of scenes left out of the films on our impression of the character. Romantic love is at the heart of our discussion, but is that all Ginny has to offer? Does she transcend her role as Harry Potter’s girlfriend? We talk about her influence on other characters and the central plot of the series, as well as the development of her own unique story arc. Looking at Ginny Weasley Potter of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child also provides an opportunity to reflect on her core qualities and her relationship with Harry as an adult. Ginny becomes more interesting as the series progresses, and so rereading reveals important and surprising insights, not only on her character but also on building romantic relationships -

Deconstruct Beedle the Bard’s tale “Babbitty Rabbitty and Her Cackling Stump” with us in our latest bonus episode!  Katy and Emily talk with Katherine Sas (University of Pennsylvania) about the wizard fairy tale featuring the wily and witchy Babbitty Rabbitty. We discuss how J.K. Rowling developed the concept and how it connects with the themes of the Harry Potter series. Is this a story about death, as Albus Dumbledore suggests? The story demonstrates ways people manage their deepest fears. Considering that this story plays on common fairy tale tropes and undermines them, we talk about the fusion of the Trickster and the Crone, and Kat reminds us that Babbitty Rabbitty shares characteristics with Baba Yaga from Slavic folk tales. We also discuss the animal imagery used in the story and contemplate heroic rabbits in literature, including Watership Down. Beedle’s tale also has a political dimension that highlights Rowling’s themes about the abuse of power and the courage of marginalized and overlooked people

Take a surprising closer look at Petunia Dursley in this week’s episode.  Harry’s Aunt Petunia is one of the lesser villains of Rowling’s fantasy series, but in this bonus episode, Katy and Emily hear Emma Nicholson’s rereading of Petunia in light of what we find out at the end of the last book. Considering how Petunia was rejected from the wizarding world in her childhood, and other hints of her humanity and vulnerability, we find some sympathy for Lily’s sister. Petunia is at the center of the Muggle-wizard divide and reveals that the wizards - including Albus Dumbledore - have not always been in the right. Do you remember what Petunia’s last gift to Lily was? We explore the symbolism of the two flower sisters, the influence of Vernon Dursley on Petunia Evans, and the emotional difficulty of living - and raising children - on the boundary between two worlds. 

Which of the wizarding world books mentioned in the Harry Potter series would you most like to have on your bookshelf?  Join us in considering the funniest, most important, and most intriguing books within the Harry Potter books in this bonus episode. Emily and Katy talk with Professor Lana Whited (Ferrum College) about the many books J.K. Rowling invented for the wizarding world. Which ones are most central to the plot? Which are the most dangerous? Which would be the most entertaining? We also discuss the effect of having all of these wizard-specific books and what the series is teaching us about reading, knowledge, and critical thinking. As Lana reminds us, Rowling’s point is that books are the most powerful magic of all. 

Graduating seniors connect their experiences this spring to the final Harry Potter book.  In this special episode, Emily, Katy, and Lana Whited (Ferrum College) talk with high school and college seniors who are separated from their friends and schools this spring because of the COVID-19 crisis. Neil Fredericksen (Franklin County High School), Jamie Gilbert (Ferrum College), and Miranda Veal (UNC-Chapel Hill) share their feelings about missing the last part of their senior year. Responding to the viral post about similarities between this experience and what Harry, Ron, and Hermione went through in their lost seventh year, our guests connect their own stories with the trio’s exile in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. We talk about the similarities in the missed opportunities, isolation, unpredictability, and lack of closure. We also explore the important differences that Harry Potter fans see between fighting a deadly virus and fighting the Dark Lord. Once again, our conversation reinforces how important

Prognostications about the next Cormoran Strike novel, based on the clues so far.  In this bonus episode, John and Katy predict what will happen in the next novel in the Rowling/Galbraith Cormoran Strike series with the help of Elizabeth Baird Hardy (Milton, Spencer, and the Chronicles of Narnia) and Beatrice Groves (Literary Allusion in Harry Potter). Given the Strike 5 title Troubled Blood, John explains Rowling’s reliance on the blood motif in Harry Potter and ponders its recurrence in Cormoran Strike. We speculate about the possibility of Marilyn Manson epigraphs through the book, how Manson lyrics could connect with key characters, and whether this blows apart the potential for repeating the chiastic structure of the Harry Potter series. Other clues point to the phrase “troubled blood” in Edmund Spenser’s Faerie Queene. Like Rowling, Spenser mixes genres, with literary allusions abounding. Britomart, Florimell, and the Redcrosse Knight provide hints for the plot and characters of Strike 5: women in dan

Enjoy a special bonus mini episode of our show about how we’re “holding on to Harry Potter.”  Katy and Emily talk with MuggleNet’s Laurie Beckoff about how to navigate our love of Harry Potter with new revelations from J.K. Rowling that challenge what we thought we knew. Laurie explains her theory that the wizarding world extends beyond the books and has become a common language for our culture, an idea she expressed in her article “Holding on to Harry Potter.” Laurie connects us with the “death of the author” literary idea, and Emily makes comparisons to H.P. Lovecraft, J.R.R. Tolkien, and (of course) Star Wars. We may sometimes feel the Disillusionment Charm has been cast on us with new tweets from the author and by developing, as readers, a stronger critical perspective on the series. Nevertheless, we discuss how each of us still holds close the themes and values that first made us love the books. 

Explore the more-than-magical power of words and rhetoric in the wizarding world.  This month’s episode explores Albus Dumbledore’s wisdom that “Words are our most inexhaustible source of magic.” Mark-Anthony Lewis (Bristol Community College and School on Wheels of Massachusetts) helps Emily and Katy understand how speech and rhetoric operate in the wizarding world. He explains why “Harry Potter Has a Consent Problem,” and the importance of not only choice but lack of choice for certain characters and beings (like Muggles) in the Harry Potter series. Spells, of course, gain their power from words, but Mark-Anthony also points to pivotal moments where speeches are more powerful than magical spells. Dumbledore in particular uses speech instead of magic at critical points to persuade and to empower others in the magical community.  Mark-Anthony applies the ideas of rhetoricians like Gorgias, Kenneth Burke, Lloyd Bitzer, and Richard Vatz to explore where the power of language and speech originates, and how it

Get to the heart of werewolves in the Harry Potter series in this month’s special double episode! In this supersized episode, John and Katy talk with literary scholars and werewolf specialists Dr. Melissa Aaron (California Polytechnic State University) and Dr. Renée Ward (University of Lincoln, UK) to reveal the true nature of beastly transformations in the Harry Potter series. “Everything you know about werewolves is wrong,” Melissa tells us, explaining the literary origins of werewolf lore and its key elements. Renée explains the diversity of classical and medieval lyncanthrope references, which were not necessarily judgmental but often emphasized martial violence and extreme difference. Melissa cautions that there is no stable “Ye Olde Book of Werewolves” with one static understanding of what werewolves are or were, but you will nevertheless get lots of ideas for your werewolf reading list from our discussion. What do werewolves represent? Often they represent the beast within, and fear of oneself, w