Themes of sacrifice are no stranger to adventure and fantasy stories. Joseph Campbell, who theorized the “monomyth,”writes that each hero has to descend into the abyss in order to ascend—often as a literal death and resurrection—and to achieve his reward at the journey’s end. It suggests something Messianic, but also isn’t without application for everyman struggles either. As the last of a seven-book series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (2007) finds author J.K. Rowling trying to neatly conclude themes from both sides of that coin: both those of sacrifice and atonement, and the day to day struggle that many have with their own faith.
Harry Potter is easily the most ubiquitous series of young adult novels of this generation. Despite undeniable Christian references throughout the series—with Rowling identifying as Christian herself—as it became more culturally pervasive, the series was met a proportionate amount of criticism, mostly from Christian denominations fearful that it would lead kids to the occult. But the “magic” in Harry Potter has much more in common with the fantasy of Tolkein or C.S. Lewis, both with a long-acknowledged Christian subtext to their work. Deathly Hallows has Rowling focusing these themes and refining them, with Harry serving both as Christ figure as well as everyman.
Harry’s climactic sacrifice at in Hallows is the most-often recognized evidence of spiritual subtext in the series. It’s pretty unmistakable: in order to save both wizard and muggle-kind, Harry has to give up his own life. His sacrifice strips evil (personified, of course, by Voldemort) of its power, and Harry returns to life empowered to achieve an ultimate victory. Earlier in the novel, Harry visits his parents tombstones for the first time in his life. Engraved is the passage from 1 Corinthians 15:26: “And the last enemy which shall be defeated is death.” The passage refers to Christ’s death and resurrection, but also foreshadow’s Harry’s acceptance of his own death, as well as seeing his parents again through the power of the resurrection stone. In the interim between his death and revival, Harry find’s himself in King’s Cross—where his life had been taken down a literally different path—and the station’s name is not without significance either. There he meets with Dumbledore, the series’ biggest patriarchal figure.
This leads to another, less-frequently discussed, spiritual subtext of Deathly Hallows. Rowling stated that her own and struggle with religious belief is apparent in the novel. Campbell writes that in every story, at some point, the hero’s guide must leave the hero alone. In, Harry finds himself doubting Dumbledore, his recently-departed mentor. In his presence, Harry had found a constant reassurance, but once separated, one reason after another crops up for Harry to doubt whether Dumbledore ever care for him at all, whether he was ever honest with Harry, and whether the quest he started Harry on was just a farce. Ultimately, his faith overcomes his doubt, and at Harry’s sacrifice, he is returned to the presence of this father figure.
For kids, it’s completely possible to enjoy Harry Potter as an adventure story without the spiritual subtext, in the same way this can be done with The Lord of the Rings, or The Chronicles of Narnia. Allegorical works are valuable to kids and adults alike because they open the reader or viewer to truths they might otherwise disengage with. Joseph F. Smith said, “We are willing to receive all truth, from whatever source it may come; for truth will stand, truth will endure…” Truth simply resonates, and series like Harry Potter can become a passage through which kids begin to examine their own values, and often, even their relationship with God.
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