Symbolism Of Death In Harry Potter's Growth:Three Father Figures As An Entrance

The novel series Harry Potter is a famous collection of works written by modern British writer J.K.Rowling.It has been 20 years since the first book of the series was published in 1997.The series has gained much popularity as well as received much criticism during the whole time.The work attracts great attention among both common readers and critics worldwide.Until today,the adaptions and derivative works,like movies and plays,are still being created and discussed in the world.Most of adventurous Bildungsroman stories often focus on the growth of the hero and the quest of the meaning of life,so does Harry Potter.However,in Harry Potter,death stands out.Death becomes a symbolic trail,which is constituted by multiple deaths of different characters,leading the hero to his own quest of life meaning.Death serves as the motif instead of outcomes as in conventional tragedies.Multi-layered metaphors and symbols are used to inquire the true meaning of life and death.Rowling's philosophical thinking on death is demonstrated through her words,which makes this series largely stand out of common children literature.The narration and symbolism in this work are worth analyzing.In this dissertation,I will take the deaths of three father figures as an entrance and check them from archetypal and symbolic perspectives.With the help of psychoanalysis and developmental psychological theory,I will dissect the influence of death on Harry's characterization and inquire the symbolism in his self-identity quest.The goal is to explore how death works as a motif as well as a symbol in the novels.I will follow the death trail to discuss the growth of the hero and see how all element consist of a modern heroic myth.Three father figures – the biological father,the god father and the mentor – are chosen as main examples in the dissertation.Through the deaths and symbolism of three fathers,we can see a connection between father figures and the hero's characterization.Father figures can be taken as the projection of the hero's self in his quest for self-identity.Starting from the loss of one's birth identity,to the reflection on blind imitation of father figures,the hero finally breaks the authority of ideal power and reaches a unified self-identity.Through the discussion of father-son relationship,the overlapping of father and son images emerges.Each death of a father symbolizes an updated self of the son.The deaths progressively contribute to the growth of the hero and promote the development of the story.The symbolism of death of fathers is the focus of study in the dissertation.Three fathers' deaths can be seen as symbolic time stamps on Harry's growth with his sacrificial death as a climax.Following a death trail,the writer sublimates death into a philosophical theme of the work on the base of narrative functions.The unrealistic conversation between the hero and the dead mentor breaks the boundary of life and death,which marks the maturation of the hero's personality.At the same time,different paths of growth of the hero and the villain contrast in the attitudes towards death,which gradually reveals writer's contemplation on how to handle life properly.The mythological elements are also frequently used in Harry Potter.Two events,grail quest and rebirth,are well discussed as a further inquiry for symbolism.The immortality myth adds a philosophic quest into the work.The Bildungsroman of the hero consists of an inquiry of truth and a quest for self-identity,which can be seen as a modern grail quest.Harry's continual supersessions of the old self by the new during his growth construct a modern heroic myth.The supersession of power in the magic world happens simultaneously along with the hero's growth,which enriches the connotation of rebirth.From a bigger picture,the hero's inner struggle is integrated with the outer war between good and evil.The rebirth of the hero shows the power of love and kindness,which embodies the true intention of the work.The writer takes death as an entry point to discuss the universal question of life and hope,so that readers may gain some strength to overcome trials in real life.In Harry Potter,the writer makes death a motif instead of outcomes or reversals in the story.The deaths constitute a long trail to reveal writer's introspection on life and love.The writer combines her deep reflection on death with the old myth to reconstruct a modern myth for both children and adults.The artistic skill of writing and spiritual connotation of the work give Harry Potter a long-lasting glamour in the literary world.This dissertation studies such artistic process,hoping to arise more readers' attention on writer's deep thinking and reconsideration of the meaning of life.