The Phenomenology of Harry, or the Critique of Pure Potter - New York Times
Before we get into deconstructing Harry Potter, let me define phenomenology:
According to The Dictionary of Literary Terms and Literary Theory by J. A. Cuddon, Phenomenology is:
A method of philosophical inquiry which lays stress on the perceiver’s vital and central role in determining meaning.
The Phenomenology of Harry, or the Critique of Pure Potter - New York Times
Leafing through the other academic essays in this collection, one discovers that the Harry Potter series also embodies many of the 10 basic elements of Otto Rank’s ”hero myths,” not to mention the 31 ”functions” or characteristics of classic folktales as delineated by the Russian structuralist Vladimir Propp.
And what are fairy tales if not allegories of real life? ”The Harry Potter novels are among the most politically engaged novels to have been written for children in recent years,” writes Brycchan Carey, a lecturer at London University, providing ”a site for discussion of a democratic society’s response to elitism, totalitarianism, and racism.”
