Students were not specifically questioned on the humility of the characters in the
books but one student did see Harry as vain while another saw him as not being vain
(Appendix 7: Student Interview responses, p. 4). Many of the qualities students felt the good
characters displayed, such as a caring attitude, are usually those we would see as being
common to a person of humility. Qualities such as selfishness and putting people down,
which were commented on by students as qualities of bad/evil characters, would usually be
those we associate with a lack of humility.
There are instances in the series where Harry does show vanity. As previously
mentioned he gets jealous when he feels he should have been made a prefect (OoP, p. 152).
However, there are also incidents where Harry shows that humility rather than the seeking of
fame. As he states to Hermione he did not seek to be famous. “ ‘I didn’t ask – I didn’t want –
Voldemort killed my parents!’ Harry spluttered. “I got famous because he murdered my
family but couldn’t kill me! Who wants to be famous for that? Don’t they think I’d rather it’d
never -’ ” (OoP, p. 71) [Italics in original]. In the Triwizard Tournament, in GoF, Harry
could win the tournament, which would provide him with great glory and further fame above that which he already enjoyed as the boy who could not be killed by Lord Voldemort. Instead
Harry helps Cedric Diggory. Cedric offers him the cup, to win the tournament, because he
deserves to have it but Harry decides it should be a tie:
‘Both of us,’ Harry said.
‘What?’
‘We’ll take it at the same time. It’s still a Hogwarts victory. We’ll tie for it.’
Cedric stared at Harry. He unfolded his arms. ‘You – you sure?’
‘Yeah,’ said Harry. ‘Yeah . . . we’ve helped each other out, haven’t we? We
both got here. Let’s just take it together.’ (GoF, pp. 550-551).
Conclusion
“I think you understand that these books are fundamentally moral (that is how I see them, in
any case)”
(Joanne Rowling, 2000b, ¶ 78)
The personal choices displayed by Harry Potter are an essential part of the Harry
Potter series and those choices are based on Harry’s personal values, which are in consensus
with the personal values that are encouraged by both Federal and State Governments. These
values are also Christian-based and are expressed using free choice, which is also in
agreement with current Christian teachings making the series acceptable for use in teaching
Christian values.
Harry’s choices are shown as important because not only do they show his values but
they also indicate his growth as a human. Our young people need to also understand that the
choices they make, based on their values, are indicators of their growth as human beings regardless of their previous history. Their choices decide who they become. As Dumbledore
states to Cornelius Fudge, a government official, who stereotypes many characters due to
their origins, “You fail to recognise that it matters not what someone is born, but what they
grow to be!” (GoF, pp. 614-615). As Cecilia Hatt (2006) suggests the books contain:
a structure which gives coherence to moral choices, an assurance that being faithful in
little things will affect the larger ones, that a good deed mainly benefits the doer but
still makes a difference far beyond its immediate point of application (p. 43).
Contrary to what one might expect, the magic enables the realism, creating a world in
which the consequences of moral choice are immediately identifiable and this gives
urgency to the need to develop an informed judgement. In the Hogwarts world, the
characters may be observed as they formulate an ethic of justice, mercy and
forgiveness. Because they are physically much more able to effect what they wish
than ordinary people would be, they see and understand the results of their decisions
more starkly (p. 42).
books but one student did see Harry as vain while another saw him as not being vain
(Appendix 7: Student Interview responses, p. 4). Many of the qualities students felt the good
characters displayed, such as a caring attitude, are usually those we would see as being
common to a person of humility. Qualities such as selfishness and putting people down,
which were commented on by students as qualities of bad/evil characters, would usually be
those we associate with a lack of humility.
There are instances in the series where Harry does show vanity. As previously
mentioned he gets jealous when he feels he should have been made a prefect (OoP, p. 152).
However, there are also incidents where Harry shows that humility rather than the seeking of
fame. As he states to Hermione he did not seek to be famous. “ ‘I didn’t ask – I didn’t want –
Voldemort killed my parents!’ Harry spluttered. “I got famous because he murdered my
family but couldn’t kill me! Who wants to be famous for that? Don’t they think I’d rather it’d
never -’ ” (OoP, p. 71) [Italics in original]. In the Triwizard Tournament, in GoF, Harry
could win the tournament, which would provide him with great glory and further fame above that which he already enjoyed as the boy who could not be killed by Lord Voldemort. Instead
Harry helps Cedric Diggory. Cedric offers him the cup, to win the tournament, because he
deserves to have it but Harry decides it should be a tie:
‘Both of us,’ Harry said.
‘What?’
‘We’ll take it at the same time. It’s still a Hogwarts victory. We’ll tie for it.’
Cedric stared at Harry. He unfolded his arms. ‘You – you sure?’
‘Yeah,’ said Harry. ‘Yeah . . . we’ve helped each other out, haven’t we? We
both got here. Let’s just take it together.’ (GoF, pp. 550-551).
Conclusion
“I think you understand that these books are fundamentally moral (that is how I see them, in
any case)”
(Joanne Rowling, 2000b, ¶ 78)
The personal choices displayed by Harry Potter are an essential part of the Harry
Potter series and those choices are based on Harry’s personal values, which are in consensus
with the personal values that are encouraged by both Federal and State Governments. These
values are also Christian-based and are expressed using free choice, which is also in
agreement with current Christian teachings making the series acceptable for use in teaching
Christian values.
Harry’s choices are shown as important because not only do they show his values but
they also indicate his growth as a human. Our young people need to also understand that the
choices they make, based on their values, are indicators of their growth as human beings regardless of their previous history. Their choices decide who they become. As Dumbledore
states to Cornelius Fudge, a government official, who stereotypes many characters due to
their origins, “You fail to recognise that it matters not what someone is born, but what they
grow to be!” (GoF, pp. 614-615). As Cecilia Hatt (2006) suggests the books contain:
a structure which gives coherence to moral choices, an assurance that being faithful in
little things will affect the larger ones, that a good deed mainly benefits the doer but
still makes a difference far beyond its immediate point of application (p. 43).
Contrary to what one might expect, the magic enables the realism, creating a world in
which the consequences of moral choice are immediately identifiable and this gives
urgency to the need to develop an informed judgement. In the Hogwarts world, the
characters may be observed as they formulate an ethic of justice, mercy and
forgiveness. Because they are physically much more able to effect what they wish
than ordinary people would be, they see and understand the results of their decisions
more starkly (p. 42).
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