In my last post about The Goblet of Fire I doubted whether or not there were enough pages left for the book to really pick up. I can’t remember the last time I was so excited to be so wrong. The last six chapters in The Goblet of Fire took off like Harry on his Thunderbolt and I cannot wait to start reading The Order of the Phoenix.
Below are some thoughts I had while reading chapters 31-37 of The Goblet of Fire.
Death
One of my sister’s reflections about the Harry Potter series is about how the writing style and themes mature along with Harry and his friends. The Sorcerer’s Stone was basically about a little kid not wanting to get in trouble. In The Goblet of Fire the themes mature to the point of dealing with death. Cedric is one of the first central characters to die. Dealing with death is a part of living and it was interesting to watch Harry wrestle with the issue. Thankfully, because of Christ, we know that death has lost its sting and victory.
Encouraging Ghosts
I wish ghosts really did exist because they all seem rather encouraging. Casper was a friendly ghost. Even after Darth Vader had cut him down, Obi-wan Kenobi gave Luke all sorts of helpful advice. During his duel with Voldemort, dead people from Harry’s past came back to encourage him to keep fighting Voldemort. I would love a friendly face from my past to pop up when I’m at the gym. It would be great to get some ghostly encouragement while sitting at Starbucks and working on a sermon. Unfortunately we have to press on without the encouragement of ghosts from our pasts. However, we can find encouragement in the lives and stories of those who have gone before us. Hebrews 11 is often called the “Hall of Faith” as it highlights superstars of faith. We can look to the stories of these men and women who persevered and find encouragement in their faith and faithfulness.
The Parting of the Ways
My excitement reached its peak in the chapter titled “The Parting of the Ways”. Voldemort’s restoration and his duel with Harry were exciting, but “The Parting of the Ways” laid the tracks for what I hope will be a major theme in the coming books. Cornelius Fudge’s resistance to the truth about Voldemort led Dumbledore to say “You must act as you see fit. And I – I shall act as I see fit.” I’m excited to see a potential split between the Ministry of Magic and Hogwarts in the coming books. Again Dumbledore proves that he has great character and is willing to stand up for what is right no matter what. While we should always strive to be like Jesus, it couldn’t hurt taking a few cues from Dumbledore as well.
So far The Goblet of Fire has been my favorite book in the series and that only came in the last six chapters. I really am terribly excited to see what happens next and may not take much a break before starting The Order of the Phoenix.
What thoughts did you have from chapters 31-36 of The Goblet of Fire?
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