scholarly journals Hobbits, Hogwarts, and the Heavens: The use of fantasy literature and film in astronomy outreach and education

2009 ◽  
Vol 5 (S260) ◽  
pp. 306-310
Author(s):  
Kristine Larsen
Keyword(s):  
Harry Potter ◽  
Fantasy Literature ◽  
Science Centers ◽  
Lord Of The Rings ◽  
Philip Pullman ◽  
His Dark Materials ◽  
Outreach Programs ◽  
Chronicles Of Narnia ◽  
Education And Outreach ◽  
Literature And Film

AbstractDue in part to recent (and ongoing) film adaptations, the fantasy series of C.S. Lewis (The Chronicles of Narnia), J.K. Rowling (Harry Potter), Philip Pullman (His Dark Materials), and J.R.R. Tolkien (The Silmarillion, The Hobbit, and The Lord of the Rings) are being introduced to a new audience. Many astronomers and astronomy educators are unaware of the wide variety of astronomical references contained in each series, and the myriad possible uses of these works in astronomy education and outreach. This paper highlights activities which educators, planetariums, and science centers have already developed to utilise these works in their education and outreach programs.

scholarly journals The crucifixion of consumerism and power and the resurrection of a community glimpsed through Meylahn’s wounded Christ in conversation with Rowling’s Christ discourse in the Harry Potter series

2014 ◽  
Vol 70 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anastasia Apostolides ◽  
Johann-Albrecht Meylahn
Keyword(s):  
Pastoral Ministry ◽  
Harry Potter ◽  
Western Society ◽  
Youth Workers ◽  
Lord Of The Rings ◽  
Alternative Discourse ◽  
Dominant Discourse ◽  
Chronicles Of Narnia ◽  
Sacred Story ◽  
Social Comments

Like some fantasies (including Lord of the rings and the Chronicles of Narnia), the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling makes a social comment on a particular dominant discourse within a particular sociocultural context. One of Rowling’s social comments is the dehumanising and fragmenting effect of the power and consumerist discourse in Western society – where great value is placed on what a person owns. An example of this theme in the series is the characters of the Dursleys, as prime examples of ‘Muggles’. Although it is not power that Muggles seek, but rather to fit in by having what the Jones’ have, which fits in well with the capitalist discourse as developed by Lacan – as discussed by Meylahn. Rowling juxtaposes this discourse with the alternative sacred story of the Christ discourse (community and fellowship are more important than material possessions), that she has subtly woven into her narrative. This alternative discourse challenges adolescents’ identity and spirituality by offering the Christ discourse as an alternative discourse to the dominant discourse of consumerism and power they live in. In his article, ‘Holistic redemptive pastoral ministry in the fragmented transit hall of existence’, Meylahn (2010) speaks of a ‘wounded Christ’ healing a ‘wounded community’ and this ties in well with the Christ discourse presented by Rowling. Meylahn gives us a useful hermeneutical tool to interpret the actions of some of Rowling’s characters. Hence, Meylahn’s ‘wounded Christ’, will be brought into conversation with the actions of some of Rowling’s characters. By bringing Rowling into conversation with Meylahn, pastors and youth workers are presented with an ideal tool to help guide adolescents towards a more spiritual life that is not bound to the dehumanising discourse of consumerism and power.

scholarly journals The sacralisation of popular culture as adolescent lived spirituality

2017 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anastasia Apostolides
Keyword(s):  
Popular Culture ◽  
Science Fiction ◽  
Harry Potter ◽  
Fantasy Literature ◽  
Lord Of The Rings ◽  
Star Wars ◽  
Film Series ◽  
Lived Theology ◽  
Sacred Canopy ◽  
Urban Fantasy

Many adolescents are drawn to the fantasy, science fiction and urban fantasy genres (movies and books), genres whose main characters include witches, wizards, vampires, ghosts, angels, demons, aliens and various other supernatural beings and events. Books and movies such as The Hobbit, Lord of the Rings (film series), Harry Potter (film series), X-Files, Twilight (film series), Star Wars (film series), and so on, are not only fervently consumed by some adolescents but have also, in some instances, been sacralised by adolescents (see Hopper 2005:116, McAvan 2012:5–10, Kirby 2013:2). In this article it will be argued that the reason for this, is that adolescents while questioning their identities and exploring their spiritualties, need a ‘safe spiritual space’ for this journey, one which may be related as something akin to what Berger termed the ‘sacred canopy’ where order can keep chaos at bay (Berger 1967: 51). This article will build on a lived theology perspective of how the divine can be experienced in the sources offered by popular culture texts that may become a ‘sacred canopy’ under which the adolescents can express their spiritual journeys.This article hopes to contribute to the facilitation of more conversations taking place amongst parents, pastors and teachers on the importance of allowing adolescents more freedom in what movies and books they are allowed to see and read. These conversations may also be employed by pastors, parents and teachers as conversation openers with adolescents who are often reluctant to open up about topics that they find difficult to discuss. Osmer and Salazar-Newton (2014:70) encourage the church to ‘think of ways it can take advantage of the interest of children and youth in fantasy literature,’ on their spiritual life journeys.

Representations of Eastern Europe in Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials, Jonathan Stroud's The Bartimaeus Trilogy, and J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter Series

2010 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marek Oziewicz
Keyword(s):  
Eastern Europe ◽  
Harry Potter ◽  
Fuzzy Cluster ◽  
Eastern European ◽  
Philip Pullman ◽  
Cultural Attitude ◽  
His Dark Materials ◽  
Cultural Maps ◽  
East West

This essay examines the cultural maps of Eastern European nations drawn by Philip Pullman in His Dark Materials trilogy, Jonathan Stroud in The Bartimaeus Trilogy and J. K. Rowling in the Harry Potter series. I argue that each of those authors, in subtle and unintentional ways, perpetuates Western politico-cultural superiority in regard to Eastern Europeans. One reason for this may be that Pullman, Stroud and Rowling share a specifically British cultural attitude of regarding the continent as alien and incomprehensible. This perspective is part of a fuzzy cluster of notions, seemingly widespread across Europe, which comprise what Lawrence J. Sharpe calls ‘an East-West continuum of cultural one-upmanship’ (309). As the most westerly people on this continuum, so the explanation goes, the British tend to look down on everyone else to the East. My focus in this article is on how these attitudes are communicated in some of the most internationally popular British fantasy series of the recent years.

scholarly journals Anthroponyms in Fantasy Fiction and Computer Games: Approaches to Translation

2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 558-564 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrei G. Fomin ◽  
Vladislav I. Chobotar
Keyword(s):  
Computer Games ◽  
Computer Game ◽  
Role Playing ◽  
Literary Text ◽  
Harry Potter ◽  
Fantasy Literature ◽  
Classification Models ◽  
Lord Of The Rings ◽  
Fantasy Fiction ◽  
Research Material

The following article examines the ways of translation of anthroponyms from English to Russian in fantasy fiction and computer games. The purpose of the study is to analyze and compare the anthroponyms translation variants in the literary text. In the following article works of Russian and foreign scientists in the context of anthroponimics were used, the usage of classification models was taken up, comparative analysis and functional analysis were used. The following study can be used in textbooks, in the process of translation and localization of fantasy fiction and computer games. The research material involves translations of anthroponyms of fantasy literature cycles (Harry Potter, The Song of Ice and Fire, The Lord of the Rings) and fantasy role-playing computer game "World of Warcraft". Particular patterns of anthroponyms translation were shown in terms of early and modern translations.

scholarly journals ‘DEATH’S OTHER KINGDOMS’: DEATH AND THE AFTERLIFE IN SOME RECENT FANTASIES FOR YOUNG ADULTS

Mousaion ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 32 (4) ◽  
pp. 141-153
Author(s):  
Molly Brown
Keyword(s):  
Young Adults ◽  
Young Adult ◽  
Human Mind ◽  
Harry Potter ◽  
His Dark Materials ◽  
Safe Spaces ◽  
Young Readers ◽  
Adolescent Readers

Trites (2000:117) argues that death is a biological imperative that possibly operates even more powerfully on the human mind than sexuality. In this article it will be suggested that coming to terms with the inevitability of mortality is a key maturational task, but that popular young adult fantasies dealing with immortal vampires or decaying zombies usually offer little or no support to adolescents struggling to deal with this issue. By contrast, it will be suggested that novels such as those in Terry Pratchett’s Johnny Maxwell series, JK Rowling’s Harry Potter series, Ursula Le Guin’s Earthsea series and Philip Pullman’s His dark materials trilogy provide adolescent readers with safe spaces in which to explore not only the threat of death, but a range of social and religious approaches to the problem. In this way, young readers may be encouraged to accept themselves, in Heidegger’s (1962 [1927]:304–307) terms, as ‘Being-towards-death’ and eventually even be empowered by such an acknowledgement.

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