It seemed pretty evident in the first book that Severus Snape was going to be an intriguing character.  This is a post dedicated to the greasy potions master.  Several questions for consideration and comment:

In what clever ways did Rowling set up the Snape plot in book one?  
Any Snape foreshadowing that you missed in the [...]

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Continue reading → Sorcerer’s Stone Week, Day 4: The Snape Story

by Dave
Part I of this series: Why Joker Succeeds and Voldemort Fails
“Behind the scenes” is a trope of long standing tradition in many forms of literature. In a recent essay on Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, Terry W. Thompson argues that the violent deaths occur off the page as a direct result of Shelley’s love of classical [...]

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Continue reading → Voldemort is a Failed Character (Part II)

by Dave
Since Deathly Hallows release last year, I’ve been perpetually puzzled by Voldemort’s characterization in the last two novels. Half Blood Prince humanizes Voldemort in a way that lends HBP a sophistication most of the earlier novels lack — Voldemort’s backstory both enlightens and befuddles the reader, at once shedding light on his origins [...]

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Continue reading → Why Joker Succeeds and Voldy Fails (Part I)

This week, we discuss J.K. Rowling’s commencement address to Harvard University’s graduating class of 2008 (with audio snippets!) and conclude our Patterns in Potter discussion for the theme of Book 6.
JK Rowling’s Speech at the Harvard Commencement
We look forward to hearing from you. You can leave comments here on the blog or send in your [...]

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Continue reading → Episode #81: Patterns in Potter, Book 6 - Definitely Evil

In the week’s episode, we continue our discussion of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and the central theme of truth and knowledge, specifically how the book presents the theme in context of Hogwarts, education, careers and experiential vs. learned/taught knowledge.  It’s even more exciting that I can describe.
We look forward to hearing [...]

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Continue reading → Episode #78: The Truth Hurts

by Dave
A standard literary trope is to set characters against each other, playing one’s personna in relationship to another. Typically, we find the “arch”-nemesis, especially in adventure or heroic stories. The main character is opposed by a primary antagonist, and the juxtaposition of these characters reveals something about one or both to the [...]

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Continue reading → The Snaped Crusader (#2): The Rise and Fall of Harry’s Nemesis

I just had a chance to listen to the Portus Preview Podcast for the month of January. They interviewed Rachael from SnapeCast who will be hosting SnapeFest at Portus. I have to say I am not a HUGE Snape person. While I do agree that he is at the center of the Harry [...]

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Continue reading → January Portus Preview up Now

The more interviews J.K. Rowling gives, the more show topics we get. This time, J.K. Rowling spoke with the Dutch newspaper Volksrant (not to be confused with Volkswagon or Voltron) and discussed many topics. Amongst them were the issues of life after death in the Harry Potter books, as well as more details [...]

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Continue reading → Episode #58: Harry Potter Potpourri

by Travis
This is not an academic essay. It contains random musings, and I welcome all comments, questions, and declarations of heresy.
In many ways, my 6 year detour from English and literature studies into Theology prepared me well to be able to handle the fringe Christian response to the Harry Potter series, but put me [...]

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Continue reading → Snape is Heathcliff is House, M.D.?

Last week we discussed love, and focused on the distinctly maternal focus taken by J.K. Rowling.  This week, we examine the father figures in Harry’s life.  From his actual, albeit ephermeral father James, to surrogates in Lupin, Sirius and even, to some extent Snape, we take a look at Harry’s bevy or male role models, [...]

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Continue reading → Episode #57: Fatherhood in Potter

Although in English we have one basic term for love, there’s really all different kinds of love: brotherly love, selfless love, erotic love, and all make some kind of appearance in the Harry Potter novels. In this week’s show, we take a look at love in Harry Potter and how the various relationships are expressed, [...]

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Continue reading → Episode #56: Love in Harry Potter

J.K. Rowling has begin her Open Book Tour, with stops in Los Angeles, New Orleans and New York City. At the press conference at the LA appearance, J.K. Rowling spoke for the first time at length on the religious themes of the Harry Potter books, speaking openly about the Christian themes and references in [...]

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Continue reading → Episode #54: J.K. Rowling Speaks

by Dave]
The heart of the classical Hero type drives towards some sacrifice — either in a quest for glory sometimes doomed from the start, or on the behalf of something judged “the greater good”. Classical epic heroes struggle against their humanity, often goaded by the self realization of their partial divinity. They hope [...]

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Continue reading → Voldemort and the Perversion of the Hero

Is Snape a Hero?; announcement about forthcoming book; changes at SoG; introducing the Blogengamot.
You can subscribe though iTunes, where you can also write glowing reviews of the pubcast. You can do the same at Podcast Alley.
Some funky sound issues with this one.
Pub Menu

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Continue reading → Hog’s Head PubCast #34: Snape, a Hero?

Without question, Severus Snape is one of the most intriguing characters in J.K. Rowling’s wizarding world. In the beginning, he was simply a mean teacher, and obstacle for Harry; but by the end of the series, Snape became a paradigm of sacrifice for love and courage, to the point that Harry names his son [...]

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Continue reading → Episode #47: The Prince’s Tale - The Tao of Snape

There’s no question that there are religious/Christian undertones and themes to the Harry Potter books. In 2000, JK Rowling stated that if she were to divulge her religious beliefs, it would make the ending of the story obvious. Now that we’ve read Book 7, the religious content is clear; not only is Harry’s [...]

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Continue reading → Episode #46: The Religion of Harry Potter

Ask not for whom the bell tolls, for in Book 7, it tolled for quite a few folks.  The body count in the final book gets higher and higher as the book goes on.  Some deaths, granted, were quite welcome, such as Bellatrix and Voldemort; others were tragic and shocking.  All of them, however, held [...]

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Continue reading → Episode #45: The Dearly Departed

*Deathly Hallows Spoilers Included*
It’s been less than a week since the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, yet most of us have now read the book more than once; inevitably, bits and pieces need to be re-read to make sense of them. In addition to re-reading, the comments on our last post [...]

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Continue reading → Episode 43: Making Sense of Deathly Hallows

After some good discussion in the comments of last week’s post, we’re back to take a fresh look at Snape. Is Snape good or evil, or perhaps, neither (or both)? Most of us are under the presumption that there is some explanation for Snape’s actions: either he was working for Voldemort all along, [...]

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Continue reading → Episode #31: Snape Revisted

I know what you’re thinking…you want a podcast delving into the subject of…Occlumency and Legilimency!  Your wish is granted (we always try to anticipate your needs…).  This week, we explore the meaning of the mind in the HP books with a closer look at the inner workings of the wizarding psyche.  We know you’ll like it!
Also, tune in to [...]

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Continue reading → Episode #30: Occlumens and Legilimency

Those of you who tuned in to last week’s post-podcast comment frenzy undoubtedly did a head smack when reading Virigina Mama’s prognostication connecting Snape to Godric’s Hollow and the invisibility cloak. If you didn’t, you need to read it right now. Or listen to this week’s podcast, ‘cuz we took the ball and [...]

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Continue reading → Episode #19: Was Snape at Godric’s Hollow?

October 31, Halloween, has special significance in the Wizarding World; not only does it mark the anniversary of Nearly Headless Nick’s nearly-beheading, it’s also the date that Lord Voldemort attacked the Potter’s in Godric’s Hollow. In memory, we’ve got a special All Hallow’s Eve edition of HPProgs discussing just what went down on that [...]

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Continue reading → Episode #6: What Happened at Godric’s Hollow?

In this podcast, Penny and I discuss Snape. Is he a good guy, acting under orders from Dumbledore? Or is he really a double-agent, still allied to Voldemort? Or is he both, or just out for himself? Along the way we discuss what effect perpetrating a murder has on oneself; is [...]

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Continue reading → Episode #2 - Snape: Good, Bad or Both?