Growing Up to Save the World: Christ and the Fantasies of Boyhood

Abstract

Abstract This paper explores the intricate link between the story of Christ and the contemporary constructions of adolescence boyhood through a careful study of J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series. Though the success of the series can be seen in terms of the general trend of the resurfacing of religion in the current world order, the paper argues that the series attempts to revise and reconfigure the scriptural narrative by integrating the themes of boyhood and bringing in contemporary cultural and secular concerns. The story of boy-to-man transition echoes the story of Christ: his life, the temptations, the ordeals, and ultimately the sacrifice and resurrection. Linked with discourses of adolescent angst and defiance, the scriptural story acquires a potential for active political and social intervention.