How does the Harry Potter series connect to Plato's belief in the immortality of the soul and finitude of the body?   

Voiceover

Presenter(s)

Julia Strimling

Abstract or Description

Plato has long been acknowledged for his significant role in the development of the Christian perspective regarding immortality. This poster and virtual presentation demonstrates how Plato’s belief in the immortality of the soul, which shaped Christian eschatology, aligns with the themes presented in the Harry Potter series. Using Plato’s Phaedo, this presentation will compare Plato’s ideas about the immortality of the soul to how J. K. Rowling portrays immortality, illuminating the presence of Christian thought in the famous Harry Potter series. These connections include the beliefs that the soul survives the physical death of the body, that one must nourish and protect their soul, that one must accept death when the time comes, and that a form of judgement occurs upon death which determines the destination of one’s soul. Rowling includes the sorcerer’s stone, the horcruxes, and the deathly hallows to show that Voldemort’s desire to live forever is sinful and that Harry’s abandonment of physical immortality virtuous.   

Mentor

Daniel Schied