Harry Potter and Animal Rights
The Harry Potter books and movies promote a lot of positive things including love, friendship, diversity and tolerance. It hadn't dawned on me until I was watching one of the movies on TV yesterday that they also promote animal rights in a subtle, but effective way.
In the Harry Potter stories animals are often heroic and helpful. Owls deliver the mail. Many of the young witches and wizards have owls, cats, bats, rats or frogs as pets including Harry and the other good guys. Faulkes the Phoenix, professor Dumbledore's pet, helps Harry defeat the basilisk. Some of the wizards including Harry's father turn themselves into animals. And when Harry and the other wizards send a patronus to chase away dementors, the patronus takes the form of a deer, rabbit, dog, cat or other animal. And of course all the fantastic creatures Hagrid introduces, most of which are friendly when treated properly.
In the Harry Potter stories animals are often heroic and helpful. Owls deliver the mail. Many of the young witches and wizards have owls, cats, bats, rats or frogs as pets including Harry and the other good guys. Faulkes the Phoenix, professor Dumbledore's pet, helps Harry defeat the basilisk. Some of the wizards including Harry's father turn themselves into animals. And when Harry and the other wizards send a patronus to chase away dementors, the patronus takes the form of a deer, rabbit, dog, cat or other animal. And of course all the fantastic creatures Hagrid introduces, most of which are friendly when treated properly.
I fell in love with the first Harry Potter movie mostly because of all the animals that were incorporated into this fantastic tale. Each wizard had to choose an animal to be their closest companion. And that animal was a reflexion of what kind of person they were. They had friends in the school, but their animal was their closest,most loyal companion and was always there for them, which teaches children how special animals are in our lives. And Hagrid was my favorite character in the movie, because he was a big lug who loved everyone and helped every person and animal that needed help, especially the animals. And I beleive that his message to us is that no matter how big and strong and manly you are, it is okay to feel compassion and love for all creatures and care for them and help them in any way you can. Hadrid is definately one of my heroes, and I hope He is a hero for many other people who saw the movies or read the books, because we desperately need more Hagrids in this world. He is a perfect role model. Care and compassion for all living things. And how wonderful it would be if we would all adopt his way of thinking.
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