The Harry Potter book series is one of the most successful young adult franchises. It has sold half a billion copies world wide and led to a successful film series based of the books.
Although at their core the books are about a battle between good and evil, many conservative parents believe that the books are inappropriate for their children because of the magical aspects of the tales.
This has led to several schools and other places banning the books. Recently, a woman decided to rewrite the tales in what is being called reverse fan fiction so that they are no longer about witches and wizards.
A Housewife Decides to Rewrite Harry Potter
Grace Ann has decided to take fan fiction to a different level. Fan fiction typically involves taking the characters of the books and reimagining them in different plots, but retaining their basic character identities. However, Grace Ann decided to take the books and make them more family friendly because she does not “want [her children] turning into witches,” according to her introduction to the texts on fanfiction.net.
She has named the new series Hogwarts School of Prayer and Miracles, and she has rewritten in a way that is more in tune with her conservative Christian morals. She hopes that other parents who feel the same as she does will enjoy sharing the books with their children as well.
The Revisionist Tale of Harry Potter: Christian
The changes to the book do not just merely get rid of the magic elements. The character names may be the same, but the characters are vastly different. Instead of Muggles and Wizards, in this version there are atheists and Christians.
In the first scene, Hagrid is seen as a door-to-door missionary for Christians, while Harry’s aunt and uncle do not believe in God, instead believing in evolution and the theories of “Dawkins.” Harry goes to Hogwarts to learn about how to get into heaven, pray, and other important Christian messages.
Additionally, there are some very strong messages about the role of women, including that they should not hold jobs but stay at home. It also emphasizes the importance of obedience, including unquestioning loyalty and strict adherence to those in charge.
A story about identity, finding true friends, fighting evil, tolerance, and the power of young people has turned into a way to display one woman’s particular beliefs in a not-so-subtle way.
Does the Story Work?
Although some Christian conservative parents may believe that the Harry Potter series are inappropriate for their children to read due to the fantasy elements and other story parts, this story by no means works as a censored replacement.
Grace Ann did not merely make small changes to the story to censor it to her liking; instead, she took a well-loved story and used it to try to share her views with the rest of the world. Some conservative Christian parents with similar views to Grace Ann appreciate her efforts, but the vast majority of people do not appreciate the rewritten tales.
Everyone should be able to have his or her own beliefs, but this story was not necessarily the best way for Grace Ann to share hers with the world. It does not just lack magic; it lacks the depth of the original story. Many people see this story as a parody, due to the significant changes and lack of complexity.
Perhaps Grace Ann would have created a more engaging story had she created her own story rather than trying to recreate that of a beloved series. Then others may have been more open to what she wanted to share with the rest of the world.