Date Approved
2008
Degree Type
Open Access Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts (MA)
Department or School
English Language and Literature
Committee Member
Ian Wojcik-Andrews, PhD, chair
Committee Member
Sheila Most, PhD
Abstract
J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series has become a cultural phenomenon. An analysis of the Harry Potter series reveals that underneath the phenomenon status there is great depth. This paper looks at aspects of the novels that mirror elements found in Plato’s The Republic, specifically his allegory of the cave in Book Seven. Plato’s allegory of the cave can be broken down into “four stages,” and in the Harry Potter novels there are characters who fall in each of these four stages. Through the characters in the four stages we see that the “highest form of knowledge” (Plato 246) to be obtained is that of understanding not only one’s own world, or community, but also being able to understand that of the other.
Recommended Citation
Parker, Camille Winegar, "Riding a broomstick out of Plato’s cave: Elements of Plato found in J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series" (2008). Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations. 175.
https://commons.emich.edu/theses/175