Summer Honors Academy, 2017 FANTASY LITERATURE: THE SOUL OF HARRY POTTER

Instructor:

Chris Rosser
MLIS, MDiv
Theological
Librarian

chris.rosser@oc.edu

What to expect...
In The Soul of Harry Potter, students will consider some of the classical, medieval, and literary roots of
J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series, paying careful attention to how Rowlings stories create a fictional
space for ethical formation. Engaging selections from the seven-book series and beyond, we will face
grindylows, encounter boggarts, confound the Dark Lord, and learn about friendship as we contemplate
how fiction shapes faith.

Students who successfully complete The Soul of Harry Potter will:

1. Hear and discuss resonances between Rowling's stories and Christian gospel.
2. Discover classical and medieval roots informing the stories structure and characterization.
3. Read and discuss Harry Potter in light of selected contemporary social issue(s).
4. Encounter story as a space for developing empathy.
5. Consider and discuss what fiction oers faith.

For the scholar, the

seeker, the servant
OC is home.

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Whats expected...
Monday Wednesday PM:
Harry and the Hero Story Into the Pensieve of Play
Homework: Read Black (2003); Field exercise; instructions provided in class
In 100-200 words, describe one example
of the heros journey in HP Book 1.

Tuesday
Piercing the Serpent: Cosmic Conquest
and and the Power of Sacrifice
Homework: Read Granger, ch. 3;
In 100-200 words, compare and contrast
Harrys story with Jesus story.
Thursday
Fiction's Light on Real Problems
Homework: Read Ostry (2003);
In 100-200 words, describe an example of how
Rowlings stories grapple with social issues.

Wednesday
The Soul Triptych of Harry Potter
Homework: Read Mogg and Tully (2012);
In 100-200 words, describe whether or not you
think Harry could have done it by himself.
Friday
Word Become Flesh: Speaking Stories
into Existence
In our final class together, we will create our
own version of Harry Potter fan-fiction...

See bibliography at the tail of this syllabus for full citation of readings.

Important note:
There are no required texts for this course. Readings are supplied. Students are
expected to have familiarity with the Harry Potter book series, which can be
inexpensively and readily obtained (free from your local library!) Lugging all seven
books to class each day is not necessary, unless you have a bag like Hermione.

If you have to ask,

you will never know.
If you know, you
need only ask.

Helena Ravenclaw

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 Policies...
SOUL OF HARRY POTTER Summer 2017
Communication & Oce Policies
Email and Phone
The best way to contact your instructor is by email.
Whenever possible, your instructor will respond within
24 hrs. of receiving an email message. Do not wait until
the "last minute" (e.g. just before class time) to send an
email and expect an immediate answer or that the
instructor even received the message. Please include a
meaningful, yet succinct subject line. Students may call
the instructor on his oce phone (see page 1 of
syllabus). If unavailable, you are encouraged to leave a
voicemail message including your name and the reason
for your call.
Oce Hours
Students should feel free to stop by the instructors
oce for consultation. In the summer, I do not
necessarily keep specific oce hours. It is best to email
or call in advance to make an appointment to ensure
that the instructor will be available.
Absences and Late Work
The discipline of completing work on time is an
important lesson to master. All deliverables are due on
the date assigned. In the event of late work, the student
must notify the instructor of his or her impending
lateness and excuse prior to the due date of the
deliverable. Acceptance of late work is at the discretion
of the instructor. Good communication with instructors
is important; we encourage students to contact their
instructor if they know that an assignment will be late.
Again, good communication with your instructor is
vital, and I encourage you to contact me if you are
unable to participate in a discussion board forum or
miss an assignment due to a prolonged emergency
situation.
Closings and Emergencies
In the case class cancellation or campus closure for
inclement weather or emergencies, students will be
notified via email and Blackboard announcement.
Please expect that some work will be moved online (e.g.,
an extra discussion board session, video content from
instructor, etc.) to make up for lost seat time.
In case of an emergency, faculty, sta, and
students who have signed up for OC Campus
Messenger (oc.edu/notify) will be notified by
text, email, or Twitter. If the emergency occurs
during class, the instructor will inform the
students present of the appropriate
procedures.#
Laptop/Handheld/Phone Policy
You are strongly encouraged to use your laptops
or handheld device in the class for the purpose
of learning. If you are abusing this privilege
then you may be forced to revert to more
ancient technologies.
Put your phones on silent/vibrate. You may not
take calls during class unless it is an emergency.
In such cases, please leave the room for your
conversation.
Keep your laptops running well! Visit
support.oc.edu for technology help, including
free software downloads for graduate students.
Americans with Disabilities Act
If you have a diagnosed disability and need
special accommodations, please notify Ms. Katy
Roybal (425-1876) before or immediately after
your first scheduled class meeting. After your
disability has been verified, your instructor will
work with you, with Ms. Roybal, and with the
Oce of the Vice President of Academic Aairs
to provide reasonable accommodations to
ensure that you have a fair opportunity to
perform in this course.
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 Policies...
SOUL OF HARRY POTTER Summer 2017

Academic Honesty up to and including suspension from the

Cheating: Cheating on an examination, assignment, roll
sheet or other course related work or activities
undermines the ethics of the academy and the specific
Christian purposes of Oklahoma Christian University.
Accordingly, students who cheat on examinations,
assignments or other course related work or activities
will face serious consequences, as outlined in this
policy.
Plagiarism: One particular form of cheating is
plagiarism. Plagiarism is the transmission of anothers
ideas, words, or materials as ones own and/or the
failure to credit accurately the ideas, words, or materials
of another. Plagiarism also includes passing o
anothers work (a friend, a parent, a website) as ones
own. Plagiarism undermines the ethics of the academy
and the specific Christian purposes of Oklahoma
Christian University. Accordingly, students who engage
in plagiarism in assignments submitted will face serious
consequences, as outlined in this policy.
University in instances where a student has
engaged in cheating or plagiarism in two or
more courses. The Academic Appeals
Committee will inform the VPAA and the Dean
of Students in writing of any penalties imposed
by it and will report annually on its activities to
the Universitys Academic Aairs Committee.
Professors should maintain the highest
standards of academic honesty both in and out
of the classroom. Professors must report and
apply the rules regarding cheating/plagiarism to
the appropriate channels. The student should
be referred to the Oklahoma Christian
University Covenant for principles which
should guide conduct in these matters.

Penalties for Academic Dishonesty

On the first oense, the student will receive zero (0)
credit for the examination or assignment. For forms of
cheating or dishonesty other than on examinations or
assignments, the Professor shall have the discretion to
impose an appropriate penalty. Professors must send
documentation of the first oense to the appropriate
chair, the dean of the appropriate college, the VPAA,
and the Dean of Students.
On the second oense in the same course, the student
will receive an F in the course. Professors must send
documentation of the second oense to the appropriate
chair, the dean of the appropriate college, the VPAA,
and the Dean of Students.
At either the first oense or second oense, the student
may appeal using the process described in both the OC
Student Handbook and the OC Academic Policy
Manual covering Grade Appeals.
If the student commits oenses in two or more courses,
the Academic Appeals Committee, described in the OC
Student Handbook and in the OC Academic Policy
Manual, may assign penalties for academic dishonesty
in addition to the penalties assigned by the professors in
the courses. The Academic Appeals Committee may
impose penalties

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Policies...
Anti-Harassment and Discrimination Policy (Title IX)

Oklahoma Christian University is a Christian community that has committed itself, unequivocally, to
ensuring a working and learning environment in which the dignity of every individual is respected and a
campus environment that is free of unlawful harassment, which includes sexual assault or misconduct.
OCs Anti-Harassment and Discrimination Policy (see the OC Student Handbook) is compliant with
Title IX, which states, No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from
participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education
program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance. Discriminatory and sexual harassment is
unchristian and uncivil behavior. It is a breach of community, which expresses disrespect, exploits and
undermines relationships based on trusts, and interferes with learning and productive work.

Students are encouraged to immediately seek available assistance and report incidents of harassment to
either the Title IX Coordinator below or one of the Title IX Deputy Coordinators listed online here.

Title IX Coordinator Ms. Tamie Willis 405.425.5320 tamie.willis@oc.edu

Students have access to confidential services through the Counseling Center and the Mercy Clinic.

OC Counseling Center 405.425.5250

Mercy Clinic 405.425.6100 2810 E. Memorial Rd., Suite 140

Copyright 2017 by Oklahoma Christian University.

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SOUL OF HARRY POTTER Summer 2017

Bibliography of Readings:

Black, Sharon. 2003. "The Magic of Harry Potter: Symbols and Heroes of Fantasy." Children's
Literature In Education 34, no. 3: 237-247.

Granger, John. 2004. Looking for God in Harry Potter. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale.

Mogg, Jennifer A., and Kendra Tully. 2012. "Harry Gets by With a Little Help from His
Friends: An Aristotelian Reading of Virtue and Friendship in Harry Potter." Reason Papers
34, no. 1: 77-88.

Ostry, Elaine. 2003. Accepting mudbloods: The ambivalent social vision of J. K. Rowlings
fairy tales. In Reading Harry Potter, ed. Giselle Liza Anatol, 89-101. Westport, CT: Praeger.

Fuller bibliography of select resources for Harry Potter studies will be provided in class.

Image Credits:

Mossclaw, Harry, Ron, Hermione Dobby Illustration - hplexicon.org Ghost - Harry Potter Wiki

Olga Baraeva, 2d5e422e0040 Stardust Soul, Harry Potter commission

OCs Mission:
Oklahoma Christian
University is a higher
learning community
that transforms lives
for Christian faith,
scholarship, and service.