Harry Potter and the Ring Composition Chiasmus Story

Harry Potter and the Ring Composition Chiasmus, Story Circles, and The Hogwarts Saga Doxacon Prime, 14 November 2015

Three Questions to Answer: • What is a Ring Composition? • Are the Harry Potter Novels Written as Rings? • So What?

Thinking in Circles: An Essay on Ring Composition Mary Douglas, Yale, 2007

Four Characteristics of Ring Composition: • Beginning and End Meet as Story Frame • Story has Center or Turning Point that Echoes and Suggests Opening and Finale • “Parallel Analogies” -- Second ‘half’ of book mirrors front ‘half’ as a kind of “reverse echo” • There are Rings within Rings, Story Mirrors inside the Larger Story Mirror Introverted Parallelisms in a Ring with an Axis

Chapter 5: Middle/Turning Point Sample Ring Chapter 4: Chapter 6: D Exposition D/D’ Scene Dialogue, D’ Echoing Composition Characters Construction Chapter 3: C Exposition Chapter 2: B Exposition Chapter 7: C/C’ Scene, Dialogue, C’ Echoing Characters B/B’ Scene, Dialogue, Characters Chapters 1/9: A/A’ Beginning/End-’Latch’ Beginning. Middleand-End: Echoing with Chapter 8: Emphasis B’ Echoing at Finale or at Center

Biblical Chiasmus • Chiastic Verses -- Prologue to John opening • Ring Stories or Passages – Abraham and Isaac • Book Rings – St Paul’s Letter to the Galatians • Ring of Books – Hextateuch (Milgram) • Biblical Canon – ‘Bible Wheel’ “The artificial part of poetry, perhaps we shall be right to say all artifice, reduces itself to the principle of parallelism. ” Gerard Manley Hopkins

Picturing Chiasmus: Galatians Center A The heir remains a child and servant (4: 1) B Until the time appointed of the father (4: 2) C When that time came, God sent forth his Son (4: 4) D Made under the law (4: 4) [D’] To redeem those under the law (4: 5) Because ye are sons, God sent forth the Spirit of his Son (4: 6) C’ B’ That ye cry, Abba, Father (4: 6) A’ That ye are no more a servant but a son and heir (4: 7)

Picturing Chiasmus: Galatians As a Whole A Prologue (1: 1 – 1: 12) B Autobiographical section (1: 13 – 2: 19) C Justification by faith (2: 11 – 3: 4) D Arguments from Scripture (3: 5 – 3: 29) E D’ Central Chiasm (4: 1 -10) Arguments from Scripture (4: 11 – 4: 31) Justification by faith (5: 1 – 5: 10) C’ B’ Moral Section (5: 11 – 6: 11) A’ Epilogue (6: 12 -18)

How Pervasive Is This? The Shape of Biblical Language Fr John Breck • • • Synoptic Narratives Synoptic Discourses The Gospel of St. John Letters of St. Paul ‘O Gladsome Light’ The Ladder of Divine Ascent

Hymn of the Resurrection (A) Having beheld the Resurrection of Christ, let us worship the holy Lord Jesus, the only Sinless One. (B) We worship Thy Cross, O Christ, and Thy holy Resurrection we hymn and glorify: (C) for Thou art our God, we know none other beside Thee, we call upon Thy name. (B) O come all ye faithful, let us worship Christ’s holy Resurrection, for behold through the Cross joy hath come to all the world. (A) Ever blessing the Lord, we hymn His Resurrection; for having endured crucifixion, He hath destroyed death by death.

C. S. Lewis Familiarity with Chiasmus/Ring Composition • • • The Bible Virgil’s Aeneid Boethius’ Consolation of Philosophy Milton’s Paradise Lost Charles Williams’ The Place of the Lion J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit

Chapter 9: In the Witch’s House Chapters 7 -8: Chapters 10 -11: At the Report and Return of Aslan The Coming of Beavers’ Dam Spring and Christmas Chapter 6: Into the Forest Chapter 5: Back On This Side of the Door Chapters 3 -4: Edmund and the White Witch Chapter 2: What Lucy Found There Chapter 12: Peter’s First Battle Chapter 13: Deep Magic From the Dawn of Time Peter: Prig and Prince The Law of Logic and Emperor Edmund’s Fall and the Ransom Mr. Tumnus Chapters 14 -15: The Ransom and Resurrection Chapter 16: What Happened About the Statues Chapters 1/17: Lucy Looks Into a Wardrobe/ The Hunting of the White Stag Beginning. Middleand-End: Redemption of Edmund

Chapter 5: Middle/Turning Point Sample Ring Chapter 4: Chapter 6: D Exposition D/D’ Scene Dialogue, D’ Echoing Composition Characters Construction Chapter 3: C Exposition Chapter 2: B Exposition Chapter 7: C/C’ Scene, Dialogue, C’ Echoing Characters B/B’ Scene, Dialogue, Characters Chapters 1/9: A/A’ Beginning/End-’Latch’ Beginning. Middleand-End: Echoing with Chapter 8: Emphasis B’ Echoing at Finale or at Center

Beginning and End

Middle Joining Beginning-End

Chamber – Half-Blood Prince Story Parallels and Analogies

Prisoner – Order of the Phoenix Story Parallels and Analogies

(Sirius Black) Ring of Seven Book Series ______ (Tom Riddle) Beginning. Middle-and -End: Harry Potter’s Battles with the Dark Lord

HP 1 Philosopher’s Stone == == = HP 2 Chamber of Secrets == == HP 5 Order of the Phoenix _______ HP 4 Goblet of Fire HP 6 Half-Blood Prince HP 3 Prisoner of Azkaban === == = HP 7 Deathly Hallows Ring of Seven Book Series Beginning. Middle-and -End: Harry Potter’s Battles with the Dark Lord

Chapter 9: The Midnight Duel Chapter 7: The Sorting Hat Chapter 6: Journey from Platform 9 3/4 Self Revealed Ring of Harry Potter Chapter 11: and the Quidditch Philosopher’s Stone _____ Chapter 12: Ron and Harry: Mirror of Beginning. Identity, Family Issues Erised Middleand-End: Chapter 3: Chapter 16: Miraculous Adventure! Letters from Through the Survival No One Trap Door Chapters 1 -2/17: The Boy Who Lived-Vanishing Glass / The Man With Two Faces

Chapter 9: The Midnight Duel Chapter 8: The Potions Worst Enemy/Best Friends Chapter 10: Halloween Master Chapter 7: The Sorting Hat Chapter 6: Journey from Platform 9 3/4 Chapters 4 -5: Keeper of the Keys Chapter 3: Letters from No One Chapter 11: Quidditch Self Revealed Ron and Harry: Identity, Family Issues Rubeus Hagrid Adventure! Chapter 12: Mirror of Erised Chapters 13 -15: The Forbidden Forest Chapter 16: Through the Trap Door Chapters 1 -2/17: The Boy Who Lived-Vanishing Glass / The Man With Two Faces Beginning. Middleand-End: Miraculous Survival

Chapter 9: The Midnight Duel Chapter 7: The Sorting Hat Chapter 6: Journey from Platform 9 3/4 Self Revealed Ring of Harry Potter Chapter 11: and the Quidditch Philosopher’s Stone _____ Chapter 12: Ron and Harry: Mirror of Beginning. Identity, Family Issues Erised Middleand-End: Chapter 3: Chapter 16: Miraculous Adventure! Letters from Through the Survival No One Trap Door Chapters 1 -2/17: The Boy Who Lived-Vanishing Glass / The Man With Two Faces

Chapter 10: The Rogue Bludger Chapter 9: The Writing on the Wall Chapter 5: The Whomping Whillow Chapter 4: At Flourish and Blotts Heir of Slytherin Ron and Harry: Anglia Adventures Ring of Harry Potter Chapter 11: and the The Dueling Chamber of Club Secrets _____ Chapter 15: Aragog Beginning. Middleand-End: Chapter 16: Dobby the The Chamber House-Elf of Secrets Journey into Darkness Chapters 1 -2/18: The Worst Birthday – Dobby’s Warning / Dobby’s Reward

Chapter 12: The Patronus Chapter 10: The Marauder’s Map Chapter 5: The Dementor Chapter 3: The Knight Bus Marauder’s Map Remus Lupin’s Silence Escape to and from Fudge Ring of Harry Potter Chapter 14: and the Snape’s Prisoner of Grudge Azkaban Chapter 18: Moony, _____ Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs Chapter 21: Hermione’s Secret Chapters 1 -2/22: Owl Post – Aunt Marge’s Big Mistake / Owl Post Again Beginning. Middleand-End: ‘Owl Post’ Presence of the Beloved Dead

Chapter 13: Mad-Eye Moody Chapter 8: The Quidditch World Cup Chapter 6: The Portkey Chapter 19: The Hungarian Horntail Moody Saves Harry The Gang’s All Here Portkey Diggorys Ring of Chapter 25: Harry Potter The Egg and the Eye Goblet of Fire _____ Chapter 30: Beginning. The Pensieve Middleand-End: ‘Struggling Chapter 32: to Believe’ Flesh, Blood, and Bone Chapters 1/37: The Riddle’s House/ The Beginning

Chapters 10/11: The Woes of Mrs. Weasley / Luna Lovegood Chapter 4: Number 12, Grimmauld Place Chapter 2: A Peck of Owls Chapter 19: The Lion and the Serpent Weasleys and other Exotic Animals Ring of Chapters 30/29: Harry Potter and the Grawp / Career Order of the Advice Phoenix _____ Chapter 35: Sirius’ Closed Curtains Beyond the Beginning. Veil Middleand-End: Chapter 37: Ragin’ Harry The Bond of The Lost Blood Prophecy Chapters 1/38: Dudley Demented / The Second War Begins

Chapters 16/17: A Very Frosty Christmas/ A Sluggish Memory Chapter 15: The Unbreakable Vow Chapter 4: Horace Slughorn Love Potions Ring of Harry Potter Chapter 18: and the Half Birthday -Blood Prince Surprise _____ Chapter 26: “You Are With Me” The Cave Beginning“I Am With You” Middle. Chapters 28/27: and-End: The Flight of the Scrimgeour/ Chapter 3: Telescopes and Prince / The Dumbledore Will and Trainers Lighyning-Struck & Snape Won’t Chapters 1 -2/30 -29: Tower The Other Minister – Spinner’s End / The White Tomb – The Phoenix Lament

Chapters 18/19: Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore / Silver Doe Chapter 15: The Goblin’s Revenge Snatched Conversations Chapters 10 -13: Kreacher and the Ministry of Magic Refuge and Underground Adventure Ring of Harry Potter Chapter 22: and the The Deathly Hallows _____ Chapters 26 -25: Griphook and Gringotts Beginning. Middleand-End: Chapter 34: Tom, Albus, The Forest and Severus Again Chapters 3, 4: Confrontations with the The Dursleys Dark Lord Departing, The Seven Potters Chapters 1 -2/36 -35: The Dark Lord Ascending – In Memoriam/ The Flaw in the Plan – King’s Cross

Three Questions to Answer: • What is a Ring Composition? • Are the Harry Potter Novels Written as Rings? • So What?

Theory of Everything: Rowling’s Key • “Tell me one last thing, ” said Harry. “Is this real? Or has this been happening inside my head? ” • Dumbledore beamed at him, and his voice sounded loud and strong in Harry’s ears even though the bright mist was descending again, obscuring his figure. • “Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean it is not real? ”

Why You Don’t Already Know This: • Materialism • Rationalism • Individualism • Philosophical Nominalism

Ring Composition Symbol Middle Circular Story Beginning Circle Divided in Half for Mirrored Halves End

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