A Study of the Characters of J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter Based on Erich Fromm’s ideas of Positive Freedom and Love

Subject Areas :

فائزه هرمز نژاد ¹ , ایوب دبیری ²

1 - کارشناس ارشد زبان و ادبیات انگلیسی، دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی، واحد کرج، کرج، ایران
2 - نویسنده مسئول: استادیار گروه زبان انگلیسی، واحد ابهر، دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی، ابهر، ایران

Received: 2022-11-06 Accepted : 2023-01-12 Published : 2023-04-14

Keywords: Negative Freedom, Keywords: positive freedom, mature love,

Abstract :

AbstractThis research studied J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Order of Phoenix, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows based on Erich Fromm’s ideas of positive freedom or acceptance of freedom. Based on Fromm’s ideas in Escape from Freedom, Harry and his friends are spontaneous and free individuals who move to positive freedom stage. In his Art of loving Fromm explores the ways which lead to this stage. He believed that love and productive work are the ways leading to self-independence and integration. On the other hand, self-destruction is the negative freedom which destroys self-integration. Love according to Fromm is giving, not receiving and the mature love is the one which is accompanied with care, responsibility, respect and knowledge and ultimately leads to integration. This research studied Harry Potter novels which are about a boy who didn’t misuse others and friends while he was undoubtedly popular in magical world and he not only protected them but also scarified his own life when he understood the truth that the defeat of Voldemort was dependent on his own death. He chose love and sacrifice in contrast to Tom Riddle who had changed his identity to Voldemort because he hated common things and names. He did not have any real friends, posed power in the worst destructive ways, tortured others and murdered them because he considered them as threats to his own goal of reaching immortality.

References:

منابع
De Chavez, J. (2015). “Reading Erich Fromm’s Art of Loving, or Why Loving Means Giving Nothing.” Kritike. 9 (2), 143-160.
Fromm, E.(2013). The Escape from Freedom. New York: Openroadmedia.
Fromm, E. (1956). Art of Loving. New York: Harper & Row.
Funk, R.(1982). Erich Fromm: The Courage to Be Human. New York.
Gymnich, M., Puschmann-Nalenz, B., Sedlmayr, G., Vanderbeke, D. 2018. The Orphan in Fiction and Comics since the 19th Century. Cambridge Scholars Publishing.
Hassaai, H. (2011). Erich Fromm on Freedom. Bulletin of Yerevan University, International Relations, Political Science, 134.6, PP. 70-76.
Killinger, J. (2008). “Love, Death, and Friendship in the Harry Potter novels.” Baylor University, Center for Christian Ethics.
Maccoby, M. (1982). Social Character versus the Productive Ideal: The Contribution and Contradiction in Fromm's View of Man. Praxis International: 70-83.
Rowling, J. K. )2003(. Harry Potter and the Order of Phoenix. Bloomsbury Publishing Plc.
Rowling, J. K. (2004). Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Bloomsburry Publishing pro.
Rowling, J. K. )2004(. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. Bloomsburry Publishing pro.
Rowling, J. K. (2007). Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. The U.S.A, Reinforced library edition.

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منابع
De Chavez, J. (2015). “Reading Erich Fromm’s Art of Loving, or Why Loving Means Giving Nothing.” Kritike. 9 (2), 143-160.
Fromm, E.(2013). The Escape from Freedom. New York: Openroadmedia.
Fromm, E. (1956). Art of Loving. New York: Harper & Row.
Funk, R.(1982). Erich Fromm: The Courage to Be Human. New York.
Gymnich, M., Puschmann-Nalenz, B., Sedlmayr, G., Vanderbeke, D. 2018. The Orphan in Fiction and Comics since the 19th Century. Cambridge Scholars Publishing.
Hassaai, H. (2011). Erich Fromm on Freedom. Bulletin of Yerevan University, International Relations, Political Science, 134.6, PP. 70-76.
Killinger, J. (2008). “Love, Death, and Friendship in the Harry Potter novels.” Baylor University, Center for Christian Ethics.
Maccoby, M. (1982). Social Character versus the Productive Ideal: The Contribution and Contradiction in Fromm's View of Man. Praxis International: 70-83.
Rowling, J. K. )2003(. Harry Potter and the Order of Phoenix. Bloomsbury Publishing Plc.
Rowling, J. K. (2004). Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Bloomsburry Publishing pro.
Rowling, J. K. )2004(. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. Bloomsburry Publishing pro.
Rowling, J. K. (2007). Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. The U.S.A, Reinforced library edition.