With each of the Harry Potter books covering one of seven succeeding years of Harry's life, it is clear that at least one of J. K. Rowling's themes is the maturation process of the adolescent into adulthood. One of the less obvious things I came to notice was how many of the characters, on one level at least, seem to actually personify various aspects of the psyche or personality. It is as though we are seeing the different elements of a human mind in an internal conversation or drama. This is a scheme for interpreting the Harry Potter books which has proved enlightening to me again and again. If true, it can tell us much about where the plot and characters, particularly Harry, may go.

To explain this way of looking at Harry Potter, I will define the various divisions and aspects of the psyche according to Freudian and Jungian psychological models, and then describe the character whom I believe is the embodiment of each element. I do not claim any expertise in the field of psychology, but have applied a consensus of encyclopedic and online definitions to the best of my understanding.

Harry Potter represents the Ego. The Ego consists of our conscious sense of self and is that part of the psyche which experiences the external world through the senses, organizes thought, governs actions, and provides the ability to adapt to reality and interact with the outside world. Rowling's books are from Harry's point of view. We experience the many events in the series through his senses, through his understanding, and through his choices.

Carl Jung believed that the archetypal "hero" of myth and story does typically represent the Ego. Jung defined an archetype as an idealized example or type of a particular figure that he believed is derived from the past collective experience and is present in the individual unconscious. We will encounter more archetypes as we go along.

In Jungian psychology, Ego can be broken down into four functions: Sensation, Feeling, Thinking, and Intuition. As already stated, we experience Rowling's world through Harry who represents Sensations. Assisting Harry in making "sense" of his world are three friends. I believe that Ron Weasley embodies the Feeling aspect of the psyche. Ron gives voice to more emotional opinions and reactions to people and events. He possessed the common wizarding fears towards werewolves and giants when they were first encountered, and candidly expresses his dislike of schoolwork and his confusion over girls. His fondest desires, as we learned from the Mirror of Erised, are to become Head Boy and captain of a victorious Quidditch team. He continues to distrust Professor Snape, though it is known that Dumbledore trusts him.

It is not hard to identify Hermione Granger as the Thinking part of the psyche. She is studious and bright and is the voice of a more rational analysis and response to any situation. She is the one to caution Harry in Order of the Phoenix that his vision of Sirius being tortured in the Department of Mysteries makes no sense and could be a trap. She regularly reminds him of the possible consequences for his choices.

Lastly, I believe that Luna Lovegood has been introduced in Order of the Phoenix to represent Intuition. Jung described intuition as being able to "see around corners". Luna seems to live in a world of her own which tends to border on the irrational, and yet she often possesses an insight and grasp of a situation the others lack. It was Luna who understood that the whisperings they heard through the arched veil were coming from the world of the dead, and trusts that she and Harry will see their loved ones again someday.

Harry's distinctive lightning bolt scar is the remant of a curse which has created a mental bond between himself and an evil, powerful wizard called Lord Voldemort. In an earlier war, Voldemort sought to impose his will upon the wizarding community through intimidation and terror. Though defeated for a time when trying to curse "The Boy Who Lived," the Dark Lord is now in our story beginning to rise in strength once more. As Voldemort grows in power, Harry's connection through his scar is causing the young man to be increasingly aware of the dark wizard's thoughts and emotional impulses.

I believe that Lord Voldemort in the Harry Potter saga represents the Id or the Shadow in Freudian and Jungian models respectively. The Id or Shadow consists of the primitive instinctual urges of self-gratification, sexuality, and aggression, including the instinct to stay alive or counter threats to our existence, our power, or our prosperity.

The Id or Shadow is based upon the pleasure principle. What it wants, it wants. It doesn't care about anyone else. In Chamber of Secrets we learn that in his youth, as Tom Riddle, Voldemort framed Hagrid and caused him to be sent to Azkaban solely because he wanted to remain at Hogwarts over the holidays.

Freud believed that the Id retained a primitive "Oedipus" impulse, the urge to kill one's father and marry one's mother. Tom Riddle murdered his father and grandparents because his muggle father had turned his back on his magical mother and himself. As Voldemort, he now wishes to turn his murderous vengeance upon all muggles and muggle-borns in the wizarding community.

Other clues that Voldemort represents this "dark" part of the psyche lie in his seeking for power through aggressive means, and his preoccupation with overcoming death and achieving immortality. One might also make much of the symbolism of Voldemort's phallic-like snake companion.

The Id or Shadow resides in the unconscious part of the psyche. The first two times that the adolescent Harry comes face to face with Voldemort, they are in underground locations. In The Philosopher's/Sorcerer's Stone, Harry meets Voldemort who has merged with Professor Quirrell, after having gone down a trapdoor, below the Devil's Snare, and through an elaborate labyrinth. In the second book, he meets the magically preserved Tom Riddle in the subterranean Chamber of Secrets. Tunnels, labyrinths, and caves have long been symbols for the subconscious in mythology and literature.

As we learn during the climax of Philosopher's/Sorcerer's Stone, Voldemort's philosophy is that there is no good and evil, only power. The dark impulses of the unconscious can be considered amoral, neither good nor bad, but are said to be the remnant animal instincts for survival. From our civilized, human perspective, these instincts can appear repulsive or evil, and so the Shadow becomes something of a receptacle for the parts of ourselves that we don't wish to acknowledge.

According to the prophecy, and as the one Voldemort has inadvertently "marked as his equal", Harry Potter is the one who has the power to "vanquish" the Dark Lord. This is also in keeping with our models of psychology, as it is the Ego which potentially has the power to suppress the impulses of the Id or Shadow. Jung believed that tales of a hero engaged in fighting dragons and other monsters are in fact archetypal symbols of the Ego's conflict with the unconscious Shadow.

On this wise, Voldemort's Death Eaters can be seen as embodiments of specific "dark" impulses. For example, Lucius Malfoy represents bribery and coercion, Augustus Rookwood lies and betraysl; Mulciber specializing in the Imperius Curse is domination and control. Bellatrix Lestrange, Antonin Dolohov, Macnair and Travers all represent inflicting pain and murder and so forth. While Ludo Bagman and Cornelius Fudge may or may not be supporters of the dark lord, Bagman can be seen as greed and Fudge as blind ambition.

In the Freudian model, the Superego is the part of the psyche which is critical of the Ego. It represents moral restrictions, based upon a child's perspective of parental and societal prohibitions, and urges perfection. It is connected to the Id, in that developmentally speaking, it is considered a reaction against the impulses of the Id. If the Superego becomes too powerful, however, an individual can become rigid, judgmental, and unbending in their dealings with the world.

Who in the Rowling Potterverse might personify this description of the Superego? I believe it is none other than our mysterious potions master, the supercritical Severus Snape. An old Hogwarts schoolmate of Harry's father, Snape was connected to James by an intense rivalry and a later life-debt, both of which colors the relationship between Professor Snape and James' son, Harry.

Professor Snape is nothing less than obsessed with Harry Potter's habit of breaking the rules, announcing it like a persistent tattletale, along with Harry's other defects, to anyone who will listen. As the teacher of Potions, he is a detail-oriented perfectionist who is harshly critical of Harry, Neville and others who don't measure up to his own high standards.

On the other hand, Snape is also one of Harry's protectors, having saved or tried to save Harry's life several times already in the series. Having been a Death Eater, who courageously turned against Voldemort and became a spy, Snape's character is in keeping with the Superego model, in that he retains a connection to the Id and at the same time is fighting against it.

The Superego is said to be partially unconscious, or a link between the conscious and unconscious. Snape fits this description as well, in that his office and classroom reside in the dungeons. Here is again a location below the surface which is a symbol for the unconscious. Snape does not remain below ground, however, but travels freely throughout the castle and outside.

Lastly, Snape's Occlumency lessons can be seen as quite directly a metaphor for the Superego trying to teach the Ego, Harry, to block the thoughts and impulses of the unconscious Id, Voldemort.

A subsystem of the Superego is the Ego Ideal, an idealized image of what the child desires to become. It is usually formed through identification with an idealized concept of one's parents, particularly the father, and is also called the Father-Ideal. It is basically what the child's parents approve of or value. I believe that the Ego-Ideal is represented in the Harry Potter series by Harry's godfather, Sirius Black. Sirius and Harry's father, James, were like brothers, and Harry looked up to Sirius as a surrogate father. I believe that the intense rivalry which exists between Severus Snape and Sirius Black represents the internal tension which is created when the rules of society conflict with the values of one's parents, particularly when one of those values involves breaking the rules!

Sirius' death near the end of Order of the Phoenix also fits into our psychological model. As a child comes to realize that his parents are not the perfect individuals he imagined, his childhood Ego-Ideal is destroyed. When Harry observed his father's arrogant and unattractive youthful behavior in "Snape's Worst Memory", he was no longer certain he wanted to be like his father. His Ego-Ideal had been shattered. Sirius, as the character representing the Ego-Ideal, therefore had to go.

Another subsystem of the Superego is the Conscience, also connected to the Ego-Ideal. Conscience is said to be basically all those things that the child feels mum or dad will disapprove of or punish. I believe that Conscience is represented by Remus J. Lupin. Lupin is also an old school friend of James and Sirius. As one of Harry's teachers in his third year, Lupin, like Snape, also chastises Harry for reckless behavior. He does it in a far more gentle and fatherly way, however, than Snape does.

The last of James' old school chums is Peter Pettigrew. One more aspect of the psyche which Freud believed developed early out of the love and attentions of the parents, and was very much tied up with the Ego-Ideal, is Narcissism. Narcissism is usually said to be self-love, or an inflated belief in one's own abilities. Its origin, or its reality, however, is just the opposite. Narcissism is an underlying awareness of one's true vulnerability and dependency, which seeks to protect itself at all costs. I believe that this fits the character of "little" Peter, the least talented of the Marauders, who betrayed his old friends, James and Lily, and framed Sirius in order to align himself with a more powerful protector.

For Albus Dumbledore's role in this psychodrama, I believe we must look to Carl Jung's archetype of the Wise Old Man. This figure Jung believed to be a part of the Animus, the male aspect of the personality, and which he saw as a sort of a spiritual guru. He called this a "Mana" personality, taken from a Melanesian word meaning 'holiness' or 'the divine', and is a symbol for the power and wisdom that he believed lies in the deep parts of the psyche. The role of the Wise Old Man is to reveal to the archetypal hero, or Ego, the nature of the Collective Unconscious.

This is certainly Dumbledore's role. The character physically embodies Jung's Wise Old Man, who is sometimes depicted in myth as a sorcerer. The headmaster of Hogwarts is considered one of the most powerful wizards of his time and "the only one whom Voldemort fears". He clearly is a teacher and also plays the role of spiritual guide, occasionally dispensing knowledge and advice to our young Harry, particularly knowledge about Harry's nemesis, Lord Voldemort.

It is also significant that Dumbledore seems to have achieved a stage of development that Jung called "The Self", which to him meant a total, fully integrated psyche, in which all opposing or conflicting elements are united and coordinated. Few people ever reach this stage in life. This stage is marked by feeling completely at ease with oneself and the world around, of feeling joyful and loving. There is no longer a self-centeredness or a concern about personal achievement. One has all that he wants. And while this is what Jung believed to be the final stage of the individuation process, it is not equated with perfection. There is still room for growth and development.

Dumbledore epitomizes this stage. He generally displays a cheerful equanimity that is unruffled by challenges big or small. He treats all with kindness and respect, including those who are unpleasant or would do him harm. He has all that he wants, except perhaps enough socks! In Order of the Phoenix his reputation was assailed; he lost the Chairmanship of the International Confederation of Wizards, was no longer Chief Warlock on the Wizengamot, and there was talk of revoking his Order of Merlin First Class. Nevertheless, the only "honor" Dumbledore truly cared to retain was to remain on the Chocolate Frog collectible cards.

The last aspect of Dumbledore that I think is noteworthy has to do with the Inner Child. The Inner Child is another archetype of the unconscious and is currently the focus in much of the recovery work from addiction and co-dependency. The Inner Child is a symbol for how we were when we were children. A healed Inner Child is considered a source of laughter, spontaneity, acceptance, unconditional love, imagination, and great energy. It holds our potential for transformation and growth. The Inner Child is considered the gateway to our Higher Self.

Dumbledore is a character who has clearly embraced his Inner Child. He has a great fondness for candies, making their varieties the passwords to his office. His welcome speech in Philosopher's/Sorcerer's Stone was the child-like enjoyment of nonsense words, "Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!" He led the assembly in singing, everyone to his own tune. Dumbledore has a cheerful enjoyment of life and a twinkle in the eye. He possesses an almost naïve trust of others. He accepts and values those magical beings who are different from himself. He encourages the brooding Professor Snape to not take himself so seriously, and facilitates Harry's self-discovery. I think we may yet find that it is from his Inner Child that Dumbledore derives his great power, even becoming far more agile and energetic than his years would allow, when the occasion arises.

Another "Mana" part of the personality is the Great Mother or Earth Goddess, and I believe this is represented by "Minerva" McGonagall. This feminine archetype provides for every day needs, but can also be frightening, as are sometimes the forces of nature. In many cultures, she is associated with Justice and Judgment. As the Head of Gryffindor House, the austere McGonagall watches over Harry and tends to his mundane cares while he's at Hogwarts. It is also her authority to mete out punishments, as Harry and Ron discovered following their second year arrival in the flying Anglia. While she is a strict disciplinarian, she is also fair and just.

I believe that Ginny Weasley represents Harry's Anima, his "soul image", or the feminine, opposite gender aspects of a male psyche, such as being gentle, tender, and patient. Jung tells us that it is the soul-image that can lead the Ego safely into the unconscious and out again, the Anima being a mediator who establishes communication between the conscious Ego and the unconscious. Significantly, Jung says, 'The first bearer of the soul-image is always the mother'. It was by Harry's mother, Lily, sacrificing herself that caused Voldemort's curse to fail, and in the process, created the scar linking Harry with Voldemort.

Like Lily, Ginny Weasley also has red hair. More importantly, it was Ginny's abduction in Chamber of Secrets that led Harry down into the secret lair of Salazar Slytherin to come face to face with Tom Riddle. Jung points out that the figure of the "damsel in distress", frequently appearing in hero myths, are in fact the Anima. I also think it is significant that when Harry is banned from Quidditch in Order of the Phoenix, it is Ginny who replaces him as Seeker on the team.

There may also be some overlap of roles. Hermione may have functioned as Harry's Anima in Philosopher's/Sorcerer's Stone, helping him through the various obstacles in order to facilitate his meeting with Voldemort at the Mirror of Erised. And Luna may have served as Harry's Anima in Order of the Phoenix, as it was her idea to take the Thestrals to the underground Ministry of Magic.

Other characters are not quite so easy to identify. Neville Longbottom is Harry's partner in the prophecy, and has also "lost" his parents to Voldemort. He is depicted in these early years as less magically talented, more fragile, shy, and sensitive to criticism. He is vulnerable to Draco's taunting and hexing. I believe that Neville could represent Harry's Wounded Inner Child. This is a part of the psyche which retains the pain, disappointments, and emotional damage from growing up.

Harry's Divination teacher, Sibyll Trelawney, likely represents Synchronicity, a term Jung used to explain psychic or seemingly paranormal events, which he believed was due to a connection between all living things through the Collective Unconscious. Rebeus Hagrid, Harry's half-giant Care of Magical Creatures professor, represents the connection Jung believed that humans retained with the natural, animal world, also through the Collective Unconscious.

In looking at each year's Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, I find two very illuminating patterns. First, each of our five DADA teachers so far have followed what Jung would call a Jekyll and Hyde motif. Each has an outward personality or Persona, which masks a hidden, darker side. Jung believed that this motif in literature was a metaphor for the split or conflicted Civilized/Shadow impulses of our psyche.

The second, and quite appropriate pattern, is that each of the DADA teachers seems to represent a different Defense Mechanism of the Ego.

Harry's first year DADA teacher, Professor Quirrell, has allowed his incapacitated master, Lord Voldemort, to merge with him, but puts on an act of being a nervous, stuttering, weak little wizard. I believe that he represents Reaction Formation, which is the taking of an opposite belief because the true belief causes anxiety.

Gilderoy Lockhart, Harry's second year DADA teacher, is a vain, boastful, charmer who has sold numerous books about his defeat of dark creatures around the world when, in reality, he is a fraud. Harry and Ron learn that he used Memory Charms on the true heroes and stole their stories to sell his books. Lockhart represents Secondary Narcissism, an inflated grandiosity one adopts to mask the knowledge of one's weakness and failure.

As I previously said, Professor Lupin represents Conscience due to his connection to Harry's father, to Sirius the Ego-Ideal, to Peter who is Narcissism, and even to Snape the Superego. I believe that Lupin may have one further "fatherly" role. In the third year, Lupin is certainly Harry's most effective DADA teacher and positive role model thus far. He teaches Harry's class to fight their greatest fears, as embodied by Boggarts, through humor. He tutors Harry to fight Dementors, who are defined as "fear itself", through happy thoughts. One of the important roles of fathers is to teach the child how to deal with his fears.

Additionally, Lupin is a character who has learned to accept and co-exist with his werewolf dark side, imbibing a potion during the full moon to mitigate its worst impulses. Lastly, Lupin is a character who is admittedly imperfect, who regrets his failings, but who lives in the present as decently and courageously as he can. I believe that Lupin may represent the Adult Ego-Ideal. This concept is a more realistic Ego-Ideal, which the individual eventually adopts after being disillusioned by the imperfections of their parents.

In Goblet of Fire, Barty Crouch Jr. kidnaps and takes the place of retired Auror Mad Eye Moody, who was to teach Harry's fourth year DADA class. I believe that Crouch represents the ego defense mechanism of Projection. Projection is the placing of unacceptable impulses in oneself onto someone else. Crouch Jr. plays the part of a dark wizard hunter when he actually is a dark wizard himself.

I would like to interject here that the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, has come to embody the defense mechanism of Denial. Denial is simply refusing to believe an anxiety provoking stimuli. At the end of the fourth book and into the fifth, Fudge refuses to believe Harry's eyewitness testimony that Lord Voldemort has returned.

Fudge's denial leads us to our fifth year DADA teacher and High Inquisitor in Order of the Phoenix, Delores Umbridge. I believe she represents Repression or Suppression. These defense mechanisms are the pushing or pulling of unacceptable thoughts or memories into the subconscious. Umbridge actively tries to suppress information about the return of Voldemort and seeks to control or oppress anyone who might proclaim or believe it.

I think it significant that Umbridge specifically targeted Trelawney and Hagrid, competed with Dumbledore and McGonagall, and put Snape on probation, because these characters all represent connections to the Unconscious, the truth of which it was her goal to suppress.

From this basis it should be possible to identify more of Rowling's characters as ego defense mechanisms or archetypes, but for reasons of length, I will leave the rest to the reader's own observations.

One might question whether this drama of the psyche is deliberate on Rowling's part or just a coincidence, especially since Jung asserted that writers in the past have unconsciously or intuitively developed these correspondences in their stories or myths. I think, however, the sheer number of parallel details indicates that this is intentional on her part. One character in particular confirms this belief for me. Dobby the house-elf, and the house-elves in general, seem to be fashioned after the figure of a brown leathery elf from one of Jung's own dreams. Jung believed this elf dream-image represented a guard to his unconscious. Dobby went to great lengths to keep Harry out of Hogwarts his second year, knowing there was some sort of dangerous plot in the works regarding Harry and the Chamber of Secrets. Rowling's adoption of Dobby as a quirky sort of "guard" for Harry indicates, I believe, her familiarity with Jung's ideas.

If this was Rowling's intention to create a sort of drama of the mind, then what can we learn about the characters and story from this scheme of interpretation?

First, I believe that it supports the idea that Severus Snape is trustworthy. We may not agree with his critical attitude or methods, but his fulfilling the role of the Superego tells us that his attempts to teach and protect Harry are, in fact, sincere.

It also supports fan speculation that at least part of the reason Snape changed sides during the first war was to try to protect James, perhaps in repayment of the life debt. Freud believed that the Superego was very much tied to the father and originally developed in the psyche in order to repress the "Oedipus" impulses to kill one's father and marry one's mother. In Snape's role as a spy during the first war, he was likely attempting to "repress" Voldemort's plans, representing the Id, against James the father. It also suggests that Snape may also have some sort of tie to Lily.

This theory also supports the idea that Harry and Snape must overcome their mutual animosity and learn to work together. There may come a time when Harry will in fact "stand in between" Voldemort and Snape, perhaps when Voldemort seeks his retribution for Snape's betrayal. In Freud's model of a healthy psyche, the Ego must become a mediator between the Superego and the Id.

This interpretation also raises a question about the future relationship of Harry and Dumbledore. While the Mana part of the personality can be a source of great insight, Jung warned that it can be unhealthy to have the Mana personality become overly strong. Indeed it is unhealthy to have any element unconsciously dominate the conscious Ego. Dumbledore is doing a great deal of manipulation behind the scenes in order to bring about "his plan", as he has admitted to Harry. Just how far his machinations extend, we've yet to see. It may be possible that at some point, Harry will rebel against Dumbledore's manipulations and take control of his own destiny. It may be significant that while Dumbledore believed that Harry needed to learn to block Voldemort from his mind, it was in fact Harry's spontaneous feeling of love for Sirius that drove Voldemort away.

Along this vein, it is possible we may see a change in the relationship between Harry and Neville. It can be very dangerous to allow the hurts and unresolved emotions of our Inner Wounded Child to be unconsciously in control. If Neville does represent Harry's Wounded or Abandoned Child, then we may see Neville continue to grow in strength and power and become a formidable force that Harry may yet need to rein in. On the other hand, should Neville become "healed", he could become a powerful ally.

If our pattern for DADA teachers holds true, then our sixth year professor should represent yet another Ego Defense Mechanism. It is possible we may see someone who will embody Sublimation, which is the acting out of unacceptable impulses in a socially acceptable way. Bartemis Crouch Sr. is an example we have already seen of this defense. During the first Voldemort war, Crouch Sr., as the head of Magical Law Enforcement, fought violence with violence, and became as ruthless as any Death Eater in his opposition to dark wizards.

Since the Id or Shadow's primitive impulses are considered remnants from animal survival instincts, there may be more of a connection between Tom Riddle and Hagrid than we have yet seen. After all, Hagrid and Riddle were in school at the same time. It is possible that our Keeper of the Keys may have a "key" understanding about Tom Riddle that would be essential for Harry to know.

If Harry Potter is a drama of the mind and the maturation process, then we may possibly see a unique and interesting resolution to the series. Both Freud and Jung believed that a healthy psyche needed a strong and understanding Ego to be in control of its various elements and conscious and unconscious impulses. Freud saw the Ego as a mediator, seeking to satisfy the needs of the Id while remaining within the constrictions of the Superego, always in terms of reality. His model envisioned an acceptance of an ongoing struggle between these inner warring factions. The Ego's role was to maintain a balance, to never allow any one element to become overly strong. This model translated into our story might suggest some sort of never-ending struggle between Harry and Voldemort.

In Order of the Phoenix, however, Trelawney's prophecy tells us: "The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches…And either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives…"

To understand the possible meaning of the prophecy, we need to turn to the Jungian model. Jung went a step further than Freud and saw as the life goal of a healthy psyche the transcendence of its opposites, the integration and balance of all the conflicting elements of the conscious and unconscious mind. For him, the child learns about the world through differentiation, diversity, and separation, whereas the adult seeks for integration, connection, and meaning found in the whole, both outwardly and inwardly.

There is evidence that this may indeed be the direction Rowling is heading. The Sorting Hat warns at the beginning of the fifth year that the four Houses of Hogwarts need to be united. It is Dumbledore's wish that the diverse magical races of the Wizarding World learn to respect and appreciate one another. Tolerance and unity do indeed seem to be major Rowling themes.

Thus far has been expressed the need for Hogwarts to become united in order to stand against outside enemies, against a corrupt Ministry of Magic and against Voldemort and his force of Death Eaters. But if Voldemort does represent the Id or Shadow, then he is not an outside enemy; he is also a part of the whole. Therefore, he must somehow be brought back into the fold, along with the rest of the magical community, all representing facets of the unconscious or collective unconscious.

Jung believed that suppression of the Shadow was not the ultimate answer. His idea of the highest level of maturation would be to come to an understanding that there is value to be found in all the facets of the personality, including the dark levels of the Id or Shadow. It is said, in fact, that it is the barbaric part which holds the secret of our individual uniqueness. We can see this idea depicted in our story in that Harry received his ability to speak parseltongue through a transference of power from Voldemort the night he tried to kill the child. We may find that Voldemort has given Harry other unique abilities as well. Jung believed that the solution is to accept and integrate the dark side, allowing its appropriate expression under the control of the conscious mind.

It is quite possible that Harry's method for "vanquishing" Voldemort and his forces may be to negotiate some sort of truce or cooperation with Voldemort himself. In the present state of things, however, this hardly seems likely. In fact, the prophecy states "either must die".

There is a solution, however, suggested in the psycho-spiritual literature, a concept known as Ego-death. In the symbolism of mythology and dreams, which Jung explored extensively, death is often found to be a symbol for change. One's old life is left behind and a new one begins. In the ritual of baptism for example, the old self symbolically "dies" as the individual is immersed underwater, as though going into the grave. The individual then experiences a re-birth, a new start, as they rise back up.

Ego-death refers to the death of the self-identity, or rather one's self-centeredness, with all of its cares and concerns and defensive barriers. The death of the Ego allows one's true, and some say divine, Essence to emerge. The transformative process is a "dark night of the soul". It is the letting go of everything and everyone that is loved. It is feeling totally alone and in despair. Nevertheless, this humbling experience is seen as purifying and can bring about a spiritual transformation.

What emerges from the process is the last stage of individuation or maturation, "The Self" as Jung calls it. This is the stage I believe that Dumbledore demonstrates, a transcendence of separation and a more contented, joyful level of existence, an awareness that brings one closer to all people and to all of life.

Perhaps the prophecy is not telling us that either Voldemort or Harry must leave their mortal existence, but that either or both must change or be transformed in order to co-exist without conflict. How exactly Rowling will depict such a "death" and transformation is difficult to guess. Perhaps Harry, the Ego, will indeed "die", but we will learn that Voldemort's limited achievement of power over death has also been transferred to Harry. Whatever the case, I believe the "death" will not be permanent, but will create a transformation in Harry, or Voldemort, or both, which will bring about a unification of the magical world. For Rowling to create such an ending that doesn't appear too unrealistic or corny seems a magical feat indeed; however, Rowling's imagination hasn't let us down yet. I have faith.

This scheme of interpretation of course is only one level to an understanding of the Harry Potter books. It is to J.K. Rowling's credit as a writer that while the inner elements and conflicts of the developing human psyche are the underlying skeletons for her creation, she nevertheless went on to flesh out full, multi-dimensional characters and a richly textured story. Harry Potter can be understood and appreciated on many levels and with numerous layers of meaning. It is my hope that this particular layer may give insights that haven't been considered before.

4/22/05

Posted by: Rachael

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