Into the Pensieve: The Philosophy and Mythology of Harry Potter

by Patrick McCauley

This book takes a look at the arc of the storyline in Harry Potter, digging below the surface to explore ethical, mythological, and religious meanings in J.K. Rowling s best-selling series. Why do we find ourselves so intrigued with the tale of Harry Potter? Many of the millions who passionately read the Harry Potter series found they could relate to the details, dreams, and fears of Harry s life. From a phoenix that dies and rises again to Dumbledore, a character who appears in a realm beyond death, there can be little doubt that Rowling s story delves into profound themes and ideas. She tackles issues of grief, responsibility, individual excellence, and heroism in the face of violence and corruption. This philosophical analysis shows that if, in fact, we do find ourselves reflected in Harry s story, then we may also find that our destiny and individual potential resonates with his as well."

Genres: Harry Potter, Nonfiction, Philosophy, Mythology

176 pages, Hardcover

First published October 28, 2015

Reviews

[John Granger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Patrick McCauley's 'Into the Pensieve' is the most important piece of new-wave scholarship by an individual author that has come out in the recent tsunami of re-evaluation of the Hogwarts Saga by academics and fandom at large. His insights about Rowling's just-below-the-conscious threshold theme of violence against women taken alone are more than worth the price of the book; they open up our understanding not only of Harry's adventures but Rowling's subsequent work in 'Casual Vacancy' and her Cormoran Strike novels. McCauley's writing is lucid, crisp, and engaging and his arguments cogent. Every serious reader of Harry Potter, of any of the works of Joanne Rowling, will benefit from and enjoy her and his re-immersion in the Wizarding World via McCauley's 'Pensieve.' I'd note, too, that the Schiffen edition is a pleasure to read because of its handsome layout and remarkably generous illustrations; no critical work on Harry's adventures to date that I know of is in its league in this regard. A fine complement to the quality of the scholarship and many insights on these pages!

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book took me awhile to get through not because it was boring, but because there was a lot to take in and analyze. It was very interesting though. I love books that make me think and because of my love for Harry Potter, it made this book perfect. One of the essays that stood out to me was about death and why we shouldn't be afraid of it. I've been more afraid of death in the last few years because of certain things that have happened and this was a very good essay for me to read. We know from the HP books that Dumbledore says there are worse things than death and I feel this essay really complimented that and drove the point home by giving examples and going more in depth with it.

I also really enjoyed another two essays that had to do with power and how it can be good. How it's actually good, but it gets perverted by people. And also how at some point in our lives we need to pick whether we want power or we want to put morals like compassion before that because at the end of the day those two things cannot coexist, just like Harry and Voldemort could not coexist. It was extremely interesting and made you think a lot. It had some other good essays, but those are the ones that stood out to me.

If you have read Harry Potter and Philosophy: If Aristotle Ran Hogwarts and The Ultimate Harry Potter and Philosophy: Hogwarts for Muggles and enjoyed it, then you will like this book as well. It explores new things that weren't explored in the other two books. I would definitely recommend this book for fans of Harry Potter, who like philosophy and don't mind having to read a bit slower than normal to take everything in.

[Juli Rahel · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a child nothing was as enduring and ever-present as Harry Potter. First the books and then the films became a constant part of my life, a consistent presence that let me dream and explore my own imagination. As the first Potter-generation grows up, Potter is becoming more and more interesting in how it survives and finds relevance. It's also becoming an academic subject, with people explicitly searching through its layers for an answer as to why J.K. Rowling's series has proven so important to so many. Into the Pensieve is a great addition to this new writing. Thanks to

First and foremost it has to be said that I am an absolute sucker for anything Harry Potter. As said above, it's been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. As such it is no big surprise that I would be interested in Into the Pensieve or would find its contents interesting. So this review will only partially be on the actual content, while the other part considers the form etc. McCauley covers a wide range of topics in this book, covering both traditional elements of the Hero's journey, such as the importance of the Father'figure, as well as what Harry Potter has to offer its readers on the subject of power. The broad range of topics means that not everything could be discussed quite as much as might have been interesting, but that a reader walks away with a good idea of what kind of treasures can be found in Harry Potter. Personally I found the chapter on 'Women and Violence' incredibly insightful and definitely something that I hadn't read about before.

Into the Pensieve is very well researched and beautifully laid out. McCauley does a great job in reintroducing the reader to Harry Potter and starting a conversation. I'd recommend this to anyone who is a Harry Potter fan but also to those interested in story telling and mythology.

For full review: http://universeinwords.blogspot.co.uk...

[MykeWeber · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was an analysis and review of J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter Series. I suspect that no finer book review was ever written! I loved the Harry Potter series, but it’s depth and breadth were largely lost on a feeble mind like mine. Patrick McCauley has given me such a gift in helping me understand the pure genius of Jo Rowling and her magnificent creation! As he so eloquently puts it, “People treasure her books because she has given us what so few of us thought we wanted: an honest and daunting call to a heroic quest for our own integrity and authentic fulfillment.’

“We must remember that there is an owl-borne letter for each of us inviting us to a magical life of meaning and relevance.”

I almost wish I had never given five stars to another book in my life, so that this one could enjoy the superlative exclusivity it deserves!

Read it!

[Chuck Slack · Rating 2 out of 5]

? Too deep for me. 😉

[Jenni Frencham · Rating 1 out of 5]

Skip this book; read John Granger's work instead.

McCauley, Patrick. Into the Pensieve: The Philosophy and Mythology of Harry Potter.

This book dives into the Harry Potter series and how it fits into the larger arc of Western literature and thought. While thorough, this book is not nearly as accessible as The Deathly Hallows Lectures: The Hogwarts Professor Explains the Final Harry Potter Adventure. This book may make an interesting addition to an academic library's collection, but does not have the appeal or readability needed for a public library.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley for the purposes of review.

[Laura · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was so excited to read this book. I’m a huge Harry Potter fan. But every chapter I found myself yelling out loud to the book. Chapter one talks about reversing the father/son role but doesn’t even mention the huge example of Dumbledore and Harry in the cave. Chapter Three states that Flamel’s stone is the same as the Resurrection stone. Wrong! Did the author even finish reading the series? The author discusses who holds power over others but never once mentions SPEW, goblins or Hermione blackmailing Rita Skeeter. I quit reading after Chapter 5.

I could've written this better when I was a senior in AP English.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a Harry Potter fan I was really looking forward to reading this over and seeing what the author had to day. Overall I found it interesting. I agreed with some, I disagreed with some (such is life!) but I found it to be an engaging book and one that made me think. In the end I did end up enjoying it quite a lot and I'm glad I got the chance to read it.

[Kristan Ladner · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fascinating read. I enjoyed reading such a well researched and profound analysis of the series that made me a reader.

[Rai · Rating 5 out of 5]

Worthwhile read to gain a deeper understanding of the Harry Potter series

This was an excellent read for fans of both Harry Potter & philosophy. I found it challenging & very insightful. Many times I would re-read passages to really embrace the meaning of what was written. It gave me a greater understanding & appreciation of the philosophical underpinnings of the Harry Potter stories & the story arcs of the main characters. It helped illuminate further what it is that I love about those stories & those characters & why they stay with me, why I want to keep re-visiting them. There are meaningful lessons about life in those stories & the character journeys, things that resonate beyond the highly entertaining magical world of Harry Potter & this book draws them out for analysis. I found this to be a most worthwhile read & the artwork inside is quite lovely.

[Allison · Rating 2 out of 5]

Why are three stars "liked it, but two stars are "it's ok"? Shouldn't three stars be neutral?

This book was good in theory and presented some interesting thoughts. I think this author needed a better editor, as I found some spelling errors, and the font changed in the middle of some lines of texts. Also, he referred once to "The Room of Hidden Things" and half a page later to "The Room of Requirement".

He also references non-Potter films and books. I think this detracts from his thesis. i'm reading about Potter, reading about Potter....BAM! half a page about 1983's "A Christmas Story". What??

Overall I think this book could have been tightened up as I said by a good editor.

[Shelbi · Rating 2 out of 5]

For the record, I have always hated deep analysis of books. It was always my least favorite part of english classes. I want to read book for enjoyment and a good story, not for all the deep, hidden meanings (if they are even on purpose). So, needless to say, I wasn't a HUGE fan of this book, but its better than some others that I've read. It did have some really interesting perspectives on why Rowling may have written certain parts of the Harry Potter series. But again, I don't know that we can ever prove outright that is why she wrote things she did unless she herself confirms these reasonings.

[Maria Cloos · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think I expected a book on philosophy to be rather boring, but it’s not. I actually really enjoyed learning about this discipline through the lens of a book series I love. The only complaint is minor: that he out to have had an HP-nitpicker to correct spelling and other errors. It wasn’t huge nor was it pervasive, but it was definitely there.

[Gregory Pedersen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Deep, intellectual philosophy of human nature + Harry Potter = one heck of a philosophical journey and thematic exploration. In moments it was an arduous reading journey, but overall it was an insightful and thought provoking book.

[Katherine Sas · Rating 4 out of 5]

The topics seemed a bit random at first, but this develops into a nice little exploration of the adolescent struggle for independence and moral maturity as expressed in the Potter saga.

[Lauren Tomlinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to have a lot more fun reading this than I did. Instead it reads like a textbook.

[Carla Simmons · Rating 5 out of 5]

After having read this, I feel as if I've finished a class on "The Philosophy and Mythology of Harry Potter." This is an in-depth study of just that. I appreciate McCauley's insights. Very well done.

[Graham Barrett · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely an interesting read for many people who have ever read the Harry Potter books. Patrick McCauley makes a number of very fascinating points about the series such as the role violence against women plays a role in the rise of Tom Riddle, the agency that living characters have vs dead ones, and the parallels between Sirius Black the guiding figure and the constellation Sirius the constellation guiding sailors. That said a lot of the book is pretty dense stuff that isn't always engaging for adult fans let alone kids. Also McCauley occasionally makes errors about the Harry Potter mythology that are sure to annoy die hard fans (i.e. conflating the Philosopher's Stone with the Resurrection Stone and more annoyingly repeatedly calling "The Burrow", the Weasley family home, the "Borough". Maybe not an essential read for all Harry Potter fans but if you're interested in a philosophical look at the series' themes and characters, it's definitely worth checking out.

[Jessica · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received a free copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I think that everyone still wonders why Harry Potter is such a powerful force. I even fell victim to Potter-mania but like the author said of his students, I don't have a reason why I love the series. I just do. I've read and reread all of the books and I have all the movies. I was even one of those people that had to have them on release day.

Maybe there is some all encompassing reason why Harry Potter was so successful. Maybe not. I think the author took on too hard of a task trying to explain it.

I thought I'd like the book but I guess I don't need to know a professor's opinion on why one of my favorite series is so popular.

2 stars for the effort and research.

[Brittney Rz. · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a very interesting read. I do enjoy diving into the finer points of the Harry Potter series and analyzing actions and thoughts. It gave me different ways of thinking about the series as a whole which I liked
I wanted to give this a higher star rating but the number of typos made me not able to. So many simple things that should have been picked up on. And the saying that Sorcerers stone and Resurrection stone were one and the same made that portion difficult for me to keep reading. Made it feel like the writer didn't know the series as well as they should have.