Tuesday, July 24, 2007

Truth and lies

One of the strongest themes throughout the Harry Potter series is the clash between truth and lies. Harry is forever having to decide to go for the truth, even when it hurts (as it physically does when Dolores Uxbridge makes him write the lines with his own blood) and Voldemort is forever trying to spread a web of deceit, especially through the Ministry of Magic’s pronouncements and through the news. (It’s surely no coincidence that we have such concern about our own real life political leaders and their pronouncements, and about the news, especially when newspapers are under the thumb of people with very definite views on what should or shouldn’t be told.)

The truth will out, as the old expression goes, but sometimes it takes enormous effort, even the threat of death, for truth to be able to make its way out into the world, and set people free.

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