Date of Award
8-2017
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Department
English
Committee Chair(s)
Shane Graham
Committee
Shane Graham
Committee
Christine Cooper-Rompato
Committee
Ben Gunsberg
Committee
Lisa Gabbert
Abstract
What does it mean to bear witness to the memories of previous generations’ trauma victims? What lessons should we learn from those who came before us to ensure a happier future?
This thesis explores the trauma and memories of the deceased or older generation found in J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series. I intend to analyze the character of Harry Potter as he interacts with the memories of the previous generation, which he is able to resurrect in embodied forms through the use of magic. By testifying to the memories of the previous generations’ trauma, Harry is able to break the cycle of violence and create a seemingly happy ending to his life’s story. Through critically studying Harry Potter as a transgenerational narrative, readers are able to learn how to bear witness to the memories of those with whom they associate in their own live and create a more empathetically inclined world.
Recommended Citation
Beckstrand, Erika, "Remembering as Resurrection: Transgenerational Trauma and Memory in J.K. Rowlings Harry Potter Series" (2017). All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023. 1022.
https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/gradreports/1022
Included in
Children's and Young Adult Literature Commons, Literature in English, British Isles Commons
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