Using Harry Potter as a “Mirror of Erised” What can Swedish teenagers learn from reading the book series as a school project?

Abstract

Title: Using Harry Potter as a “Mirror of Erised”. What can Swedish teenagers learn from reading the book series as a school project? Author: Charlotte Mörk Term and year: Autumn term, 2008 Faculty and Department: The Education and Research Board for Teacher Training, and the English Department at the University of Gothenburg at the University of Sussex, in Brighton, England, UK Supervisors: Peter Boxall (in Brighton, UK) Ronald Paul (in Gothenburg, Sweden) Key words: Identity, teenagers, school, Harry Potter, reading, influence, teacher responsibility, reflection, syllabus Summary: This essay is about identity development and what affects it. I claim that we are affected by what we read, and that this therefore influences our identity. What then, can be learned from the Harry Potter book series when it comes to identity development? This is what the essay will try to answer. As well as how we can take responsibility for what we read and thereby for what we may become. As a teacher-to-be I am particularly interested in a teacher’s choice when we set course materials and tasks to be performed during the school year. The goal is to use the books as a school project and as a positive influence to identity development.