Microsoft Word final-current Developments at the Intersection of British Children-online-version doc

Prisoner of Azkaban
marks the transition of the series to darker themes, for instance 
Dementors are introduced in this volume. Used as guards in the prison of Azkaban, these 
blind creatures disseminate an atmosphere of fear and death wherever they appear. Sucking 
all the happiness out of their victims, in an act perversely called the Kiss, Dementors, 
depression personified, only leave human shells behind. Psychological terror is not all, 
however. Peter Pettigrew mutilates himself and stages his death, killing people in the act; and 
the execution of the hippogriff Buckbeak can only be prevented by means of a time-reversal 
the second time round.
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
testifies of the sinking inhibition threshold as 
more and more incidents of graphic violence are reported. Put into perspective, the many 
injuries become harmless and negligible. The auror Moody is the prime example: Incessant 
exposure to physical violence has wrecked his health. As it were, the maltreated body 
symbolises the prevailing potential within the series for violence. The Death Eaters’ march 
through the camp during the Quidditch world-championship
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for instance reminds one 
strongly of activities of the Ku-Klux-Klan or other smear campaigns against minorities. It is 
alarming that disrespectful and unemotional atrocities are committed by the villains for the 
most trivial reasons, such as the fun factor.
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Cedric’s unnecessary death is only the prelude 
for the arguably most dark and gory scene of the entire series. Surrounded in a cemetery by 
hooded devil worshippers assembled to witness the re-incarnation of their master Voldemort, 
Harry realises that he is intended as a human sacrifice. In a cauldron reminiscent of old 
sagas,
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the evil wizard is resurrected to his old grandeur. In the course of the ritual, the grave 
of Voldemort’s father is desecrated, some of Harry’s blood forcibly taken and Voldemort’s 
servant Wormtail cuts off his own hand to add it to the concoction in the cauldron.
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As soon 
as the revival is completed, Voldemort proceeds to torture one of his followers before 
torturing and then attempting to kill Harry.
It is difficult to imagine any worse, as these scenes are unsurpassed in their goriness 
and graphic violence. Yet, this is only the fourth of seven novels, and the course is set. As 
expected, the fifth volume therefore continues the development. Consequently, Harry Potter 
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J.K. Rowling. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. London: Bloomsbury, 2000, p. 108. 
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Ibd., p. 128. 
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Taken up again for example by Lloyd Alexander in his Prydain-Chronicles: Lloyd Alexander. The Black 
Cauldron
. New York; Chicago; San Francisco: F. Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1965. 
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Rowling, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, pp. 556-557.

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and the Order of the Phoenix
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is lavish with graphic violence on both physical and 
psychological levels. The teacher Umbridge punishes pupils’ rebellious behaviour by physical 
torture and Sirius Black dies from Bellatrix Lestrange’s curse.
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In the fifth volume, Harry 
experiences psychological violence through his vivid dreams inside Voldemort’s snake. On 
one occasion he even attacks Mr Weasley. Under Voldemort’s evil influence the young 
wizard develops an urgent and strong desire to harm and maim.
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Last but not least, 
Voldemort tries and fails yet again to kill Harry.
The sixth’ novel follows suit. Reminiscent of a scene in Tolkien’s The Lord of the 
Rings
, Harry encounters Inferi in a lake, ready to drag him into the waters. After many 
incidents, volume six climaxes with Dumbledore’s death at the hand of Snape.
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