Josh Redmond

January 6, 2017
Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince (Biographical Criticism)

In Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, Harry works through another year at Hogwarts
School for Witchcraft and Wizardry, whilst preparing quietly with Headmaster Albus Dumbledore for the
inevitable confrontation with Dark wizard Lord Voldemort. The film adaptation of Rowlings sixth entry
in her bestselling series depicts the events of the book probably more accurately than any other movie
adaptation the franchise has produced, and as such, many of the aspects of the authors own life that
surface in the novel can be found on the big screen as well. The film adaptation of Harry Potter and the
Half Blood Prince is a revealing glimpse into the life and minds of the series creators.
In many works of literature, authors create protagonists or other main characters that closely
mimic the personality of the author (or at least the authors perception of themselves). J.K. Rowling
certainly does so in her popular Potter novels: Rowling has explicitly stated multiple times in interviews
that Hermione Granger, Harrys brilliant, hard-working best friend, is a parallel to the authors younger
self; because this volume of the film series sticks so closely to Rowlings model, this self-reflection is
prominent in David Yates movie adaptation. While this image of the authors past self is found
throughout the movies, we see Hermione in ways weve not yet seen her in The Half Blood Prince.
Hermione continues acting upon her scholarly attitude in this book (she is always seen with a book in
hand in the film), and that clearly comments on Rowlings past work habits as a young student.
Additionally, we now see Hermione involved in romantic conflict. Though we saw something of a
romantic subplot between Ron and Hermione in the fourth book, young love takes over a good portion of
the plot here in the sixth installment. A love triangle develops between Ron, his girlfriend Lavender, and
Hermione that actually affects the plot by virtue of disrupting Ron and Hermiones friendship (this
disagreement is alluded to through facial expression on screen even more often than it is discussed in the
novel). As Harrys two greatest sidekicks, their inability to get along places weight on his conscience that

he doesnt need in addition to the research he continues into Lord Voldemorts past, as well as his
obsessive investigation of nemesis Draco Malfoys shady activity throughout the year. The way Hermione
is portrayed as an excellent student who is frustrated in her romantic life at times, shown vividly on
screen and often without the use of dialogue, may be an expression of Rowlings own pain in her youth.
Other aspects of Rowlings life other than a representation of her young self appear in the novel.
Earlier in the series, readers are introduced to sinister hooded creatures called dementors that steal the
souls of their victims and leave an emotionless husk of a person behind. Dementors are said to suck the
warmth right out of the air around them and to cause those nearby to feel hopeless and miserable. At the
beginning of The Half Blood Prince, Rowling writes that the mysteriously thick fog permeating the
English landscape is not just a freak of nature as the Muggles (non-wizards) assume, but a sign of the
swarm of dementors that are now roaming free as Lord Voldemort returns to power. This dark, gloomy
atmosphere is actually portrayed very carefully in almost every shot in the movie, despite that in the book
it is mentioned in passing: locations that were bright and vividly colored in past films are now dreary and
gray in The Half Blood Prince, such as the Quidditch pitch and areas around Hagrids hut. Outdoors, thick
fog is indeed shown, and inside the Hogwarts castle, shots are more dim than they were in the same
locations in preceding Harry Potter films, as if half the castles torches had been put out. The reason this
all-consuming gloom caused by dementors running amok is notable in the context of connecting the films
to Rowlings own life is that she has stated that dementors represent depression. In past movies, Harry
had to learn(with much difficulty) to fight dementors with a special spell that would create a guardian for
him called a Patronus, symbolizing Rowlings apparent struggle with depression in her own life. The dark
ambience and careful camera work in this sixth film alludes to Rowlings emotional struggle, and reminds
us in turn of her own lifes traces in her epic story.
In addition to clear parallels in the film to Rowlings emotional struggle and past self, we see a
continued allegory between the magic in Harrys wizarding world and religion on real Earth. Rowling has
outright said that Harry Potters story is a reflection of the religion with which she was raised, and though
The Half Blood Prince largely serves to set up the eventual allegory for Jesuss crucifixion at the end of

The Deathly Hallows, we see reflections of the religious background of Rowling (and director David
Yates through the camera work) in this film as well. We see Dumbledore act upon many biblical teachings
in this movie: he forgives Malfoy and tries to help him, despite Malfoys conspiracy to attempt
Dumbledores murder. Also, Dumbledore many times over the course of this book states how important it
is for Harry to remember that Voldemort fears death above all, and that that is his greatest flaw:
Dumbledore does not fear death, and meets it with open arms; this is shown beautifully in the film when
Snape enters the tower to kill Dumbledore and the headmaster only austerely tells Snape please, not
fearing his impending demise. Lastly, in perhaps the most clear reflection of Rowlings religious values in
this specific volume of the series, Dumbledore tells Harry that while a prophecy did indeed predict the
conflict between him and Voldemort, one always has free will. This is a direct parallel to the Christian
belief that while God always knows what will happen in the future, he allows all men and women to have
free will.
David Yates movie version of the sixth Harry Potter novel sticks to the script perhaps more
closely than any installment in the series. For this reason precisely, the subtle reflections of Rowlings
own struggles and beliefs that surface in the text come through effortlessly to the big screen. Emotional
battles are referenced through excellent cinematography, religious commentary is hidden in carefully
scripted dialogue, and the creators lives are integrated into the story through some of the movies most
important characters and moments. The author and directors visions for this story are not compromised
for the sake of theatergoers, and this is, in the end, rewarding for the attentive viewer.