RM Blogs Inspirational Thoughts for 'The Harry Potter Project'

(By: R. Dale Jeffery)

Douglas Knuth is an amazing young RM. Having finished his mission in Portugal, he came back to BYUI and pursued a degree in Public Relations and Communications. Coming back also gave him an opportunity to re-open some of this favorite leisure reading books, including the Harry Potter series. But this year in February he began a whole different “take” on the series. He would read one chapter per day, digest it, and then discuss the underlying themes–such as loyalty, friendship, pride, and redemption.

I found his online work through a mutual friend who had provided a link on Facebook. The simple blog post discussed the “further meaning” of the massive precautions that the wizarding world used to keep their Quidditch World Cup a secret, and how that paralleled many gatherings in the Real World. The short article gave me insights that I likely didn’t think of while reading headlong to the next chapter, to get to the “end.” I didn’t realize how much I had missed in the Journey, until I started clicking on links, and found that I’d spent two hours and had read through more than 40 of Doug’s “Introspections.”

Here is his first post in the series:

The Harry Potter Project: Introduction

Here’s a short introduction video:

So I want to Facebook, and I found Doug. Here are excerpts from the Interview.

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What has been your overall “take” from this Harry Potter journey?

Harry Potter has always been so important to me, it’s what started me off loving reading, and now it’s been a real source for strength in hard times–I’ve grown closer to the series and to the characters and I feel like I really know them better now

I’ve also gained so much more respect for JK Rowling as an author–she thought through so much and made these real people with real problems that address real issues, just with wands.

How have people reacted to your posts, in general?

It’s been a really good experience, and the effect has been amazing–I’ve had hundreds of people I know (and don’t know!) message me thanking me for the posts and it has been touching to me when they did that?

As a blogger with such a specific topic of Harry Potter it’s been fun to see people start more conversations with me about it, and I’ve kind of found myself becoming “the Harry Potter expert” to people.

How has this experience changed you?

I’ve also gained so much more respect for JK Rowling as an author–she thought through so much and made these real people with real problems that address real issues, just with wands.

Have the characters become more “real” to you in this process?

The characters have really come alive–seriously. Thinking about why Harry, Ron, and Hermione (and everyone else for that matter) do what they do really makes them come alive to me, and helps me feel close to them.

I’ve kind of felt each of them fill a part of who I am–we all have a little Harry, Ron, Hermione, Luna, Dumbledore and everyone else inside of us, and I’ve found them within myself as I’ve read and written.

What surprised you about this journey?

I think that the biggest struggle was early on, I had some really negative people tell me that I should give it up, and that was hard.

I had to work past that and remember that there were people that were rooting for me too. Once I got in the groove, it became one of those enjoyable daily rituals–reading, pondering, and writing down my thoughts and conclusions.

So you’re going to finish on time, then?

Yep! I’m getting pretty close actually (which is kind of shocking), it doesn’t feel like it’s been six months at all. I have just finished Chapter 179.

And, finally, where did you serve your mission?

I was in the Portugal Lisbon LDS Mission from 2012 to 2014.

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A few excerpts from The Harry Potter Project by Douglas Knuth

From Chapter Nine: A Place to Hide

“It may be small, but that’s something that we can find in today’s chapter of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

No matter how far away, no matter how long it’s been, no matter what’s going on, everyone will have somewhere that they can call home.

It may not be a house.

It may not be where family is.

It may not even be a place you’ve been before.

But every single person has a home, a place to feel safe.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione went to the place they could feel safe when they were in trouble, and so can we.”

From Chapter Twelve: Magic is Might

“Everyone sooner or later is going to be on the verge of doing something great, and just needs that last little push in the right direction to get going.

Some days, we just need a Harry to get us out the door.

Some days, we have to be a Ron or Hermione, and let it happen.

Either way the message is clear—go and do it, life will happen either way.

Be an active part in it, after all, you’re the hero of your story.”