Working on It (the "Biblical Mode" that is)

Pauli asked in a comment on "to men he gave strange powers" if I would elaborate on the "Biblical mode" and maybe say whether I think Rowling is writing in the Biblical mode. I have been working on a response that has gotten a little long so I figure maybe if I just do some pieces (doing each piece quickly) I can whittle down the main "elaboration" so it is not so cumbersome for me or for the reader. I would say that in the sense of what I meant by the "Biblical mode", Rowling is NOT writing in the Biblical mode - but this is, in no way, I think, a mark against her, or even a lessening of her place for me. It will have to wait for stating precisely what I mean by the particular "Biblical Mode" but for here I'll give an example of maybe mis-applying it to Rowling's work. Fr. Roderic at Catholic Insider.com has a good series of Podcasts on HP. What I'm about to say is a very minor thing, he does great work across the board. Not on the same scholarly level as Granger but really enjoyable. I bring this up NOT to say "I like most of his stuff but every once in a while I think he gets something REALLY wrong," but more like "I love his stuff, but nobody bats a thousand and this is just an example of sort of misplaced emphasis to demonstrate this thing I'm trying to describe." Anyway, in one of the podcasts he says that the three wizards Dumbledore, McGonnegal and Hagrid showing up with the baby Harry might be derivative of the 3 wise-men (magi) in the Gospel, since they are 3 and they are "magi." It's a little bit awkward of a fit for me. Granger points out that Rowling draws on a lot of literature with "leading trios," some of which I have never read (like The Brothers Karamatzov ... I have a friend who is reading it now and I told her "I got half way through Crime and Punishment and it was great but I was too snow and mud-blind to continue") and I think some instances of 3 characters are more standardly just part of that system. It is a fore-shadowing that these will be the three professors at Hogwarts whom Harry will trust the most and like the most (well, the 3 from that book and also the 3 long term ... Remus is only DADA teacher for a year). But to these 3 Harry is sort of one of their own, and the point of the Magi seems to me to be a trio of foreign "mystics" who come to pay homage in Jewish territory, to he messiah who has come through Judaism. (Christ being the fulfillment of the history of Israel, or rather the history of Israel being a foreshadowing of Christ.) Tolkien's 3 wizards (Saruman, Gandalf and Radagast) seem to me to fit better the model of the Magi in the Gospel in that they are "foreign" to humanity, sent to humanity in its fledgling years as "the power" in Middle Earth (with the elves waning and leaving), and the come bearing a gift ... counsel. ... At least they are supposed to; only one remains true to that mission - one becomes evil and the third gets caught up in the birds and the trees. Tolkien adapts these characters by combining them with the "Angelic problem" of "what to do with man?". Sauron and Saruman seem to covet the special place they know Iluvatar to have accorded to these carnate mortals, and Radagast finds them uninteresting, and so Tolkien develops these themes and others in his own unique way through the characters. My main point for this post is that between these two instances of "3 Wizards" Tolkien's seems better (although not as closely in this particular instance as in others) to fit being characterized as being drawn more directly from a character in Scripture (this is not the only mark of what I meant by the "Biblical Mode" ... there is at least one more I will hit on in another post.) As Granger notes, Rowling's work is primarily based in Alchemy. I think this is highly congruous with the Revelation of Scripture (and indeed it expresses the truths of Scripture because all truth about humanity is fulfilled in that narrative) but in its characteristics it is simply modeled on a different mode. (Keep in mind, Tolkien did a translation of the book of Job for the Old Jerusalem Bible. His mind was steeped specifically in Biblical language and literary forms in a way Rowling's may not be.) Personally, I think the diversity in literary modes is good. The genre is still the same (fantasy ... and also the themes are the same, Christian virtues such as courage) but to me it is great to be able to read both works. I think I would call Tolkien's work "written in the Biblical mode" because it seems to be the most primary or over arching, but he also has many others informing the work and working within the larger framework. There are some who are a little edgy over Rowling being compared to Tolkien. It seems to me that even when they "let you pass" with your liking of Rowling they expect to be compensated by a statement such as "But of course, she's not in the same class as Tolkien." (The sarcasm here is completely tongue-in-cheek ... those who I know personally like this, I think are great people and it's more one of those foibles you sort of laugh at and sort of love at the same time). But for me, I can never seem to make the question of comparing them in that way work in my head. I simply love both works and find delving into their respective worlds of meaning fascinating. NOTE: This use of the word "mode" is completely my own invention and should not be taken as representing an "officially" used and agreed upon term in literary studies (and to give credit where credit is due, I am sure I did not come up with what I mean by it on my own, but rather from professors who have taught me literary matters .... I simply mean calling it a "mode" was my own quirk). I was kind of writing off the cuff when I used it, and have since wondered whether I should make a distinction on it regarding Tolkien and Rowling, and have come to the conclusion that I think it is helping me come to some new insights into their works without saying "Tolkien is like the Bible, Rowling is not, therefore Tolkien is 'better' than Rowling." cf my comment at the end of the last paragraph.