Episode 281: “Best of” – “Harry Potter” Book 1, Ch. 8-12

The Literary Life Podcast

Angelina Stanford

Education, Selfeducation, Classicaleducation, Reading, Literature, Homeschool, Arts, Books, Charlottemason, Homeeducation, Homeschooling

4.6 • 1.1K Ratings

🗓️ 17 June 2025

⏱️ 111 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Welcome back to The Literary Life podcast and our series on J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter: Book 1. After sharing some thoughts on detective fiction as it relates to Rowling, our hosts Angelina Stanford and Thomas Banks discuss chapters 8-12. Some of the ideas they share are the following: Homeric echos and classical allusions in this book, the identity quest, the significance of characters’ names, the four houses and the bestiary, the three parts of the soul, the Christian influence on Rowling’s stories. Angelina also seeks to teach something about symbolism and structure of literature and art as seen through the Harry Potter books.

Visit HouseofHumaneLetters.com for updates on classes with Angelina, Thomas, and other members of their teaching team.

To view the full show notes for this episode including book links, quotes and today's poem, please visit https://theliterary.life/281.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Welcome to the Literary Life Podcast.
0:02.9	We've grown quite significantly since our debut in 2019,
0:07.5	and we've had many requests to highlight older episodes that new listeners may have missed,
0:12.7	as well as revisit listener favorites.
0:15.2	To honor that request, I present to you this episode of the best of the literary life podcast.
0:21.6	This is not just another book chat podcast.
0:25.6	Lifelong reader Cindy Rollins joins teachers Angelina Stanford and Thomas Banks
0:30.6	for an ongoing conversation about the skill and art of reading well.
0:35.6	Explore the lost intellectual tradition and discover how to fully
0:40.3	enter end to the great works of literature. Learn what books mean while delighting in the sheer joy
0:47.3	of imagination. Each week we will rescue story from the ivory tower and bring it to your couch, your kitchen, and your
0:55.9	commute.
0:57.0	The literary life is for everyone because in the words of Stratford Caldecott, to be enchanted
1:02.3	by story is to be granted a deeper insight into reality.
1:07.3	Join us for an ever-unfolding discussion of how stories will save the world.
1:13.1	This is The Literary Life podcast.
1:34.7	Today, we're going to continue with our series on Harry Potter Book 1 and cover chapters 8 through 12.
1:42.2	Welcome back.
1:43.6	I'm Angelina Stanford, and with me, as always, is my
1:46.8	partner in crime. Thomas Banks. Thomas Banks. Yes. And if you've been with the podcast a while,
1:53.7	you know that this is a running joke that I call him the mysterious Mr. Banks, but he will not
1:59.4	introduce himself that way.
	...

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