Bernstein's The Reality of the Fantasy in the Harry Potter Stories

Directions: Read The Reality of the Fantasy in the Harry Potter Stories by Richard Bernstein and write a brief (3-5 sentence) response for each of the following questions.

Bruno Bettelheim, the famous and controversial psychoanalyst from the 20th century, claimed fairy tales had unique properties that distinguish them from most children's literature, which he derided as “mere entertainments, lacking in psychological meaning.”

• What are these properties identified by Bettelheim that make fairy tales resonate so strongly with children? 
• Why did Bettelheim claim they were emotionally useful for the children who read and listened to them? 
• What emotionally useful elements does Rowling include in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone?   
• How does Bernstein feel children benefit from reading Rowling’s books, even though he doesn’t feel they are as brilliantly literary as some stories, nor as powerfully primal as others?
• Pick one idea or sentence from the essay that got you thinking, or that you agreed or disagreed with strongly, or that you found interesting for some other reason. Summarize the idea or quote the sentence, and explain why you thought it was interesting.
• What was your reaction to this essay? Describe your general response to Bernstein’s ideas. Do you agree with him that these books can be useful to children beyond mere entertainment?  Why or why not?