Harry Potter, Script, and the Meaning of Life

The seven volumes of J. K. Rowling's story of Harry Potter enjoy stunning popularity worldwide. One of the reasons is Rowling's insight into fundamental psychological processes. This article connects those processes as presented in Rowling's books to Eric Berne's theory of script, including script protocol and script apparatus, and Irvin Yalom's existentialist/humanistic theories, including the four “ultimate concerns of life” (meaninglessness, existential isolation, freedom, and death). Rowling's books are an example of how a novel can deal with processes that are the material of psychotherapy, counseling, and other methods designed to stimulate human growth and development.