Changing readers' attitudes? The representation of discrimination in the Harry Potter novels
(Sprache: Englisch)
When Joanne K. Rowling published her first Harry Potter novel in 1997, probably nobody expected the tremendous success her writing debut was going to bring her. The huge popularity of the seven-book series led not only to an equally successful series of...
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When Joanne K. Rowling published her first Harry Potter novel in 1997, probably nobody expected the tremendous success her writing debut was going to bring her. The huge popularity of the seven-book series led not only to an equally successful series of film adaptations, but also to a variety of well selling merchandise. Children and adults alike are enchanted by the wizarding world that Rowling so meticulously created.However, Rowling's story does not only serve as a source for our entertainment, she also uses her fantasy world as a metaphor for our own world, depicting rights and wrongs in many different fields. One of the main themes is even a very controversial one: discrimination. And Rowling did not just invent a world in black and white, she does not simply tell the reader that prejudice is a reprehensible trait in our society. Rather, she created a world for the readers to explore and find things out for themselves as the story continued.
In this paper, the author claims that the representation of discrimination in the Harry Potter series influences the readers in a positive way and that they are likely less prejudiced against stigmatised groups after reading the books.
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Text Sample:Chapter 2.1 The importance of blood-status: Are magical children of non-magical parents inferior witches and wizards?:
In order to exemplify racism in her books, Rowling could have gone the direct route, as she has characters of many different cultures in her books. However, these characters are only very minor characters whom the reader gets to know very little about (cf. Ostry 93f). Rather, she creates a different way to deal with racism, the blood-status of her characters concerning their wizarding ancestry.
Most witches and wizards are born to equally magical parents. They are known as pure-bloods. It is also quite common to be born with magical powers if only one parent is a witch or wizard. Children of this ancestry are called half-bloods. However, although it is rare, it is possible that a witch or wizard is born to ordinary parents without any magic. Since people without magic are called Muggles, their magical children are known as Muggle-born. For some wizarding families, Rowling came up with the idea that pure-bloods or at least half-bloods are better wizards and witches than those born to Muggles. Often, these people descend from mighty aristocratic families, for it is easier for those with power to actively oppress others (cf. Flotmann 2013, 337), as we have already seen above.
This way of dealing with racism may be a politically correct way to do this. By using her characters' degree of wizard ancestry, "[it] is not Black- or Asian-British people who suffer because of their skin-colour but all people, black or white who do not have the 'right blood'" (ibid. 341). So in this way, people are not discriminated because of their skin colour, but all people from different cultures in our world are being treated the same.
Still, the group of Muggle-borns has to deal with several problems, the likes of which ethnic minorities in England and many other places must face today. They are ridiculed, verbally and physically attacked and later even
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persecuted, which is most clearly shown with one of the main characters, Hermione, who is a Muggle-born (cf. ibid. 336).
As it is with discriminative thinking in our world, the characters in Harry Potter seem to be very much influenced by their parents very much. Someone like Draco Malfoy, who grew up in a household that supports the idea that pure-bloods are superior, shows strong tendencies of the same discriminative thinking towards characters like Hermione, while Ron grew up with a father who is fascinated by Muggles and has a general reputation as a Muggle friend (cf. ibid. 338f), and Ron behaves accordingly.
Sometimes, Muggle-borns exceed pure-bloods in terms of magical skills. We see this very often with Hermione, whom Rowling depicts as one of the best in her class and apparently a much better witch than some of her pure-blood classmates. Purebloods might feel threatened by that fact. They do not understand how children from Muggles come to possess magical abilities in the first place, much less how such children can be better than theirs, and they fear they might lose the status pure-bloods have held for centuries (cf. ibid. 339). Also, they expect Muggle-borns to behave according to their status, that is, according to pure-bloods, Muggle-borns should rather be ashamed of their non-magical descent and not try to become something they are not supposed to be (cf. Brown 2008, 173).
While Rowling's discrimination of Muggle-borns shows many similarities to racism in general, it is also very reminiscent of the persecution of the Jews in particular (cf. Patient, Street 2009, 202). Voldemort's obsession with a pure race is reminiscent of Hitler, just like the fact that both were not part of the group they glorified. While Hitler was not the image of the pure Aryan race, Voldemort is not a pure-blood as his father was a Muggle (cf. Flotmann 2013, 339). In Nazi-Germany, Hitler took control of the Reichstag, founded a personal police force, and controlled the media,
As it is with discriminative thinking in our world, the characters in Harry Potter seem to be very much influenced by their parents very much. Someone like Draco Malfoy, who grew up in a household that supports the idea that pure-bloods are superior, shows strong tendencies of the same discriminative thinking towards characters like Hermione, while Ron grew up with a father who is fascinated by Muggles and has a general reputation as a Muggle friend (cf. ibid. 338f), and Ron behaves accordingly.
Sometimes, Muggle-borns exceed pure-bloods in terms of magical skills. We see this very often with Hermione, whom Rowling depicts as one of the best in her class and apparently a much better witch than some of her pure-blood classmates. Purebloods might feel threatened by that fact. They do not understand how children from Muggles come to possess magical abilities in the first place, much less how such children can be better than theirs, and they fear they might lose the status pure-bloods have held for centuries (cf. ibid. 339). Also, they expect Muggle-borns to behave according to their status, that is, according to pure-bloods, Muggle-borns should rather be ashamed of their non-magical descent and not try to become something they are not supposed to be (cf. Brown 2008, 173).
While Rowling's discrimination of Muggle-borns shows many similarities to racism in general, it is also very reminiscent of the persecution of the Jews in particular (cf. Patient, Street 2009, 202). Voldemort's obsession with a pure race is reminiscent of Hitler, just like the fact that both were not part of the group they glorified. While Hitler was not the image of the pure Aryan race, Voldemort is not a pure-blood as his father was a Muggle (cf. Flotmann 2013, 339). In Nazi-Germany, Hitler took control of the Reichstag, founded a personal police force, and controlled the media,
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Bibliographische Angaben
- Autor: Alena Eikens
- 2017, 36 Seiten, Maße: 15,5 x 22 cm, Kartoniert (TB), Englisch
- Verlag: Anchor Academic Publishing
- ISBN-10: 3960671644
- ISBN-13: 9783960671640
Sprache:
Englisch
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