[stylist] Harry Potter

Sat May 18 02:39:46 UTC 2013

Ashley,
Now that I think of it, I'm pretty sure the slave thing started in Goblet of
Fire. It is the issue of the house-elves and Hermione's crusade to free
them. The opinions of some of the students -- Ron, for instance -- that
serving humans is what makes them happy mirrors the predominant view that
people had in our country when slavery was legal. Slaves weren't considered
to be quite human, and their God-given role in life was to please their
white masters. It was service with a smile, and then the fact that they were
smiling was used to re enforce the notion that this was their role and their
desire. 

When the Civil War started, it wasn't about slavery, but about a tariff that
the government was putting on cotton exports (primarily effecting the
smaller plantation owners, who had fewer slaves). It quickly became about
slavery, however, in large measure due to three slaves who escaped to a
Yankee military outpost Fort Monroe in Virginia. Prior to this, there was
certainly an abolitionist movement which had existed since the founding of
the nation, but the average person was told that slaves were happy and well
cared for. When the run-away slaves got their stories out in northern
newspapers, public opinion shifted. This is actually a fascinating story -
one of those points of history that depended upon a string of unlikely
happenstances. The New York Times ran an article called "The Shrug that
Changed History" by Adam Goodhart, which was in the Summer 2011 edition of
Choice Magazine, which should still be available on BARD. .

Back to slavery in Harry Potter. The first thing was really about Dobby,
whom Harry set free at the end of Chamber of Secrets. But, it wasn't until
Goblet that the students became aware that there had always been a hundred
house-elves working to prepare meals and clean the castle. There's a lot
more to this including the different ways that masters treated their slaves
and how a freed slave can create some disquiet when he is working along side
those who are not free.

Also, the issue of who qualifies as a true wizard says a lot about our
tendency to draw racial and ethnic lines. There are pure bloods, halfbloods,
what purebloods call "mudbloods" (like Hermione who have no wizarding
ancestry) and squibs (people with wizard ancestry who can't do magic like
Mr. Filch. Some groups like the Slitherins hold to these separations and the
social order that places one group over the others. The four houses
represent a division with Ravenclaws being the intellectuals and Griffindors
being the brave. Hufflepuffs, at least in theory, can be said to place a
higher value on equality -- there's a song somewhere in the series in which
Helga Hufflepuff is credited with saying something to the effect that she
takes all kinds and treats them all the same.

You have already seen some of the government thing in the way the Minister
of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, denies that Voldemort has returned, denying that
there is a problem, despite the evidence, is all too common with
governments. Harry will have something very profound to say to the next
Minister of Magic in Half-Blood Prince, but I won't spoil it for you by
trying to quote it in my current state of mental fatigue.

Lucius Malfoy used his power as a member of the Board of Governors of
Hogwarts to get rid of Dumbledore in Chamber of Secrets. He was a Death
Eater who skated and apparently threatened the other board members, and yet
he still walks free. He is rich, and later on you will see him use his
wealth to buy influence. He is the epitome of an entitled rich SOB, IMO, and
his son has similar arrogance.

I will say this, though, there are eventually four Ministers of Magic whom
we meet in the series, and each of them approaches their role in different
and yet typical ways.

Actually, I can't wait till you read more to see what you think.
Donna

-----Original Message-----
From: stylist [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Ashley
Bramlett
Sent: Friday, May 17, 2013 7:25 PM
To: Writer's Division Mailing List
Subject: Re: [stylist] Harry Potter

I'm reading that book now actually. Feel free to respond with your analysis
anyway.
Nothing seems slave like yet. The  order of the Phoenix is quite a secretive
group. The wizzard kids were sure mischief when they put on those extendable
ears.

-----Original Message-----
From: Donna Hill
Sent: Friday, May 17, 2013 6:01 PM
To: 'Writer's Division Mailing List'
Subject: Re: [stylist] Harry Potter

Hi Ashley,
I'm a bit hesitant to answer your question, because I thought you might not
have finished the entire series. The slavery issue comes in Order of the
Phoenix, the 5th book.

-----Original Message-----
From: stylist [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Ashley
Bramlett
Sent: Friday, May 17, 2013 4:24 PM
To: Writer's Division Mailing List
Subject: Re: [stylist] Harry Potter

DONNA,
Wow, you all can really see themes that are not surface level.
So how do the books address slavery?
How do they address people who rise to the top?

In my reading, I see the common theme that Harry Potter and other wizzards
have more power than others. Such wizzards come out on top. Also, there is a
hierarchy of authority at the Hogwarts school. But not sure how it gets at
the theme of being a low person and rising up and up.

Ashley

-----Original Message-----
From: Donna Hill
Sent: Thursday, May 02, 2013 2:01 PM
To: 'Writer's Division Mailing List'
Subject: Re: [stylist] Harry Potter

And, she addresses slavery and the subtleties of human society about who
rises to the top, how governments work and so on. I started an article about
the Ministers of Magic mentioned in the series and how they reflect reality,
but I never finished it.
Donna

-----Original Message-----
From: stylist [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Bridgit
Pollpeter
Sent: Thursday, May 02, 2013 1:13 AM
To: stylist at nfbnet.org
Subject: [stylist] Harry Potter

Justin,

That's exactly what I thought after reading a couple of pages when I was 17.
I put it down and didn't give it another thought until years later.
And as it's blaringly obvious, I am a huge fan, smile.

Also, Rowling wrote each novel reflecting the progression of growth and
maturity of her characters. Each novel grows darker as the characters age
and learn more about life and death. It's almost like going from The
Chronicles of Narnia to The Lord of the Rings.

This has been another criticism of Rowling and the series. Many were
uncomfortable with the themes of death and after-life along with good and
evil depicted in the novels. Rowling has stated that children come from all
walks of life, many experiencing the darker side of life. She merely
attempted to reflect reality in this way. And she herself struggled with
depression after the death of her mother, and both death and depression are
addressed in later novels.

Other themes Rowling addresses: genocide, class systems, love,
coming-of-age, adolescence and sexuality, oppression and survival,
immortality, bigotry and tolerance, destiny and free choice, just to name a
few.

So I encourage you to pick the books up again, smile.

Bridgit

Message: 17
Date: Tue, 30 Apr 2013 10:53:38 -0400
From: "justin williams" <justin.williams2 at gmail.com>
To: "'Writer's Division Mailing List'" <stylist at nfbnet.org>
Subject: Re: [stylist] Harry Potter
Message-ID: <005d01ce45b2$803204e0$80960ea0$@gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Okay.  No I haven't.  I read the first few pages and thought they were
juvenile.  But, I am going to take your advice and read these things.
Think me I might just learn a little something.
Grin.

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