July 6, 2007

• The Half Blood Prince

  Speaking of “halfs”, I just finished rereading Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince (the next and final Harry Potter book comes out in two weeks!).   One of the things I like about the Harry Potter series is how JK Rowling works so much discussion of race and class into her books – albeit disguised in little allegories, so it’s less controversial.  It kinda reminds me of the old Star Trek series… although a bit less ham handed.

  Anyway, I did some quick research and found this overview of Class and Racial Prejudice in Harry Potter.  I thought the stuff on the Weasleys was pretty on point with the colorblind stuff we talked about earlier:

  Rowling utilizes the obsession of some in the wizard world with “blood purity” as an analogy for class prejudice and racism. The wizard world is composed of a small number of “pure-blood” families, and the majority heralding from “half-blood” or “muggle-born” ancestry. These categories, while irrelevant to many within the book, are frequently cited by the more intolerant characters as a measure of personal worth.

  Some believe that the concept of “blood purity” within the wizard world is a reference to elements of the class-system that was previously a feature of British society, particularly within educational institutions such as universities or public schools similar in nature to Harry’s school, Hogwarts. It also references World War II era Germany, particularly that the leader of the rising hatred and oppression against the so-called “half-breeds”, Lord Voldemort, is in fact a “half-blood” himself, much like Adolf Hitler didn’t fit his own Aryan ideal.

  Harry Potter makes statements about real issues of prejudice by assuming that they do not exist. For example, it is taken for granted that every profession in Rowling’s world has personnel who are both male and female; even the sports teams are mixed.

  Even families who ignore the concept of “blood purity” are generally prejudiced against “non-humans” or “half-breeds”. This theme is explored with characters such as Remus Lupin, a werewolf, and Rubeus Hagrid, a half-human, half-giant. Additionally, house-elves are considered fit only for subjugation and slavery, despite their human-like feelings and their own powerful magic (demonstrated by Dobby in Chamber of Secrets).

  Rowling also uses the Weasleys, an extremely tolerant “pure-blood” family, as examples of people that hold prejudices without even realizing it. Harry’s friend, Ron Weasley, is shocked to learn of Lupin’s affliction in Prisoner of Azkaban, and Hagrid’s ancestry in Goblet of Fire. Ron’s mother, Molly Weasley, also unwittingly expresses open prejudice against werewolves in Order of the Phoenix.

  I don’t mind Muggles… but I can’t stand those filthy werewolves.

  15 days til Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows comes out…  can’t wait!

  • 3:02 pm
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