Social and Institutional Prejudice in Harry Potter, and the Future of Harry Potter Genfic
Here's an essay on what I think is one of the several unresolved issues leftover from Deathly Hallows, and what I think it will mean to the HP fanfic community. SPOILERS FOR DEATHLY HALLOWS BENEATH THE CUT.
Social and Institutional Prejudice in Harry Potter, and the Future of Harry Potter Genfic
The theme of social prejudice was a part of the Harry Potter series from the very start. The idea of blood-line prejudice was introduced in Book One, when Harry met Draco Malfoy for the first time while in Madam Malkin’s robe shop on Diagon Alley. This theme has carried throughout all seven books of the series, eventually expanding to include the idea of institutional, or government sanctioned, prejudice.
In Book Two, the deep-seated scorn and prejudice against Muggle-borns becomes the chilling back drop for the central plot. It is here that Harry first learns that this ongoing prejudice was the root of the war that killed his parents. And, in this book, we are introduced to the institutionalized prejudice and injustice of House Elf slavery.
Book Three introduces yet another kind of ingrained prejudice in the Wizarding world-the prejudice against werewolves. This is one of the most insidious forms of prejudice in the books, because most werewolves were innocent victims who now suffer a terrible curse. The government should be helping them-not discriminating against them.
Book Four reiterates the ideas of anti-Muggle and anti-Muggle-born prejudice, as well as returning to the injustice of House Elf slavery. It also introduces yet another common prejudice of the Wizarding world: prejudice against half-breeds, as demonstrated in Rita Skeeter’s scathing article on Hagrid.
This half-breed prejudice is taken to a whole new level in Book Five, in the character of Dolores Umbrige. Her haughty contempt for half-breeds like Hagrid and the centaurs, and her disdain for afflicted humans like Lupin, displays both social and institutional prejudice at its very worst. And the plight of the House Elf is once more on display in Sirius Black’s shameful treatment of Kreacher. His cruelty toward the enslaved elf was so extreme that it led the otherwise faithful servant into committing acts of treachery that led directly to Sirius’s death. The oppressed being turned on his oppressor.
In Book Six the mission of Remus Lupin is used, yet again, to demonstrate how beings who are systematically and institutionally oppressed will rebel against their oppressors, and seek salvation elsewhere-in this case, the werewolves seeking to support Voldemort in hopes of gaining better lives under his rule.
And this brings us to Book Seven: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. In this book the long-standing prejudice against Muggles and Muggle-borns becomes the central issue of the war. The government, overrun by Voldemort’s followers, begins to institutionalize this prejudice using the Muggle-Born registration, and sending Muggle-borns to prison for the crime of merely being born different. Likewise, Lupin is so disheartened by the institutionalized and society-wide prejudice against people with his malady that he briefly believes that his own wife and unborn child would be better off without him in their lives. And a final racial conflict is introduced-the ancient conflict and prejudice standing between goblins and wizard-kind.
With all of these subplots featuring the social ills and dilemmas brought about by wide-spread prejudice, I was expecting to read a meatier denouement at the end of Deathly Hallows that would deal with some of these heavy issues. Unfortunately, that was not to be.
In fact, my first knee-jerk reaction to the abrupt ending was that JKRowling must have killed Dobby, Lupin, and Tonks merely to avoid having to deal with the unresolved issues that those characters represented. After more consideration, I’ve backed down from that initial reaction. Those character deaths did lend a great deal of pathos and emotional incentive to Harry at key moments in the story. But I can’t help but wonder if somewhere in the back of her mind Rowling was relieved to rid herself of the problematic characters that would ruin her neat-and-tidy happily-ever-after ending.
However, I do have one consolation. With so much unresolved conflict and tension still rampant at the end of Deathly Hallows, there is very fertile ground for massive amounts of insightful and fascinating genfic. The Wizarding world needs to go through a lengthy process of rebuilding and reshaping-a Reconstruction of sorts. And fanfiction is the perfect venue in which to explore that Reconstruction.
I eagerly await the fics about Minister Shacklebolt as he leads sweeping reforms throughout the Ministry. How will Voldemort collaborators like Umbrige be brought to justice? What role will Arthur and Percy have to play in this new government, and the shaping of a new society?
The character of Hermione is also full of potential for Reconstruction-era fic. She has long been an advocate of the downtrodden and disrespected races of beings. Now as a war hero, will she use her fame to advance her social causes? Will she join Shacklebolt’s new administration, or will she work independently of the government to bring about social change?
Will Hogwarts do anything to better integrate the prejudiced House-sorting system? Will inter-House cooperation be encouraged and fostered?
As the new godfather to Teddy Lupin, will Harry honor the boy’s parents by becoming an advocate for werewolf equal rights?
And the ideas for Reconstruction genfic go on and on.
So, while I may be somewhat disappointed that Rowling herself chose to ignore these complex and fascinating themes that she spent so many years developing, I am eager to see what fandom will do with them now that Rowling has handed the ball to us.
Let’s see what the wonderful genfic writers of the Harry Potter fandom can produce.
*ETA: For a wonderful discussion on prejudices between and moral labeling of Hogwarts houses, read the excellent discussion started by marionros in the comments below.
Social and Institutional Prejudice in Harry Potter, and the Future of Harry Potter Genfic
The theme of social prejudice was a part of the Harry Potter series from the very start. The idea of blood-line prejudice was introduced in Book One, when Harry met Draco Malfoy for the first time while in Madam Malkin’s robe shop on Diagon Alley. This theme has carried throughout all seven books of the series, eventually expanding to include the idea of institutional, or government sanctioned, prejudice.
In Book Two, the deep-seated scorn and prejudice against Muggle-borns becomes the chilling back drop for the central plot. It is here that Harry first learns that this ongoing prejudice was the root of the war that killed his parents. And, in this book, we are introduced to the institutionalized prejudice and injustice of House Elf slavery.
Book Three introduces yet another kind of ingrained prejudice in the Wizarding world-the prejudice against werewolves. This is one of the most insidious forms of prejudice in the books, because most werewolves were innocent victims who now suffer a terrible curse. The government should be helping them-not discriminating against them.
Book Four reiterates the ideas of anti-Muggle and anti-Muggle-born prejudice, as well as returning to the injustice of House Elf slavery. It also introduces yet another common prejudice of the Wizarding world: prejudice against half-breeds, as demonstrated in Rita Skeeter’s scathing article on Hagrid.
This half-breed prejudice is taken to a whole new level in Book Five, in the character of Dolores Umbrige. Her haughty contempt for half-breeds like Hagrid and the centaurs, and her disdain for afflicted humans like Lupin, displays both social and institutional prejudice at its very worst. And the plight of the House Elf is once more on display in Sirius Black’s shameful treatment of Kreacher. His cruelty toward the enslaved elf was so extreme that it led the otherwise faithful servant into committing acts of treachery that led directly to Sirius’s death. The oppressed being turned on his oppressor.
In Book Six the mission of Remus Lupin is used, yet again, to demonstrate how beings who are systematically and institutionally oppressed will rebel against their oppressors, and seek salvation elsewhere-in this case, the werewolves seeking to support Voldemort in hopes of gaining better lives under his rule.
And this brings us to Book Seven: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. In this book the long-standing prejudice against Muggles and Muggle-borns becomes the central issue of the war. The government, overrun by Voldemort’s followers, begins to institutionalize this prejudice using the Muggle-Born registration, and sending Muggle-borns to prison for the crime of merely being born different. Likewise, Lupin is so disheartened by the institutionalized and society-wide prejudice against people with his malady that he briefly believes that his own wife and unborn child would be better off without him in their lives. And a final racial conflict is introduced-the ancient conflict and prejudice standing between goblins and wizard-kind.
With all of these subplots featuring the social ills and dilemmas brought about by wide-spread prejudice, I was expecting to read a meatier denouement at the end of Deathly Hallows that would deal with some of these heavy issues. Unfortunately, that was not to be.
In fact, my first knee-jerk reaction to the abrupt ending was that JKRowling must have killed Dobby, Lupin, and Tonks merely to avoid having to deal with the unresolved issues that those characters represented. After more consideration, I’ve backed down from that initial reaction. Those character deaths did lend a great deal of pathos and emotional incentive to Harry at key moments in the story. But I can’t help but wonder if somewhere in the back of her mind Rowling was relieved to rid herself of the problematic characters that would ruin her neat-and-tidy happily-ever-after ending.
However, I do have one consolation. With so much unresolved conflict and tension still rampant at the end of Deathly Hallows, there is very fertile ground for massive amounts of insightful and fascinating genfic. The Wizarding world needs to go through a lengthy process of rebuilding and reshaping-a Reconstruction of sorts. And fanfiction is the perfect venue in which to explore that Reconstruction.
I eagerly await the fics about Minister Shacklebolt as he leads sweeping reforms throughout the Ministry. How will Voldemort collaborators like Umbrige be brought to justice? What role will Arthur and Percy have to play in this new government, and the shaping of a new society?
The character of Hermione is also full of potential for Reconstruction-era fic. She has long been an advocate of the downtrodden and disrespected races of beings. Now as a war hero, will she use her fame to advance her social causes? Will she join Shacklebolt’s new administration, or will she work independently of the government to bring about social change?
Will Hogwarts do anything to better integrate the prejudiced House-sorting system? Will inter-House cooperation be encouraged and fostered?
As the new godfather to Teddy Lupin, will Harry honor the boy’s parents by becoming an advocate for werewolf equal rights?
And the ideas for Reconstruction genfic go on and on.
So, while I may be somewhat disappointed that Rowling herself chose to ignore these complex and fascinating themes that she spent so many years developing, I am eager to see what fandom will do with them now that Rowling has handed the ball to us.
Let’s see what the wonderful genfic writers of the Harry Potter fandom can produce.
*ETA: For a wonderful discussion on prejudices between and moral labeling of Hogwarts houses, read the excellent discussion started by marionros in the comments below.