HARRY POTTER
Children's fiction has often been used to communicate adult themes to a young audience. Harry Potter is no different, though it disguises its themes of injustice, war, classism, and prejudice through a child-friendly allegory. It is commonly believed that addressing racism through a more literal perspective, such as having a black character be confronted with prejudice, is too disturbing of an exercise for children, but somehow when you use elves and dwarves it becomes an acceptable parable.
The tension between pureblooded wizards and "mudbloods," or Muggle-borns, is an example of racism within the wizarding world. This hostility is so pervasive that it affects the background of the whole story and motivates the main conflict. (JK Rowling faced criticism for using white characters to represent racially marginalized demographics, which is an unchallenging and perhaps counterproductive way of telling stories about racism. Conversely, it could be considered an exercise in empathy for white audiences to try and imagine themselves in a racially disadvantaged position.)
Hermione, a Muggle-born character, faces direct hostility and mistrust from several characters throughout the series, but triumphs as an accomplished wizard in her own right. Voldemort, the central antagonist, created a Muggle-Born Registration Commission to force all Muggle-born wizards to register; a move which has direct parallels to Nazi Germany's methods of separating Jews from so-called Aryans. Language such as "blood traitors" used to denounce Muggle-born sympathizers reeks of white supremacist rhetoric.
In the movie adaptations, the parallels are emboldened by the appearance of the Death Eaters, who are given black robes and pointy hats in direct reference to the KKK.
The tension between pureblooded wizards and "mudbloods," or Muggle-borns, is an example of racism within the wizarding world. This hostility is so pervasive that it affects the background of the whole story and motivates the main conflict. (JK Rowling faced criticism for using white characters to represent racially marginalized demographics, which is an unchallenging and perhaps counterproductive way of telling stories about racism. Conversely, it could be considered an exercise in empathy for white audiences to try and imagine themselves in a racially disadvantaged position.)
Hermione, a Muggle-born character, faces direct hostility and mistrust from several characters throughout the series, but triumphs as an accomplished wizard in her own right. Voldemort, the central antagonist, created a Muggle-Born Registration Commission to force all Muggle-born wizards to register; a move which has direct parallels to Nazi Germany's methods of separating Jews from so-called Aryans. Language such as "blood traitors" used to denounce Muggle-born sympathizers reeks of white supremacist rhetoric.
In the movie adaptations, the parallels are emboldened by the appearance of the Death Eaters, who are given black robes and pointy hats in direct reference to the KKK.
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