An Exploration in Equality: Racism an Slavery in the Magical World of Harry Potter Essay Example
An Exploration in Equality: Racism an Slavery in the Magical World of Harry Potter Essay Example

An Exploration in Equality: Racism an Slavery in the Magical World of Harry Potter Essay Example

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  • Pages: 12 (3106 words)
  • Published: March 29, 2017
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The themes of Slavery and Racism, as significant influences on human history, consistently appear in literature worldwide. The Harry Potter series by JK Rowling is teeming with allusions to these issues. This seven-part narrative highlights Harry's journey through the magical school of Hogwarts. Harry, an orphan due to the vile Lord Voldemort, discovers his heritage as a young wizard, descending from a witch and wizard parents. Throughout this series, he evolves as a wizard, striving to eliminate the man responsible for his parents' demise.

JK Rowling's Harry Potter series cleverly analyzes numerous profound concepts prevalent in our society through the lens of a magical universe, serving as a microcosm of reality. By utilizing her enchanting narrative as social critique, she makes these complex notions not only easily understandable but also engagi

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ng for all readers. The books work to elucidate the flaws of human society by drawing parallels between reality and the fantasy world. Rowling highlights the adverse impacts of servitude in her series, using House-elves in the magic world as a representation of slaves.

The elves, bound by age-old sorcery to obediently serve their masters until they earn their freedom (Chamber 14), are tasked with house chores and additional tasks as commanded by their masters. Their masters hold high standards for them, and if a task goes uncompleted, the elves are compelled to inflict self-punishment, typically through physical harm (Chamber 14). Their work environment is harsh, and the rapport between the elves and their masters is usually tense.

Rowling's portrayal of the elves is unequivocally one of a suffering species, implying that their condition of enslavement is the root cause of their misery

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The unfortunate plight of the elves mirrors the struggles experienced by numerous slaves in history, particularly the hardships endured by African Americans in America in the 1700s and 1800s. The elves' situation, referred to as "bondage" by Carey, does not provide them with any authority over their own lives; they are compelled to cater to their masters' every whim, regardless of how trivial or degrading the task is (Revisited 160). They are not living freely but are merely marionettes manipulated by their masters' wants and wishes.

Enslaved individuals worldwide existed (and continue to exist) in this condition, powerless to act on their own desires and needs. Rowling's exploration of the miserable lives of the House-elves serves as a critique of the ethics of civilizations that practice slavery. The treatment of the elves is unjust, and given their adorable and pathetic appearance, with large eyes and tiny bodies, they easily induce empathy. It's obvious that she wants her readers to empathize with the elves and perceive their state of servitude as wicked and brutal. She considers slavery to be a repugnant aspect of society, and her portrayal successfully persuades her readers to agree.

The elves are systematically subjugated without the benefit of pay or leisure time. They are disallowed essentials like "sick leaves and pensions" (Goblet 182). Their existence revolves around the relentless toil in a state of "absolute servitude" (Dendle 165). They are not even accorded the right to possess their own emotional states. As put forth by Winky, a house-elf in the employ of Hogwarts, house elves should never exhibit unhappiness when there are tasks to be carried out and masters to tend to" (Goblet 538).

Intellectual and emotional autonomy, which should ideally be inalienable rights for any sentient creature, have been completely overshadowed by the requirements of their masters.

True as it may be harsh, such was the living conditions for numerous slaves in America, forced to solely exist to fullfil their master's requests without allowing their feelings to affect their actions. The societal critique offered by Rowling acts as an eye-opener to the severe condition of slavery for her readers, effectively contextualising its brutality. The obligations imposed on them bear similarity to the duties thrust upon African Americans during slavery, coupled with a comparable status provided to House-elves. These Elves lack education, creating a facade of them being naive and undiscerning.

Rangwala explains that elves are often depicted as using immature language and flawed grammar, frequently referring to themselves in the third person (137). This representation characterizes them as being intellectually lesser than almost any other sentient species. Such portrayals were similarly applied to African Americans during the 18th and 19th centuries, depicting them with poor grammar and slow speech. Even though Rowling does not truly believe that House-elves warrant this demeaned status, she depicts them this way to underscore its inherent injustice.

House-elves, such as Kreacher who is owned by Harry's godfather Sirius Black, are further objectified by their clothing or lack thereof. The appearance of Kreacher is depicted as followed: "Besides the dirty loincloth wrapped around its waist, it was entirely nude" (Order 100). Unlike societal norms where majority of the body is clothed, house-elves do not have this right. The deprivation of even the most basic clothing, since clothing equates to freedom for them, relegates them to wearing mere

rags - once again underpinning their inferior status within society.

The treatment of real-world historical slaves was comparable, with minimal inexpensive clothing often provided. Society perceives both elves and real-world slaves as a lower class. The urge to dominate intelligent non-human beings isn't limited solely to House-elves; it is widespread in the magical realm. As stated by Dendle, "Symbolic expressions of domination are deeply ingrained in both realms" (171). The life aspects of part-humans and other magical entities are strongly governed by the wizarding authorities, relegating them to an inferior status.

In the wizarding world, there exists a structured species management system, as mentioned by Dendle (167), that features a Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures as part of the Ministry of Magic (Order 665). Wizards have asserted an upper hand over magical creatures and maintain this dominance by controlling their living conditions. Anatol puts forth that the magical realm operates according to “a human-centric viewpoint which situates non-humans below on a hierarchical ladder of life entities” (118). Both in reality and in the magical realm, humans possess an inherent craving for superiority and employ numerous techniques to amplify their status.

For instance, the government in the wizarding world enforces strict rules over magical beings' existence to maintain human dominance. It limits the use of wands only to humans (Goblet 132), grants Centaurs restricted land areas (Order 665), confines Giants to distant, hilly regions (Order 378), and regulates non-human magic beings with specialized Codes of Conduct (Stone 263). The Ministry exercises authoritative control over virtually all life aspects of semi-human or non-human entities, without granting them equal status to humans.

Magic users assert their self-proclaimed dominance

with little regard for the species they impact with their rulings. Per Law 15 'B,' it's unthinkable that any non-human could match or surpass human intelligence, especially in terms of cognitive capabilities. The regulation refers to them as "magical being[s] who [are] determined to possess almost human-like intellect, hence [are] deemed accountable for [their] behaviors" (Order 665). However, by branding them with "near-human intellect," magicians are permanently reinforcing in law and therefore in the entire magical world, their superior status over magical entities.

Anatol posits that the Ministry of Magic's Fountain of Magical Brethren, showing a wizard, witch, centaur, goblin, and house elf peacefully coexisting (Order 117), implies a sense of "equality among magical creatures" (Anatol 112). Despite this, the title and external facade would suggest an egalitarian relationship among all five entities, the three non-human magical creatures still experience perceived inferiority. The trio gaze upwards towards the witch and wizard in an 'adoring' manner, a behavior that does not suggest equal status (Order 117).

While wizards might feign an image of equality amongst all magical entities, their inherent belief of primacy is always visible. This is especially conspicuous in their treatment of Half-Giants who are often regarded as inferior to wizarding humans. Hagrid, a notable Half-Giant character in the series and Harry's confidant, is frequently demeaned and seen as belonging to an alleged substandard species. Despite his intelligence, his part-human identity categorises him under the less privileged class, thereby attracting negative perceptions. Hermione, Harry's intimate companion, labels such behaviour as "bigotry" (Goblet 434), where Hagrid is portrayed as a "great oaf" (Chamber 311) and presumed to be "very slow" (Order 395).

Indeed, having Giant ancestry is one

of the most challenging situations in the wizard realm, since Giants are notoriously hostile, "savage and violent" (Goblet 439). The bias against them extends to individuals such as Hagrid with Giant lineage. Rowling is drawing a parallel between the prejudice wizards have towards Part-Giants and widespread bias present in numerous other groups, including that exhibited by whites towards African Americans in the 18th and 19th centuries. Both groups were unfairly deemed unintelligent and unfit for civilized society, a bias they certainly did not warrant.

In the portrayal of Hagrid as one of the kindest and most gentle characters, Rowling challenges prevailing stereotypes, suggesting that groups experiencing discrimination (for instance, African Americans) are not necessarily unintelligent or savage. Anatol cements this by stating this "animalization of giants" resonates well with the racist dehumanization often imposed on non-European populations (115). The prejudice towards Giants is crystal clear in the treatment Hagrid and other Part-Giants receive from wizards and witches. Profound bias exists against Giants, and those who are related to Giants feel the weight of stigma attached to giant culture.

Being Part-Giant is typically viewed negatively, akin to the denial of true ancestry by Africans during Apartheid to avoid persecution and gain social acceptance. This is also true in the wizarding world of Part-Giants. Madame Maxime, the Principal of Beauxbatons - a rivaling magic school and herself a Part-Giant, is deeply offended when Hagrid questions her about her Giant lineage. In her French accent, she indignantly replies, "I have never been more insulted in my life! Half Giant? Me? I have - I have big bones!" (Goblet 429).

Maxime feels more comfortable rejecting her Giant heritage rather than confronting

the prejudice typically associated with being Part-Giant. Being questioned about it angers her as she prefers to live a life of denial as opposed to facing judgment akin to the racial discrimination experienced by Africans. Anatol posits that a Part-Giant is essentially an entity that is "physically different in the wizarding society, an appropriate allegory for racial discrimination in the non-wizarding world" (114). Rowling's depiction of bigotry against Giants reflects her strong disapproval of racism in general, and in particular, the pervasive kind present in human society.

The theme of prejudice and discrimination, not only against other humans but also giants and nonhumans, is evident and significant throughout the narrative. Carey asserts that Rowling firmly believes that "racial discrimination is malevolent" and "ostensibly equal societies hide profound disparities and unfairness" (House-elves 107). In the series, discrimination does not rest on the race itself - meaning, an individual's skin color doesn't bring about prejudices. Nevertheless, the concept of blood status, which parallels racial prejudice, indeed invites considerable discrimination.

Blood status, which indicates the degree of magical lineage one possesses, is typically classified into the following groups: Being a Pureblood signifies that a wizard hails wholly from a magical family, while Half-blood refers to a wizard who has one magical parent and one non-magical parent. Meanwhile, the term Mudblood is derogatory for wizards born to non-magical parents, and Muggle is used to denote non-magical individuals. The most prevalent forms of bias that closely echo racial discrimination are the belief held by many Purebloods that they are superior to those with non-magical lineage, and the view that any wizard is inherently superior to a Muggle.

In the sphere of magic, Mudbloods

face significant prejudice, analogous to the treatment of minority groups in history. The series is rife with social observations on racism, asserting that every individual has equal worth regardless of their origins, comparable to real-world race or magical linage in the wizarding context. The resentment exhibited by pure-blood wizards towards Mudbloods echoes the discord experienced between various racial factions throughout time.

The term "Mudblood" inherently signifies a caste system in which individuals born to non-magical parents occupy the lowest social stratum. This context is further expounded by Ron in response to an incident where Draco Malfoy, Harry's main enemy at school and a Pureblood, labels Hermione as a Mudblood: “It’s an offensive label for anyone. Unclean blood, see. Ordinary blood. ” (Chamber 116). Regardless of identical looks and magical capabilities between a Pureblood and a Mudblood, biases persist.

Throughout ages, an attitude of superiority over others due to one's race or lineage has been exhibited by various racial groups. This perspective aligns with a 'Hitler-like' ideology where the 'inferior' races (predominantly Jews) were deemed unfitting, as Voldemort expressed, “we shall eliminate the rot that plagues us until only those of the pure blood remain” (Hallows 11). Mirroring the Aryan supremacy belief upheld by Hitler and his Nazi followers, and their condemnation of Jews and other so-called 'inferior' races, Voldemort was staunch about Pureblood dominance and pushed for the obliteration of all other races.

Rowling clearly denotes the depiction of non-‘pure’ blood as a "canker" is a stark indication that there exists a historical parallelism with other racial purges where one 'dominant' group attempted to eliminate the other. This is further illustrated when Voldemort's followers gain control over the

Ministry of Magic and initiate propagandas to circulate an unverified claim that non-Purebloods are detrimental to the overall wizarding world.

A pamphlet published around this period, titled "Mudbloods and the Threat they Represent to a Harmonious Pureblood Society" (Hallows 249), is another example of an unjust thinking pattern where a certain group is deemed lesser, leading to their discrimination. Here, Mudbloods are depicted as a "threat to... society," suggesting that they are barbaric, aggressive, or otherwise unworthy of interaction with cultured people. Similarly, stereotypical Native American representation portrays them as wild, brutal, dressed in unusual attire with war paint, and having a simplistic way of speaking.

Nevertheless, the Native American populace were not inferior, either in intellect or civilization, compared to the Europeans who colonized their land. They were simply misinterpreted and biasedly assessed. Parallely, Mudbloods also command equal civility and societal worth despite their distinct ancestry. The pervasive narrative of Pureblood versus Mudblood racism throughout the series signifies Rowling's disapproval of all forms of racial bias. The presence of racism in the books variedly manifests not just between Purebloods and Mudbloods, but also between wizards and humans without magic.

A number of sorcerers consider themselves superior to Muggles, which leads them to think they possess the authority to rule over them. This perspective is exemplified when the Ministry of Magic, during Voldemort's reign, displays an imposing statue featuring a wizard, seated on a throne composed of Muggle bodies, with the inscription “Magic is Might” (Hallows 242). This kind of viewpoint, where one set of individuals presumes they hold superiority and hence have the prerogative to govern another group, parallels the concept of Divine Right and is often

observed globally.

Regarding his early misguided years' plans to subjugate Muggles, it was documented in a letter penned by Dumbledore, the mentor of Harry and the esteemed headmaster of Hogwarts, "Wizard dominance being FOR THE MUGGLES’ OWN GOOD" (Hallows 357). The ludicrous belief harbored by Dumbledore was essentially a conviction that the suppression and control of Muggles were somehow beneficial to them. Molly Ivins added her well-recognized commentary on this matter, bearing the words “It’s hard to convince people you’re killing them for their own good” (Bumper sticker).

Indisputably, Ivins is striving to persuade the world that the obliteration of any populace serves no purpose for anyone. Oakes expounds on a core issue, the self-proclaimed predominance and the sense of entitlement it breeds to impose power, culminating in "exploitation,... misconduct, and... extreme force" (Secret 154). Unquestionably, the wizarding world is confronted with palpable violence stemming from a superiority complex. This belligerence is closely linked to racial challenges that are pertinent in our real-world society, predominantly the violence against African Americans.

In the Goblet of Fire, Muggles become victims of torture due to their inability to wield magic, an act that echoes the rituals of the Ku Klux Klan. The wizards who commit these acts against the Muggles emulate Klan members; they conceal their identities with hooded robes and masks, analogous to the Klan members donning their notorious white robes during their rituals. Both the Klan members and wizards clad in robes exhibit an irrational animosity for another group (be it African Americans or Muggles), fuelling their infliction of torture. Despite indulging in unprovoked violence, they display a persistent racist mentality.

Rowling believes that racist violence is brutal and

unwarranted in a developed society. This is reflected in her depiction of Muggles in the series, drawing parallels to social realities. Muggles, as characterized by Oakes, are often perceived as "inept," pathetic, and slow compared to their wizard counterparts (Flying 119). An excellent illustration of this is Mr. Dursley, Harry's non-magical uncle. He often finds it hard to articulate when he is upset, is referred to as "stupid" (Chamber 1), and often makes foolish choices (Stone 38-44).

Much like in the depiction of African Americans and Native Americans in the 1800s and 1900s media, where they were often portrayed as unintelligent and uneducated, seen using bad grammar and unable to perform basic tasks. Rowling comments on these marginalized groups, through an unfavorable portrayal of Muggles. She uses this imagery to address racial discrimination, promoting equality as her main objective. This idea is best exemplified by Remus Lupin's character when he declares that "Every human life is worth the same" (Hallows 440).

Rowling genuinely holds the view that every individual - irrespective of their race, faith, or bloodline - should be considered equal in every aspect, and no one should face discrimination for any reason. The prolific yet subtle social commentary in JK Rowling's Harry Potter series serves as a medium for her to challenge certain facets of human behavior. She particularly addresses problems that mirror real-world issues such as slavery, unjust superiority complexes, and racial discrimination.

The enchanted realm, reflecting the actual world, is compelled to address these matters, albeit employing mystical creatures instead of actual minorities in a manner suitable for its spectators. In the realm of reality, countless marginalized individuals have experienced intense struggles with enslavement

and prejudice, while in the make-believe enchanted realm, a variety of magical beings and sorcerers have confronted identical challenges. Through her books, Rowling advocates for global equality for everyone, whether they possess magical abilities or not.

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