Mudbloods, Halfbloods, and Purebloods (long)

[Jenny from Ravenclaw]

No: HPFGUIDX 30506

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., Philip Nel <philnel at k...> wrote:

 "what's the significance of asking such a question in the first 
place?"  That is, why does Rowling have certain characters care about 
magical parentage, when other characters do not care in the least?  
What assumptions lie behind this concern over purebloods, half-bloods 
and "mudbloods"?>

Welcome, Dr. Nel!  I haven't been around for a few days and it seems 
I've missed some great threads around here.  I am very glad to be 
back.

What an excellent question.  Rita already addressed some of the ideas 
I have about JKR's intentions with her clear classifications of 
wizards, but I wanted to add a bit.  I will also try very hard to 
avoid using the Nazi parallel here, as it is a banned topic.

Okay - Unfortunately, we live in a world where people are constantly 
classified and stereotyped.  It sucks, but it happens everywhere and 
all the time.  When I was a teen, I was first introduced to the notion 
of "restricted" country clubs, where my family would never have been 
able to be member because we are Jewish.  Obviously, the people who 
run those clubs feel superior to us Jews, so they decide to not let us 
in.  Lucius Malfoy and his friends are much the same, and, as Rita 
said, there is an element of feeling threatened that adds fuel to the 
fire of their prejudice (oooh, that sounded good).  People like Malfoy 
are always worried, IMO, that their place in society may be taken from 
them if others are allowed their same privileges.  

History has also shown us that not being 100% is often not enough.  
According to Jewish law, if your mother is not Jewish, neither are 
you.  A colleague of mine was bar mitzvahed and celebrated Jewish 
holidays, but encountered much resistance from Jewish communities 
because his mom is not Jewish.  It has made him turn his back on the 
religion.  I am sure that young Tom Riddle spent many anguished hours 
wondering why his father rejected his mother and why he couldn't have 
been born one way or the other instead of caught in between.  

JKR is clearly trying to show us how unfair and unreasonable people 
are when it comes to heritage because she makes strong examples of 
Mudbloods, like Hermione, being better at magic than the purest 
Purebloods, like Draco Malfoy.  She shows us that a Halfblood like 
Harry (although I am not so sure that I would call him that - maybe 
Quarterblood is better) is tolerant and accepting of others.  She also 
shows us that a Pureblood like Cedric is not immune to extermination 
by other Purebloods or that a Pureblood (or so I am assuming) like 
Neville is as bumbling a wizard as they come.  

In the end, it is definitely our choices that matter, and that titles 
are just titles, according to JKR, and I completely agree with her.

--jenny from ravenclaw, whose fingers are humming while writing her 
post here ***********************