Rowling's muggles

[lucky_kari]

No: HPFGUIDX 31000

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "E S" <persephone_uk at h...> wrote:
> Does anyone else find themselves somewhat perturbed by the 
depiction of 
> muggles in Rowling's world?  

I'm not perturbed, exactly, but I'd like to see some more smart ones. 

>Their most prevalent representatives are the 
> odious Dursleys and even in minor appearances, such as Mr Roberts 
at the 
> Quidditch World Cup, muggles are portrayed as ignorant and idiotic 
and 
> somewhat of a nuisance.  


Here's a list of Muggles mentioned in the stories

Book I

1. the Dursleys - odious
2. the newscasters - ordinary, genial TV people
3. Harry's teachers - obviously completely inept in dealing with 
children, though they seem to have taught him the basics well
4. Harry's classmates - a)Dudley's gang including Piers Polkiss - 
horrible brats, b) the others - cowards who wouldn't go near Harry
5. the lady at the ice-cream stand - seems to have been nice?
6. the lady at the motel desk - no comment
7. Lily's parents (mentioned by Petunia) - really enthusiastic to 
have a witch in the family
8. the King's Cross station guard - really rude to Harry
9. Seamus Finnigan's Dad - sticks with his witch wife, and child
(children?)

Book II

1. That couple (I forget the name) that visit the Dursleys - stupid 
and awful
2. The Grangers - very nice, rendered rather justly nervous about the 
wizarding world. 
3. Creevey Sr. - what was his job again? I suppose he must have been 
nice to produce two kids like Colin and Dennis
4. Tom Riddle Sr. - abandons his pregnant wife when he finds she's a 
witch.


Book III
1. Aunt Marge - horrific
2. Colonel Fubster(sp?) - associates with Aunt Marge. What does that 
say?

Book IV

1. The Riddles - According to the villagers, not very nice.
2. The Villagers - Rather prejudiced and gossippy
3. Frank Bryce - The closest thing to a really fine Muggle character. 
He's old and kind of crotchety, but he stands up to Voldemort, more 
than Fudge could do, and joins the wizarding ghosts in encouraging 
Harry and dismaying Voldemort at the end. I want more people like him.
4. The Smeltings School Nurse - Recognized the fact that Dudley 
needed help!
5. Mr. Roberts - Poor man was zapped with a memory spell every ten 
minutes, tossed about by the Death Eaters, and given the full memory 
treatment later, resulting in, according to Arthur Weasley, temporary 
confusedness. It's rather difficult to determine his real character. 
If you feel bad about him, like me, remember he probably woke next 
day to find he was a VERY rich man. 


Are there any I missed? 

>I cannot help but feel as though the 
> idea of `muggle protection' has more in common with animal welfare 
than 
> human rights.
 
Yes, I sometimes do get that impression. Dumbledore, though, seems 
not to be coming from that direction. 

> Does anyone else wish we could have a prominent and sympathetic 
muggle 0
> character? I know we have the muggle borns, like Hermione or Lily, 
but even 
> that seems to have an attitude like "you don't have to be ashamed 
of your 
> muggle heritage - you're still a real witch no matter what your 
parents 
> were."


Right, see Hagrid's remarks in CoS. Perhaps they don't mean it that 
way, but it can be annoying. Personally, I don't think this is JKR's 
fault. I think she is trying to portray the society as thinking this 
way, but, if we could see better Muggle characters. The only problem 
is most of the books take place at Hogwarts, which is where you find 
good characters, and at the Dursleys, Harry isn't exactly exposed to 
the best of the outside world. 

As I said, I liked Frank Bryce's small role. I would settle for a few 
more like that. 

> Perhaps Hermione's parents could play a bigger role (incidentally, 
am I the 
> only one who *really* wants Hermione's mum to be called Helen?!).

NO YOU AREN'T! And, that would make Ron Orestes and Viktor Krum that 
dumb athletic son of Achilles with more wealth? 

>  They are 
> obviously intelligent (with a daughter like Hermione, what else 
could they 
> be) and judging by their willingness to go shopping in Diagon Alley 
they 
> have no problem with the magical community. 

Though, after CoS, they never go to Diagon Alley again. They may have 
no problem with the magical community, but the magical community, 
they've learnt, has a problem with them (except for Arthur Weasley 
who takes them out for a drink, but he probably struck them as 
weird.) 

> We have Lupin to show us that not all werewolves are bad, Hagrid 
and Madame 
> Maxime promote the nicer side of giants 
 the muggles need someone 
too!
> 
> Anyone agree, or am I all by myself here?

I agree. We should start a club. Can anyone think of an acronym?

Eileen