[HPforGrownups] Re: Potter as a Social Commentary?

A. Green aprilgc at hotmail.com
Tue Mar 20 02:23:49 UTC 2001


No: HPFGUIDX 14693

<snip> The term "mudblood" also reminds me
>of the various words people have used to insult Jews during the
>Holocaust, as well as how people sometimes refer to African Americans
>as dirty because of skin color.  Then there is the whole house
>elf/slave thing...
>
>I've spoken to people who really don't like JKR getting into the whole
>racism thing, and that she is treading on thin ice there.  I'm not
>sure I agree - I kind of like how she approached the topic of racism
>and injustice.  We all want Dobby and other elves to be free and well
>treated, and we as adults realize the connection between slaves and
>elves, but children may not.  It is a nice introduction for children
>to start to think about how unfairly some people are treated in our
>world.  I'm very curious, though to see where JKR will take the idea -
>the elves we've seen generally do NOT want freedom.  Should they be
>convinced?  Or are they really creatures who, in the magical world,
>relish being owned and serving their masters?
>
>--Je

>From my knowledge, "good slaves" - who worked well for their masters - 
didn't like the activities of the ones who tried to get free.  I can also 
remember my mother telling me that she went to some of the lunch counter 
sit-ins in the 60's, and her disbelief that her parents told her, "You 
children need to leave those white people alone."  I think it's not that 
they don't WANT freedom, they just don't anticipate it, and don't feel that 
they deserve it (especially in groups).  Individually, I'll bet some of them 
are envying Dobby's new socks - and feeling disgust with Winky for not 
relishing the gift she's been given.
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