Class origins

[tenpinkpiggies at hotmail.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 29580

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "Cindy C." <cindysphynx at h...> wrote:
> David wrote:
> 
> > 
> >The Dursleys definitely lower middle, through and 
> > through.  
> 
> I'm somewhat surprised to hear that the Dursleys might be lower 
> middle.  Clues to their "new money" wealth are that Vernon puts on 
> his best suit to meet Arthur Weasley; their entertaining style is 
> very formal;  they are hoping to buy a second home with the 
proceeds 
> from the drill sale in CoS; they have the money to spoil their 
only 
> son; Petunia doesn't work; Dudley is in line to go to Smeltings; 
they 
> can afford a private hospital for pig tail removal.
> 
> Translation:  they sound like the worst of American yuppies.  Ick.
> 
> Cindy

      So this gets us into the territory of "what is class"? I'm 
Canadian, and we almost all sound the same (grammar aside), and we 
have a tendency to associate class quite directly with money and/or 
education (I'm technically poor, but well-educated, so I'm "really" 
middle class, if you know what I mean). 
      But the British have a long cultural history of class and sub-
cultures, and a whole semiotic system based on accent, etc., that we 
colonials only pick up from watching Masterpiece Theatre and East 
Enders ;) . I'd love to see how Brits interprete the 
Durseley's  "class" situation, and why. Is "new money" considered 
more upper class, or are the Durseleys trying to buy themselves into 
a club that doesn't want them? We are obviously meant to laugh at 
the Durslelys' "keeping up with the Jones" attitude, but what is it 
saying about class? A) That the whole thing is a ridiculous joke (I 
think this is the intent) or B) the middle class are just that and 
don't try to be what you are not! (Which may be arguable as an 
unintended message). Is there an element of elitism runnning through 
the novels? Hmmm....comments?

Cheers!

- Cornflower O'Shea

*~~~~*~~~~*~~~~*~~~~*~~~~*~~~~*~~~~*~~~~*~~~~*~~~~*~~~~*~~~~*~~~~*

"Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!" -Albus Dumbledore

*~~~~*~~~~*~~~~*~~~~*~~~~*~~~~*~~~~*~~~~*~~~~*~~~~*~~~~*~~~~*~~~~*