Book Review: The Ivory Tower and Harry Potter (long)

[sharana.geo <sharana.geo@yahoo.com>]

No: HPFGUIDX 49042

Phyllis wrote:

> In her terrific review of The Ivory Tower and Harry Potter, Penny 
> Linsenmayer wrote:
>
>> 8. "Crowning the King: Harry Potter and the Construction of
>> Authority" by Farah Mendlesohn - <snip> She paints Harry as a 
>> passive hero  who is successful largely due to "inherited"
>> talents and assistance from others, a "gentleman scholar" (a star
>> on the playing field and passably bright).  She argues that the
>> Sorting Hat reinforces the destinarian nature of elitist Hogwarts
>> and is not at all about personal choices.
>
> Now me:
>
> Oh, my.  She really has missed the boat, hasn't she!  She must
> have skipped over Dumbledore's "choices make us what we are"
> speech at the end of CoS.  How unfortunate.
>
> While Harry definitely has quite a bit of inherited talent, it's
> what he chooses to do with that talent that really makes the
> series so wonderful to me.  And while he does receive quite a bit
> of assistance from others, the assistance is designed to enable
> him to make the most of his talents and thereby live out his
> destiny - which, IMO, is to overthrow Voldemort once and for all.


I'd like to add something else to what Phyllis said. I believe JKR 
wants to reinforce the idea that no matter how talented and famous 
you are, you cannot face the world alone. This message is 
transmitted mainly through 2 characters: Harry and Dumbledore.

"Dumbledore is probably the greatest wizard of our time" as it 
appears on the Chocolate-Frog card. He is truly powerful as a 
wizard, but most importantly he has people who are faithful to him, 
spies who gather information about the bad guys, the old crowd, etc. 
Without them Dumbledore couldn't do all the good he does.

Dumbledore chooses to use his talents for the good cause, but he 
also treats people with respect and as equals. He doesn't 
discriminate poor, rich, Squibs, Muggles, giants, half-giants, house-
elves, gnomes, goblins, werewolves...  He earns their trust and 
respect.

I think Harry is showing the same kind of behavior, his friends are 
Ron (comes from a poor family), Hermione (not pure blood), Dobby 
(house-elf), Lupin (werewolf), Neville...

He instantly disliked Draco (before the Sorting Hat ceremony in Book 
1). Harry doesn't surround himself by those who have money or power. 
He's not interested in that. Harry couldn't have passed the Second 
Task in GoF without Dobby's help, and Harry is completely aware of 
it. 

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Sharana