Utopia vs Reality- in HP there's both of it

[pigwidgeon37]

No: HPFGUIDX 33390

Tabouli wrote:

<to what degree do the authors of children's fiction have a 
responsibility to "set a good example", and have positive 
representatives of different ethnic groups, positive gay characters, 
strong capable female characters doing unstereotypically female 
things, male characters being sensitive and kind, etc.etc.??  Should 
they?  Should authors of adult fiction?  Should JKR?>
<snip>
<Should authors of fiction create a utopian world where things are 
closer to the way they think things "should" be, in the hope that 
this will help it eventually become true?  (Does this work, or is it 
an unconvincing and transparent ploy for all but the very young?)  Or 
should they reflect the world as it is, "warts and all", and leave 
the role model and education stuff to educators and parents?  To what 
degree are authors of fiction educators?  Are only children's authors 
educators?>


Luke wrote:
<That which is portrayed is not thereby condoned, 
or else all the persons who lament the satanic bent of HP would be 
vindicated, simply by the presence of Voldemort.  Ah, you say, but 
Voldemort's views and actions are not condoned by the books; rather, 
they are quite clearly rejected.  Indeed.  I believe that what is 
ultimately important is not the type of portrayal itself, or even the 
individual elements of that portrayal, but whether those elements are 
apparently rejected or condoned by the work.> 

Mmh, so it seems that Luke is a follower of the doctrine brought up 
(IIRC) during the period of Enlightenment, claiming that literature 
in general and theatre in particular had to fulfil a moral task: 
Lessing's "theatre as moral institution" comes to my mind. Though, 
and this is the tricky point, an author can meet this requirement 
both by depicting reality and by presenting a world "as it should 
be". Whichever method he or she chooses, the important point is the 
message conveyed to the reader: "This is reality as we find it every 
day, but this or that should be changed" vs. "This is how I think it 
should be and please participate in creating it". So, basically, what 
matters is the message, not the method.
In JKR's case, I'd say we are confronted with a mix between utopia 
and reality. And I don't mean that the whole wizarding world is 
utopia in itself, on the contrary, it contains the same elements as 
our everyday Muggle world, they have just been shifted into a 
different reality. There is, however, one utopian element in the 
wizarding universe: The hope that one day, Good might triumph over 
Evil, represented by Harry and Dumbledore. Introducing these two 
characters and presenting them in the way she does, JKR very clearly 
confers her moral message- no matter whether to children or adult 
readers.
On the "reality level", this essential message is reinforced by 
certain characters clearly marked as "good persons" whose words and 
behaviour help the reader to decode it: Dumbledore's "right vs. easy" 
speech,   Lupin's words to Harry about his irresponsible behaviour 
(sneaking to Hogsmeade), Harry who gives the 1000 galleons price 
money to Gred and Forge, every decision to bend rules for a higher 
purpose (use of the Time Turner to rescue Sirius, brewing Polyjuice 
Potion to detect the Heir of Slytherin etc.etc)- all these words and 
deeds serve as a means of clarifying the message of "This is reality 
and this is how we should behave in order to achieve JKR's very 
personal utopia".
Hope that was clear?!

Susanna/pigwidgeon37