Ethnicity in HP: an Utopian depiction?

[jchutney]

No: HPFGUIDX 33933

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "cityhawk1" <cityhawk at p...> wrote:
> I love about HP is the way that bigotry is satirized by removing it 
from being about ethnicity and placing it on wizarding blood. The 
Malfoys and those who think like they do are the wizarding world's 
metaphor of racism/ethnocentrism/bigotry-against-anything. This way, 
Rowling can make a statement without pitting real-world ethnicities 
against each other. We're made to indentify with the "mudbloods" 
(since, after all, we all come from muggle families) in ways that we 
can't if the bigotry were targeted toward the black/asian/Indian 
students (unless we happen to be one of those ethnicities). Also, 
it's more subtle and allows her to be more satirical about it  
without offending people in the real world (it would be too close to 
home for many).> 

Furthering your statement, I think one reason avoids 
racism/religionism/other"ism" and focuses on Wizard Blood Purity is 
that it allows the Malfoys & other Purebloods to represent *any* 
group with "status".  You could see them as South African Whites, the 
titled British,Turks oppressing the Armenias, minority Immigrants 
(purebloods) in a majority society(muggles) who don't want to lose 
their culture, etc, etc.  I've read articles comparing Voldemort to 
Hitler, Bin Ladin, and other infamous psychotics.  Who or what 
Voldemort represents will be something different to each child.

The cool thing about JKR's set-up is that the Malfoys and the 
Weasleys are the same "type" (whatever that means).  What 
differiantes them is the way they act.  This prevents (IMO) Harry & 
Hermione from forming a reverse-prejudice against purebloods.  They 
see Draco as rotten because of what he does, not who is, and Draco's 
action in no way influence they way H&H see Ron.

jchutney