Official Philip Nel Question #10: Class

[alhewison]

No: HPFGUIDX 41247

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., Porphyria <porphyria at m...> wrote:
> Greetings, Fellow List Members. Porphyria here, taking over the 
reins for  #10 in our series of discussion questions from Dr. Philip 
Nel. This week,  the issue is class.
> 
> The way I see it, class is one of those fault lines along which the 
HP  series is inherently conflicted. While the novels explicitly 
condemn  bigotry and prejudice, they also make certain assumptions 
which replicate  the very conditions for elitist ideas:  Wizards are 
by nature more powerful than Muggles and Harry himself must be 'the 
chosen one' in order  to conform to genre conventions.

I am only responding to 2 sections of this topic, but I do wonder if 
it is another question which will be read differently by Brits - and 
non Brits - in other words, how we see ourselves, and how we are seen.

Porphria:

2. The Dursleys are a satire of the petit bourgeoisie -- social 
climbers.  Do the books associate sadism and pettiness with the 
middle class via the Dursleys? 

Me:-

Firstly, and I maybe in a minority, but I don't think of the 
Dursleys as social climbers. Snobs, certainly, but to me, they are 
far too interested in "keeping up with the Joneses", they seem to 
want to have the same – or better- than those around them, but I 
don't actually see them climbing - or moving - anywhere.  Petunia is 
the classic "net curtain twitching" noseyparker; she even has a long 
neck to ensure that she can snoop more easily. The Dursleys are 
sending their son to the same minor Public School that Vernon went 
to. I see no social climbing here. With the biggest deal of his life, 
Vernon is wanting to have a holiday home in Majorca. A visible symbol 
of affluence certainly, but social superiority, hmnn (cough), I think 
not.

I think that the Dursleys represent a certain type of "middle class" 
pettiness.  But they are painted in such a classic "Roald Dahl" style 
fashion that I would be a little surprised if the average reader 
would assume that their cruelty and sadism is anything other than 
personal to them – and their relationship with Harry. They even 
reserve the worst treatment for him, when they are safely behind 
looked doors.

Porphria again:-

3. Is Hogwarts an elitist institution? Does its resemblance to Eton, 
with its cliquish houses, weird sports, funny uniforms and symbolic, 
honor-based competitions replicate the elitist values of the British 
Empire, critique them, or even satirize them?

Me:-

Hogwarts is elitist in the sense that only wizards can attend. 
Hermione believes it to be the "best" wizarding school that there is. 
However, from the information that we have so far been given there is 
no other wizarding school in Britain. British wizards may go abroad, 
but if they are to receive a magical education in Britain, Hogwarts 
appears to be the only place to go.  I personally do not think that 
there are tuition fees. However, even if there are, this does not 
appear to stop lower income families from sending their children to 
Hogwarts. 2 sons of a milkman can attend as can the entire Weasley 
clan. 

Anyone can attend Hogwarts providing that they have magical ability. 
Thus we see pure bloods, half bloods and muggle borns, male and 
female educated alongside one another.

I understand why so many believe that Hogwarts resembles Eton. But, 
many of those "quirkiness'" were in fact common to many British 
schools – both State and Private:

Uniform is common to most British Schools. The Uniform will vary in 
its formality, but does exist. Hogwarts uniform is only "funny" to us 
muggles but robes are actually standard wizard attire, and thus not 
fun to the people who wear them. This differs from the uniform at 
Eton which nobody wears these days (well except perhaps at weddings).

The house system which may seem very strange to those outside of 
Britain, and even young Brits was very common. As an example I grew 
up in the 1970s and 1980s. Out of a group of 4 similarly aged 
friends, all 4 of us had attended state Primary Schools which had 
some kind of a House System. These were named after Castles, Planets 
or Famous People but the basic idea was the same. We were awarded 
points and represented our Houses for Sports. The House with the most 
points one. I attended a Private (ex-Grammar) School which had a very 
strong House System. Every competition   (athletics, cricket, rugby, 
netball, gymnastics, drama, chess, music, speech etc etc) was carried 
out on an Inter-House basis. There was no overall House Winner, but 
we were certainly loyal to our house, and in the early years had all 
our lessons with others from the same house. There were practical 
reasons for this – our House were decided on Geographical grounds, so 
we lived nearer those in our house. The house system carried with it 
an element of pastoral care. Which I haven't actually seen that much 
of in the Potterverse, as although McGonagol appears to care, this is 
characterised in a formal stand-offish way.

To me, the fact that the House System was so prevalent, as late as 20 
years ago would point against it being an expression of elitism. 
Unless that is the State was trying to install elitist values in all 
its children. This was certainly not the impression am I left with 
from growing up in Walthamstow, London! However, the House System is 
dying out and the competitive spirit is nolonger in vogue. In my 
daughter's nursery's sports day there was a rather "PC" back lash. No 
child won or lost, they all took part!
Perhaps, this is an indication that the way Britain is educating its 
children has changed, perhaps the House system did looked back to our 
past, but it was for everyone not just an elite few at Eton and 
similar style schools.


Ali