Official Philip Nel Question #10: Class

[dicentra63]

No: HPFGUIDX 41481

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "ssk7882" <skelkins at a...> wrote:

> Many of JKR's approaches to social class do seem to me to reflect 
> precisely the same mindset that she so loudly and shrilly denounces 
> in her depiction of the Dursleys.  ... Things like the death 
> penalty.

<much snippage> 

> And Sirius Black, 
> whom Vernon Dursley so brutishly classifies as gallows-bait, was 
> innocent all along.  Pettigrew was the real culprit -- and the 
> narrative voice rather gives us the impression that the author 
> believes that he really *does* "deserve to die."
> 
I'm not sure that this is an example of her overtly condemning
something she later countenances.  I think she's setting up a contrast
-- not between being in favor or not in favor of the death penalty --
but between reasons for supporting it.

Vernon Dursley's condemnation of Sirius Black is based not on careful
consideration of Sirius's alleged actions (we're not even sure muggle
television says what he was imprisoned for), but on his appearance.
 
"No need to tell us *he's* no good," snorted Uncle Vernon, staring
over  the top of his newspaper at the prisoner.  "Look at the state of
him, the filthy layabout!  Look at his hair!"

Dursley's use of "filthy layabout" implies that he knows exactly
what's wrong with Sirius: he belongs to that nasty poor class of
people who don't work for a living, like decent folk, and therefore
they deserve their poverty.  And not only that, Sirius doesn't have
the decency to comb his hair.  His condemnation of Sirius is based on
pure bigotry and narrow-mindedness.

On the other hand, Pettigrew's deserving to die is based on far deeper
crimes than messy hair: he betrayed his close friends and effectively
murdered them and orphaned their son, he framed another friend and let
him rot in Azkaban.  The third friend ended up alone and friendless. 
All those lives unhinged because Peter lacked moral courage.  We are
guided through the tragic fallout from Peter's actions during the
whole of PoA, from Harry hearing his mother's screams to Sirius's
wretched condition.  We cannot help but be outraged when we know the
whole story. 

The authorial voice makes a much more persuasive case for Peter's
execution than Dursley did for Sirius's, and as was pointed out in
this thread, it magnifies Harry's decision all the more -- he wasn't
morally obligated to stop the execution by WW standards, but he did it
anyway to follow a higher set of standards.

It's interesting that although the authorial voice seems to approve of
Sirius and Remus's decision to execute Peter, it also does not express
disapproval of Harry's decision to suspend the sentence in favor of
Azkaban.

--Dicentra, who wants Sirius to blast him next time he sees Peter