Muggleness in the wizard world

[bluesqueak]

No: HPFGUIDX 39570


> James wrote:
> > Biro's anybody?  Why on earth would someone with no qualms about 
> > wearing jeans and t-shirt under his school robes risk spilling 
> > ink under the covers (and the quill is bound to be scratchy in 
> > the hands of a young boy who has only recently started using 
> >them - I know I cant make them write smoothly) when he could just 
> > uses a ball-point.  Seriously, they could do that in lessons 
> > too. OK I concede exams, where they have enchanted quills but 
> > that bit under the bed in 4 Privet Drive REALLY bugs me.  I mean 
> > if you're worried about the look of a cheap ballpoint then get a 
> > better one, or use a fountain pen (they're just metal quills >>
> > anyway). Grrr.

Grey Wolf replied

> The quills seem to work well enough, and Harry can buy them in 
> Diagon Alley, without having to bother the Dursleys. He also enjoys 
> the ink that cahnges colours, which cannot be managed with a byro. 
> Another reason it that he's required to use Quills in school, so 
> he'd better practice during the summer so he doesn't loose rythim.
>

Could also be that Harry is not allowed to use Biro's for any of his 
school work. My (old fashioned) school wouldn't allow them - 
fountain/cartridge pens only, please.

But I think that it may be one of several signals of how most of the 
WW has rejected Muggledom in a very big (and unhealthy) way, and will 
not use a muggle item even if it is more efficient. 

Muggle items are really used for camoflage. If a muggle (like the 
postman) did happen to look into the Weasley's house, what they would 
see in a quick glance would look normal. The magic radio, or the 
clock with twelve hands or a number of other things all require some 
consideration before you realise that they aren't actually normal at 
all.

The key to this is probably found in the fact that JKR has been 
extremely careful so far to associate the Witch Hunts of the 14th to 
17th Century with Burnings (which are easily survivable by any half 
competent witch or wizard). However, most witches/wizards in England, 
Wales and North America were *not* burnt. They were hanged - and 
since it is very definite canon (QTA) that witches/wizards cannot fly 
unaided we are probably going to find that hanging is just as fatal 
to them as to a Muggle. 

I suspect that we are going to find that the contempt, hatred and in 
some cases murderous rejection of Muggledom is based on the past 
experience that when Muggles find out what wizards/witches really 
are, they kill them. 

The WW could be considered as an oppressed minority which has reacted 
by completely rejecting their oppressors; refusing to accept that 
Muggles could have anything good to offer. Liking Muggles is 
against 'proper wizarding pride' because it sides with the 'enemy'.

One of the things I find interesting about Tom Riddle is his refusal 
to acknowledge anything good about Muggles *despite* the fact that it 
is Muggles who have fed and clothed the baby Tom until his admission 
into Hogwarts. In fact, they are still doing so while he's at 
Hogwarts - the WW doesn't seem to care enough about half-muggle Tom 
to try and find him a foster family to stay with over the summer. 

Pip 
(who admits to Cindy that it probably is difficult to distinguish 
between Pippin and Pip, and who is quite happy to use Pip!squeak from 
now on)