Dean Thomas

[bluesqueak]

No: HPFGUIDX 40287

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., Chelsea2162 at a... wrote:
> In a message dated 6/24/2002 12:15:25 PM Eastern Daylight Time, 
> alina at d... writes:
> 
> << I agree with what you're saying, I just have one question, where 
> did it say that Dean was black? I dont' think I noticed that     
>   >> reference. 
>   >>
Chelsea replied: 
>     In PS/SS, during the sorting ceremony, it's said: "Thomas, 
Dean" a Black 
> Dean" a Black boy even taller than Ron, joined Harry at the        
> Gryffindor table.
> 
> *Chelsea*

Not in the UK paperback PS, it doesn't. That line is only in the US 
editions of SS. 

I don't remember JKR ever specifically saying that Dean or Lee were 
black in the UK PS - though I have to say that there must be at least 
some hints in the text somewhere, as I always assumed Dean Thomas and 
Lee Jordan were both black kids. (I think with Lee it's the 
description of his hair being in dreadlocks, which is mostly (not 
exclusively) a black hairstyle in the UK).

Perhaps the hints given are UK specific, so the U.S. publishers 
thought it needed to be spelt out? JKR doesn't seem to 
like 'labelling' students or teachers as a particular race or colour. 
She seems to just let readers infer it from students/teachers names 
and possibly some bit of description (like Lee's hair).

I suppose this is probably because she wants us to explore the WW's 
labelling - Slytherin or Gryffindor, Pure-blood or Mudblood - instead 
of carrying over the Muggle ideas.

Pip