the central theme of HP

[GulPlum]

No: HPFGUIDX 45323

At 15:51 14/10/02 +0000, bugaloo37 wrote:

>All the posts concerning possible themes of HP, really got me to
>thinking-what is the central theme?  The one from which all themes
>seem to begin.  I have a theory on this issue and I wish to post it-
>to see what other members think.  My theory is this:  the central
>theme of the HP series is the fight against tyranny.

<snip>

I'd go one step further. I'm not saying this because JKR has used the word 
several times in interviews, etc, but because it jumped out at me from my 
first reading of PS/SS (and confirmed itself to me when I read CoS), well 
before I'd read anything JKR had said outside canon.

As far as I'm concerned, the central theme of the Potter books from which 
all others (including tyranny) spring is prejudice (in that word's true 
meaning, i.e. "pre-judgment") and what it can do.

Although I might meet you half-way and rephrase that as "the tyranny of our 
prejudices".  ;-)

Something that's always struck me is that with one notable exception *every 
single character* in the books has declared themselves to have a blind spot 
of one sort or another when it comes to dealing with others. Whether it's 
Voldemort's hatred of Muggles, Harry's distrust of Snape (and vice-versa), 
Hagrid's various foibles, the wizarding world's treatment of House Elves 
and other magical creatures, etc, etc.

The one character who is prepared to give anyone a second chance, who 
refuses to judge by appearances, is Dumbledore. Perhaps strangely, he 
hasn't even had a bad word to say about Voldemort or Tom Riddle. Note how 
he turns Cedric's death and Voldemort's return into a rallying cry against 
prejudice and a plea for understanding of each other, NOT into a rallying 
cry to defeat Voldemort! Or, reading between the lines: we overcome 
Voldemort by overcoming our petty prejudices and jealousies.

What I really admire about JKR's world and her writing is that all of her 
characters are flawed by a tendency to pre-judge, as are all of us, and it 
is mainly in this respect that Dumbledore can be given the role of "moral 
compass" of the books.

Most whodunnits (a genre to which the Potter books belong on some levels) 
are predicated on the principle that the least likely person "dunnit"; the 
culminating moment is always the revelation of the guilty party and their 
motives.

JKR's genius is to turn that around, and to confront the readers' own 
prejudices even when reading a book: the culminating scene in each book is 
NOT the revelation the guilty person, but the revelation not only that the 
person Harry (and we!) have suspected all along did NOT do it, but was 
behaving from very honourable motives. This is a subtle difference, but it 
is precisely that subtlety which has made me a fan.

It's all about appearances and the fact that we shouldn't trust them until 
we know *all* the relevant facts.