Dean Thomas and Race

[Emma Hawkes]

No: HPFGUIDX 56272



There are very few differences between the British and American 
editions of the Harry Potter novels.   Aside from the change of title 
from Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone to Harry Potter and the 
Sorcerer's Stone, most of the textual changes translate British idiom 
into American: 'dustbin' into 'trashcan', 'video recorder' into 'VCR' 
and 'jumper' into 'sweater'.1  There is, however, one major change in 
the first novel - Dean Thomas gains a defined racial identity.
	In the British Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone Dean 
is not mentioned at the sorting ceremony.  The Sorting Hat seems to 
skip over him. 

And now there were only three people left to be sorted. "Turpin, 
Lisa," became a Ravenclaw and then it was Ron's turn.2

But in the American version, Dean gets a description.

[There were only] three people left to be sorted. "Thomas, Dean," a 
Black boy even taller than Ron, joined Harry at the Gryffindor table. 
"Turpin, Lisa" became...3

Why this change? Why has Dean been given a racial identity?

*****
	J.K. Rowling has specifically addressed the issue of 
prejudice in the Harry Potter novels, but the issue is defined in 
terms of prejudice between Muggle-born and pureblood wizards and in 
terms of inter-species relations.  In a 2002 interview, Rowling 
stated:

 From the beginning of the Philosopher's Stone prejudice is a very 
strong theme - and I think it's plausible that Harry enters the world 
- that's how I wanted it to be - he was quite wide-eyed about it, 
everything will be wonderful in this world, this is the place where 
those sort of injustices didn't happen and then he finds out that 
sure enough it happens. And it's a shock to him like to everyone else 
and he finds out that he's a half person within the confines of the 
world. To a wizard like Lucius Malfoy, Harry will never be a true 
wizard because his mother was of muggle parentage. So this is a very 
important theme and I always knew - well obviously I knew I've been 
trying to do it for ten years now - yes so that becomes stronger and 
stronger.4

There is an anti-Muggle sentiment at Hogwarts.  When Harry first 
meets Draco Malfoy, Draco suggests that Muggle-born wizards should 
not be educated with purebloods.5  Even more sympathetic characters, 
such as Alfred Weasley, patronise Muggles.6  But there is apparently 
no discrimination on the basis of race in the wizarding world. 
	Harry meets students of African and Asian descent at 
Hogwarts.  Lee Jordan's ethnicity is perhaps coded in his dreadlocks 
and his exotic pet (a tarantula when the approved list is either 
toad, owl or cat).  Angelina Johnson is described as black in the 
fourth book.  The Asian backgrounds of Gryffindor Parvati Patil and 
Ravenclaws Padma Patil and Cho Chang may be deduced from their names. 
The ethnicity of these characters can only be perceived through close 
reading and is never presented as a matter which other wizards or 
witches might comment on.
	Indeed, it is not until Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire 
that the international nature of the wizarding world becomes apparent 
to Harry.  At the Quidditch World Cup Harry becomes aware that 
witches and wizards have flown in from all over the world to 
celebrate the sporting event.   

It was only just dawning on Harry how many witches and wizards there 
must be in the world; he had never really thought much about those in 
other countries.... Harry caught snatches of conversation in strange 
languages... and though he couldn't understand a single word, the 
tone of every voice was excited.7

In Quidditch through the Ages it is revealed that the world Cup has 
attacted international competitors since the seventeenth century, 
though it is not so popular in Asia where 'the flying broomstick is a 
rarity' and 'the carpet is still the preferred mode of travel'.8  
Rowling shows the different nationalities of the wizarding world 
drawn together in cheerful competition and celebration.

*****

	If race is a matter which is irrelevant in the novels - if 
Hogwarts genuinely is a colour-blind place - why is Dean's race 
highlighted in the American edition of the first novel of the series? 
Rowling stated that she and her American editor decided that 'words 
should be altered only where we felt they would be incomprehensible, 
even in context, to an American reader.'9  Perhaps it is 
incomprehensible to American readers that at least some of Harry's 
classmates would not be black. 
	The difference between the British and American editions 
might stem from the readers' expectations in the two countries.  The 
2001 census showed that 87% of the poplation of England identified as 
white.7  At the same time 2% of the English population are of Indian 
descent, 0.5% are of Bangladeshi descent, 1.1% are of black Caribbean 
descent, 0.9% are of black African descent, a further 0.2% are 
descended from other black groups and 0.4% are of Chinese descent. 
This makes England a much whiter place than America, where 75.1% of 
the population identified as white and 12.3% as black American, 0.9% 
as American Indian and 3.6% are of Chinese descent.8  This 
demographic difference may explain the change in Dean Thomas' 
designated race. 
	In the British edition race is irrelevant, mentioned only in 
passing.  And perhaps in the American edition the same thing applies, 
but it is assumed that more students at Hogwarts would be black.  It 
might be that Arthur Levine, the American editor, could not envision 
a school without black students.  This would explain the highlighting 
of Dean's race.
	What is known about Dean?  That he is a Gryffindor, that he 
is artistic and that he supports West Ham, an east London football 
team with little mass appeal.  And, of course, that his race is 
highlighted in order to display the colour-blindness of the world of 
the Harry Potter novels.

"Emma Hawkes"