[HPforGrownups] WW and empire

[manawydan]

No: HPFGUIDX 50903

Ebony:

>completely there.) If there was no empire in the history of JKR's
>wizarding world, then why are they being educated in Britain?

>I'm still waiting here.  :-D  Where are the historians?  I'm a
>literary scholar, and I know there are people far more versed in
>British imperial history here.

The question would be for me whether we have anything to suggest that wizard
children would be educated other than in their country of birth. It's
conceivable, but to me it seems speculative. I'm still not convinced that
any of the Hogwarts students are anything other than born in the British
Isles.

>Hmm.  I would think that JKR wouldn't think that the use of
>traditional names as being exotic... why not Anglicized first names,
>and African last names?  The fact that canon has a Parvati and Padma
>Patil, as well as a Cho Chang, tells me that this author doesn't have
>a problem using ethnic and non-Anglicized names.

People in the UK of Asian origin tend to have Asian names, people of West
Indian origin tend to have European names. People of West African origin
would be the most likely to have African names, but are relatively few in
the UK...

>the legacy of empire.  Consider the continued primacy of Britain in
>this wizarding world.  Consider the wizarding world orientation that
>GoF gives us.  Consider the presentation of the indigenous Africans
>that were mentioned at the QWC.

On this one I will happily give way (though I would challenge your use of
the word "Britain", which is certainly considered to be racist by many
people in Wales and Scotland).

Consider the question of language in the books. It's made clear that English
is the dominant language - people of other nationalities or species are
expected to speak it, while an English wizard who has language skills (like
Barty Crouch) is represented as quite remarkable. Where (given the 25% rule)
does that come from, then?

>Having said that, it is fun for me to dissect the books in this way.
>I do notice little things that some people definitely wouldn't notice
>because you just wouldn't think to notice such things... which is
>fine.  It is not a bad thing, people.

It underscores the power of the books that it's so interesting to do this.

Cheers

Ffred


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