[HPforGrownups] Re: Prejudice

[Erika L.]

No: HPFGUIDX 70325

Naama suggested:

> Also, the precise etymology of "mudblood" is unimportant. The mere
> fact that in the Potterverse it is the equivalent to "nigger" in the
> US, should make it very clear what type of people are using it.

Random replied:
  Whoa, there... Who said anything about it being equivalent to anything 
  anywhere? I did _not_ get the impression that it was anywhere near that 
  harsh... it's said that it's "the worst thing" you can say to one, but 
  that's on a relative scale to all the (unknown) not-as-bad-as-that 
  thing; it's possibly they simply don't 
  have words as strong as n*****. 

Now me: Erika (Wolfraven)

   I read the term "mudblood" much as Naama did, as the wizard world equivalent of a racial slur. It never occurred to me that it could be anything milder. I suppose my impression is largely  based on the reaction of the Gryffindor Quidditch team when it is first used by Draco in CoS. This is something that I felt was rather under-done in the movie where it's mostly Ron who reacts while the Quidditch teams just murmurs. In CoS itself, in addition to Ron attempting his ill-fated jinx, it's stated that both Fred and George have to be held back from physically attacking Draco, while Alicia shrieks "How dare you!" (87 Canadian ed)

    I think Alicia's reaction is significant since it implies a kind of shock at Draco's use of the term. There's nothing to suggest that she knows Hermione especially well, so her offence at the term isn't personal. I felt that the fact that the entire team is shocked and offended implies that "mudblood" does have a good deal of weight in the wizard world.

    It's difficult to argue that it's indeed equivalent to any real-world slur, but I think the Gryffindors' reaction indicate that "mudblood" is both offensive, and used rarely enough for it to have definite shock value.

Just my two knuts
Erika (Wolfraven)

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