OoP thoughts and re: house-elves

[Dennis Grant]

No: HPFGUIDX 61432

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Kia" <kiatrier at y...> wrote:
> Thoughts, opinions, sunk theories? Anyone?
> 
> Am I the only one who got the distinctive impression that OotP is 
> the most political of the books so far?

I agree. Strong, STRONG echos of the sorts of behaviour that take
place in totalitarian/fascist states.

For a pop culture reference, think about the end of The Sound of
Music, and the behaviour of the teenaged girl's boyfriend - and then
think of Percy.

For that matter, Umbridge wears her polical heart on her sleeve too -
"filthy half-breeds" indeed.

I wouldn't go so far as to try and hang "allegory" on it, but there
are distinct echos of history in what is going on at the Ministry and
the wizarding world at large.

Authority figures in general don't do very well in OotP, do they?
Perhaps that reflects the growing awarness that teenagers get that
parents and authority figures are not infallible.

"Angry Harry" resonated well with me, but at times it seemed a little
over the top - so much so at times I wondered if there was maybe some
outside influence.

DG