Umbridge and Blood Lines

[justcarol67]

No: HPFGUIDX 90221

"drjuliehoward" wrote:
> I was wondering about that horrible punishment Umbridge had for 
> Harry, the quill that wrote lines in blood on the back of his hand.  
> Does anyone else think this is symbolic (yes, quite elementary) of 
> Umbridge's preference for purebloods and willingness to punish half-
> bloods and mudbloods.  If so, how far would she take this? <snip>


Carol responds:
The only student besides Harry that we know was made to write lines on
his own hand with that poison pen is Lee Jordan, and we have no
indication that he's a half blood or Muggle-born. (The Gryffindors I
can think of who fit those categories are Seamus, who's "half and
half," Dean Thomas, and, of course, Hermione.) So whatever Umbridge's
motive in choosing her victims, I don't think it's the purity of their
blood. She may have it in for Gryffindors in particular, but I don't
think it's that, either. We certainly don't see her forming any
alliances with Snape, who openly favors Slytherin over Gryffindor, and
as for his forming an alliance with her, I think his animosity toward
her is obvious.

I personally think she's motivated simply by innate cruelty and lust
for power, and any student who thwarts her, or any teacher who appears
vulnerable (Hagrid and Trelawney) is a potential victim. It's the Ring
for poor little Smeagol, I mean, power for poor little Delores--and
for the MoM as long as it supports and promotes her.

Her title, the Hogwarts High Inquisitor, obviously suggests the
Spanish Inquisition. Does anyone know if those educational decrees are
analogous to, say, papal bulls during the Inquisition (which I realize
extended beyond Spain)? Or is JKR caricaturing modern British
educational reform? (In the U.S. we have self-esteem training and No
Child Left Behind, but I won't get into that because it can't be
relevant.)

Carol, who would love to see the Toad Lady toadlady disgraced. (Don't
ask me to decipher the pun. ;-p )