Themes in the HP series ( Was: Secrecy (Was: Re: It's over, Snape is evil))

[ushit_k]

No: HPFGUIDX 137809


Cheryl:
<SNIP>
> Any other thoughts on themes in the HP books?


To add to the themes covered in the books. I think that there are
major political issues, whose resolution are deeply moral. 

1. Use of Power. The wizarding populations with respect to the muggles
are superhero's that can attack/torment with impunity. Defense of
muggles is one of the principles of the anti Voldemort group. The
proper use of magic is taught at Hogwarts, and this is a lesson that
Voldemort was never able to learn. The victory of Voldemort's group
would mean that all the muggle protection laws and their enforcement
would vanish.
2. Inclusiveness. According to the pure bloods, mere magical ability
is not enought for one to be a part of the wizarding community. The
purity of blood is to be sole criterion by which one is to be a
judged. Laws are to be applied according to the purity of blood. Again
this is in contrast to the anti Voldemort group. Hermione is a
welcomed into the Weasley household, and her talent is recognized in
Hogwarts.
3. Use of Dark Magic. I would say that here the principle of restraint
is at work. Dark Magic confers great powers on one. But the cost is
seemingly slight, loss of one's soul. One's mental ability, one's
magical power are not negated. What is lost? The soul, loss of which
seems to have no consequences in life. Still, the use of the dark
magic is abhorred and shunned. (One of the reasons I liked HBP, is
that, JKR, finally tells us, exactly why the dark arts are dark.)
4. Shades of Evil (badness?). Characters like, Lockhart, Rita Skeeter,
Umbridge, while not being DE (as far as we know), never the less are,
quite immoral and self seeking. The good guys fight amongst themselves
and have major differences of opinion. None of this detracts from
degree of commitment to opposing Voldemort.

Victory in the Wizarding Civil War would mean that the structure of
the wizard-world would be decided. Given that the civil war is
primarily ideological in nature, propaganda seems to be given short
shrift.

UK.