The Fundamental Message.../ Heroes...

[sistermagpie]

No: HPFGUIDX 176421

 montims:
> 
> In fact.  I keep reading that people are disappointed at so few 
changes in
> the epilogue - 19 years after the end of the VW.  The thing I like 
about the
> Potter books is the realism (or maybe pragmatism is a better word 
to use
> about a world that takes centaurs, elves, unicorns and giants in 
its
> stride...)

Magpie:
I have a problem saying that "the story didn't deal with these 
things" means it's dealing with them "realistically." Because that's 
all I read in the epilogue--these things weren't important. The 
ending is actually very fluffy. Everybody married their high school 
sweetheart and their babies are already growing up to have babies 
with each other too. All is well, because the central problem of the 
happiness of Harry and his friends is solved, not any of these 
inequalities in the world. That was just world-building that made it 
look more complex. 

I mean, it's not like JKR gives us this detailed, realistic account 
of how the world becomes the way it does in DH. To me it just read 
like stuff that sounded like things I knew about from WWII that 
signaled that Harry's World Had Gotten Very Dark. 

In DH Hermione tells Griphook that they are the same as far as the 
DEs are concerned. She's a Mudblood, that's why they tortured her. I 
think we're supposed to take that as the truth, as if they are the 
same, even though it's not. Hermione isn't the same as Griphook. 
Hermione's part of the dominant group who is being victimized due to 
in-fighting within that group. After months of this she returns to 
her previous status at the top of the heap. Muggle-born persecution 
matters to the story. Goblin persecution does not. They can "take 
care of themselves" according to Hermione herself and they will 
remain part of the world-building and not part of the theme. Harry's 
sleeping through the Goblin Rebellion lessons is just fine.

I think when somebody like Betsy says she's disappointed in this she 
means just that--she wishes this stuff that is sometimes brought up 
in the text (unity of the houses, with other races etc.) was as 
central as she thought it was. I don't think the Trio & Co. at the 
train station says anything about how unrealistic it would be for 
there to be progress in these areas. It just says, imo, yay, look 
how happy everbody is that they can go to school without Voldemort--
and Ron and Hermione and Harry and Ginny had BABIES!!

-m