The secrecy motif

[montavilla47]

No: HPFGUIDX 179980


 Montavilla47:
> > I've heard people compare the Wizarding World to Apartheid, only 
> instead of living in gated communities, the Wizards live in even 
> better than gated areas.  Their homes are so gated that they can't 
> be seen.  Once behind their wards, they don't have to even think 
> about the Muggles as anything but a possible source of groceries.  
> They don't even need to let Muggles in to clean their toilets, 
> because they have a slave race to do this.
> > 
> > Harry, as a half-blood raised in the Muggle world would be a grand 
> > position to bring about positive change in the Wizarding world.  
> But, of course, Harry has been conditioned to hate the Muggle world
> > because of his horrible family.  
> 
Katie:
> I have such a hard time with this, because I truly do not 
> believe that this is the message that JKR meant to send. I remember 
> Hagrid saying that if Muggles knew about Wizards, then Muggles would 
> always want a magical solution to their problems, and Wizards would 
> forever just be doing magical chores for Muggles. I think Hagrid 
> really believed that, and I think JKR did, too. I think she realized 
> that the whole Statute of Secrecy thing needed an explanation, and 
> that's what she came up with. I think she just needed a reason to 
> not have a bunch of Muggles cluttering up the main story. So, 
> basically, a plot device. 

Montavilla47:
I agree, Katie.  I don't think JKR intended to promote prejudice, she's
said many times that she was trying to do the opposite.  But there's
this weird split-focus that goes on where we're shown that prejudice
against Muggleborns is wrong and leads to evil overlords like 
Voldemort taking over the world.

But on the other hand, we're supposed to smile at Hagrid insulting
the Muggles, or the twins playing a dangerous prank on Dudley, 
or Dumbledore bopping the Dursleys on the head with the mead
glasses.