Werewolves and RL equivalents

[houyhnhnm102]

No: HPFGUIDX 170378

Lizzyben:

> I hope so, because as a "politically correct" message 
> against prejudice and discrimination, it fails 
> completely. There's a number of places in the novels 
> that have this same weird subtext - the characters 
> first think some group is a victim of unfair 
> discrimination or bigotry, and then realize no, 
> it's actually OK to discriminate against them! They 
> actually ARE evil, dangerous, servile, etc.

> The giants are a good example of this. Hermione says it's 
> no big deal if Hagrid is half-giant, & the bad things 
> people say about giants (and werewolves) are just a 
> result of prejudice & bigotry. Then later on we find 
> out, no, Ron was right - giants are all violent, brutal 
> & stupid. Same thing w/elves - Hermione wants them to 
> have rights & freedom, but later learns no, they actually 
> like slavery, don't want money, and are happiest serving 
> their masters.

> With all of these groups, the liberal message against 
> "bigotry & prejudice" is actually subverted by the text 
> itself. The actual message becomes that these groups 
> actually are inferior & don't deserve equal rights. In 
> the Wizarding World, the bigots are right! That's what I find odd.

houyhnhnm:

I think what she is trying to show is that creating a 
romantic fantasy about an oppressed group is not the 
mature way to work for justice.
**************************
JK: Exactly. Well, she's fun to write because Hermione, 
with the best of intentions, becomes quite self-righteous. 
My heart is entirely with her as she goes through this. 
She develops her political conscience. My heart is 
completely with her. But my brain tells me, which is 
a growing-up thing, that in fact she blunders towards 
the very people she's trying to help. She offends them. 
She's not very sensitive to their

**************************
What Hermione needs to learn is that non-human magical 
beings have rights whether they are "lovable" or not and 
that she's not some kind of Lady Bountiful who can 
patronizingly, condescendingly "give them their rights".

I agree it is somewhat crudely done.  The pidgen English 
that Rowling puts in the mouths of the house elves really 
grates on my nerves (as do the cheesy accents of the "foreigners").