Goblins, British school children and sterotypes ( was, Re: Muggle Parents and

[dumbledore11214]

No: HPFGUIDX 184073

Pippin:
But why? You've already said that this one cowardly and
treacherous act on Harry's part doesn't make him a coward or a
traitor, but at the same time, you think JKR wants us to believe that
one cowardly and treacherous act on the part of a goblin makes not
only him but his whole race cowardly and treacherous. If they are,
shouldn't we say the same of wizards?

Alla:

Because Harry is the main character and IMO JKR has the luxury and 
desire to develop him fully – all his good and bad acts together. I 
do not believe that she desired to do the same with Goblins.



Pippin:
Doesn't it make more sense that she wants to show us how easily people
can be manipulated to embrace such a belief, even if they've been
taught that in real life such beliefs are wrong and dangerous? Why is
it so appealing to think that all goblins are bad? Because it
justifies the way wizards have been treating them? But wouldn't that
justify the way the goblins treat wizards too?


Alla:

But who says that it is appealing that Goblins are all bad? I am not 
even saying that they are **bad** per se. I fully acknowledge their 
right to hold the views that they do, I just dislike those views. I 
would never think of Goblins as my enemies, I would just stay away 
from them, since I think they would not hesitate to lie to me and 
sell me staff, which they are really not selling to me IMO.
And me disliking Goblins now is as I mentioned before it is one of 
the few minor disappointments I had with the book. I thought they 
were cool since book 1 – smart (bankers cannot be stupid), strong 
(resisting Wizards in those rebellions) and mysterious. I was dying 
to know more about them.

And hey, you can be absolutely right. It is just as I said before, 
for me to agree with you I need more evidence. 

Pippin:
Isn't it interesting that Harry wouldn't dare think of asking Bill to
betray his employers, but he thinks a goblin would do it? That he is
worried about Griphook stealing the sword, but not any of the others,
even though he doesn't know Ollivander, Fleur or even Bill all that
well? Harry isn't consciously treating Griphook differently than the
others, but he's absorbed his culture's expectations of goblin
treachery and unconsciously acts accordingly.

Alla:

Oh absolutely that I agree with.