Muggles v wizards redux

[sistermagpie]

No: HPFGUIDX 183248

> Magpie:
> <SNIP>
> But it doesn't matter whether their world is literally my world. I
> was transported to this AU I would immediately be a Muggle. There's
> nothing to distinguish me from the Muggles in the books because I'm a
> person that can't do magic and that's the whole definition of what a
> Muggle is. How Wizards feel about Muggles are the way they'd feel
> about me. They'd treat me the same way they treat their Muggles.
> 
> Alla:
> 
> Okay, I guess I can understand the reason if it comes down to being 
> afraid treating the same way for the absence of that trait. You think 
> you will be treated badly simply because you cannot do magic, right?


Magpie:
I know I would be treated badly simply because I cannot do magic. 
That's explicit in the books. At best I'd be thought of condescendingly 
and people would disapprove if someone tormented me too much when they 
didn't think I'd deserved it, but that's about it. Even Muggles who as 
far as we know are perfectly nice people get treated badly, and they're 
spoken of dismissively as a group. Even if it's Muggles you'd think 
they'd respect and like they can't respect them as much as Wizards.

I remembered the word I was looking for btw--it's "Wainscot fantasy." A 
fantasy that takes place in our primary reality but suggests there's a 
secret, hidden society within it.

> Hickengruendler:
>
> But the Prime Minister is ridiculed by Fudge and Scrimgeour. They
are
> not exactly role models. I mean, I do enjoy Fudge in this chapter
and
> think some of his quotes here were pretty funny, but he's still
> Fudge. He was shown to be a rascist basically from his very first
> appereance onwards. So when I see him obviously acting superior to
> the Prime Minister, I don't identify with him, nor do I think his
> behaviour is supposed to be okay. I did sort of like the Prime
> Minister however, and thought he was in an awful situation, due to
no
> fault of his own, and couldn't do anything about it. So if we were
> meant to see him as ridiculous, I don't think JKR suceeded. At
least
> not for me.

a_svirn:
They are not exactly villains either. In fact, Scrimgeour was a hero,
even though Harry and Co were too petty to acknowledge it. And his
actions in the Minister's office – a guest who insolently assumes the
role of a host simply because he can – are mirrored to a nicety by
Dumbledore's actions at the Dursleys.

Magpie:
I don't think Fudge or Scrimgeour are being particularly bullying in 
that scene anyway. A lot of it is them just trying to talk to the guy 
while the Muggle looks overwhelmed and slack-jawed. Even the 
name "Sirius" is too confusing for him to comprehend. Of course, before 
the other two Ministers show up the Muggle Minister is already 
characterized as pretty much like them, having clawed his way into 
office etc. I don't see how he could fail to come across as pathetic 
and ridiculous. Not that we can't feel sympathetic for him, what with 
stuff going on he can't handle, but he does spend most of the scene 
saying, "Whuh?"

-m