Although ‘Pottermania’, as the newspapers have called the huge hype around Joanne K. Rowling’s Harry Potter books, has come to an end, the Harry Potter series can still be seen as the most influential and most popular fantasy novels of our time. Children and adults around the world have read the stories of how the adolescent wizard Harry and his friends Ron and Hermione fight against Lord Voldemort and his followers. Professors of the Anglistik and Amerikanistik, such as Prof. Dr. Kullmann even claim that Harry Potter has the potential to become a classic and can be mentioned in the same breath with Alice in Wonderland or The Hobbit (DieWelt2012). Despite all the praise for the novels, also many critics have reflected about and commented on J.K. Rowling’s novels.
In my bachelor thesis I am going to take a more critical look at the Harry Potter series, focusing mainly on Rowling’s fifth novel titled Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, which builds the basis of my text oriented analysis.
As the title of my bachelor thesis: Aspects of race and parallels with the Third Reich in J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenixalready reveals, I will examine the novel in terms of its hidden parallels towards the beliefs and practices in the Third Reich as well as the aspects of race and racism which become obvious while analyzing the novel.
Table of Contents
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Harry Potter as Fantasy Novel
- 3. Race
- 3.1 Aspect of Race in the Third Reich: Hitler's Beliefs
- 3.2 The Pure-Blood Agenda-Racial Hygiene as a Consequence of Racial Hatred
- 3.3 Race in Harry Potter: Wizards and Muggles
- 3.4 Differentiation between Pure-Blood, Half-Blood and Muggle-Born
- 3.5 Racial Hygiene as Result of Racism in Harry Potter
- 4. Parallels between the Third Reich and the World presented in J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
- 4.1 Infiltration of the School System by the Government
- 4.2 Adaptation of new Laws- Educational Decrees
- 4.2.1 Educational Decree Number Twenty-four
- 4.2.2 Educational Decree Number Twenty-five
- 4.2.3 Educational Decree Number Twenty-seven
- 4.3 Friend or Enemy?
- 4.4 Voldemort's Death Eaters in Comparison to Adolf Hitler's Schutzstaffel as Executive
- 4.5 Underground Movements and Resistance Groups
Objectives and Key Themes
This bachelor thesis critically analyzes J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, exploring its hidden parallels to the Third Reich and its depictions of race and racism. The analysis focuses on the novel's portrayal of political and social structures, examining how they mirror historical events and ideologies. The thesis aims to contribute to a deeper understanding of the novel's underlying themes and their potential impact on young readers.
- The nature of fantasy literature and its capacity to reflect real-world issues.
- Parallels between the fictional world of Harry Potter and the political climate of the Third Reich.
- The representation of race and racism within the Harry Potter universe.
- The portrayal of governmental control and its influence on education and society.
- The depiction of resistance movements and their struggle against oppression.
Chapter Summaries
1. Introduction: This introductory chapter establishes the context of the thesis, highlighting the enduring popularity and influence of the Harry Potter series. It acknowledges both the praise and criticism the novels have received, framing the author's intent to provide a critical analysis of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, specifically focusing on its parallels to the Third Reich and its treatment of racial themes. The chapter briefly outlines the methodology and structure of the thesis, promising a detailed examination of these aspects within the chosen novel.
2. Harry Potter as Fantasy Novel: This chapter explores the significance of analyzing children's literature, arguing that such works are far from trivial, often reflecting adult societal issues in a way accessible to young audiences. It defines the complexities of classifying Harry Potter within the fantasy genre, discussing the challenges of establishing concrete boundaries for the supernatural and highlighting the evolving nature of what constitutes fantasy. The chapter further emphasizes the cross-cultural and interdisciplinary value of analyzing children's literature like Harry Potter, given its implicit connections to broader cultural, social, and political themes.
Keywords
Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling, Order of the Phoenix, Third Reich, Nazism, racism, racial hygiene, pure-blood, half-blood, muggle-born, fantasy literature, children's literature, political parallels, governmental control, education, resistance, underground movements.
Frequently Asked Questions: Analysis of J.K. Rowling's *Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix*
What is the main focus of this academic analysis?
This bachelor thesis provides a critical analysis of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. It explores hidden parallels between the novel and the Third Reich, examining the book's depictions of race and racism, political and social structures, and how they mirror historical events and ideologies. The analysis aims to understand the novel's underlying themes and their potential impact on young readers.
What aspects of the novel are examined in detail?
The analysis focuses on several key aspects: the nature of fantasy literature and its reflection of real-world issues; parallels between the Harry Potter world and the Third Reich; the representation of race and racism in the Harry Potter universe; governmental control and its influence on education and society; and the depiction of resistance movements against oppression. Specific examples include the comparison of Voldemort's Death Eaters to Hitler's SS and the analysis of "Educational Decrees" within the novel.
What is included in the Table of Contents?
The Table of Contents outlines the structure of the analysis. It begins with an introduction, followed by a chapter exploring Harry Potter as a fantasy novel. A significant portion is dedicated to the analysis of race within the novel, comparing the concepts of pure-blood, half-blood, and muggle-born to the racial ideologies of the Third Reich. A substantial chapter draws parallels between the Third Reich and the world presented in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, exploring themes like governmental infiltration of schools, new laws, and resistance movements.
What are the key objectives and themes of the analysis?
The analysis aims to contribute to a deeper understanding of the novel's underlying themes. Key themes include the capacity of fantasy literature to reflect real-world issues; the parallels between fiction and the political climate of the Third Reich; the representation of race and racism; the portrayal of governmental control and its influence on education and society; and the depiction of resistance movements.
What are the chapter summaries?
The chapter summaries provide a brief overview of each chapter's content. The introduction sets the context and methodology. Chapter two explores the genre and significance of analyzing children's literature. Subsequent chapters delve into the detailed comparisons between the novel and the Third Reich, focusing on race and political structures.
What keywords are used to describe the analysis?
Keywords include: Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling, Order of the Phoenix, Third Reich, Nazism, racism, racial hygiene, pure-blood, half-blood, muggle-born, fantasy literature, children's literature, political parallels, governmental control, education, resistance, and underground movements.
- Quote paper
- S. L.-Görg (Author), 2014, Aspects of Race and Parallels with the "Third Reich" in J.K. Rowling's "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/301147
