In this thesis I want to show that the social injustices present in the magical world of Harry Potter mirror our own society’s problems. Furthermore, it will be shown that these injustices are not only part of the wizarding world, but that Rowling uses her books to suggest how to overcome these problems. This hypothesis will be discussed with the help of two examples of oppression: the oppression of women and the subjugation of magical creatures.
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
2 Social Justice
3 Gender in Harry Potter
3.1 Definition of Gender (Sex vs. Gender)
3.2 Feminist Criticism of the Harry Potter Novels
3.3 Hermione Granger
3.3.1 “Books! And Cleverness! There are more important things.”
3.3.2 Hermione’s love for rules
3.3.3 Hermione’s fearfulness
3.3.4 Hermione as a sexual object
3.3.5. Hermione’s sense for social justice
3.4 Mrs. Weasley
3.4.1 The concept of Family
3.4.2 “Not my daughter, you bitch!” Mrs Weasley’s change from a housewife to a political person
4 Society for the Promotion for Elfish Welfare
4.1 Definition and historical outline
4.2 Slavery in Harry Potter and its parallels to “our” world
4.2 The Enslavement of the House-Elves Exemplified through Dobby, Winky and Kreacher
4.3 The Wizarding World’s Attitude towards House-Elves
5 Conclusion
Research Objectives and Themes
This thesis examines the presence of social injustices within the Harry Potter series, specifically focusing on gender inequality and the subjugation of magical creatures, and explores how these fictional problems mirror real-world societal issues.
- Analysis of gender stereotypes and feminist interpretations of female characters like Hermione Granger and Molly Weasley.
- Investigation into the portrayal of slavery through the house-elves and its parallels to historical and modern-day slave systems.
- Evaluation of J.K. Rowling’s narrative approach to social justice and whether the books perpetuate or deconstruct societal norms.
- Assessment of the importance of children's literature as a medium for discussing complex social issues and fostering critical thinking.
Excerpt from the Book
3.3.1 “Books! And Cleverness! There are more important things.”
The first time Hermione appears in the Harry Potter series is in Harry Potter and The Philosopher’s Stone. She bursts into Harry and Ron’s compartment on the Hogwarts Express while Ron tries to show Harry a spell which he received from his elder brothers. In this scene she is described as having “a bossy sort of voice, lots of bushy brown hair and rather large front teeth.” She tells the boys that she has learned all of their school books off by heart and even some additional ones. In this first appearance one can already see the most noticeable feature about Hermione Granger, her bookishness. In all seven books Hermione’s most favourite place is the Hogwarts library. Whenever Hermione needs something or is uncertain she goes to the library to find out more about it. One of the most famous descriptions about Hermione’s bookishness is: “When in doubt, go to the library.”
Although research is a quality one should encourage, especially in young people, Hermione’s character received a lot of criticism for her bookishness. In this first scene which is Hermione’s introduction Ron and Harry are annoyed by her eagerness to learn everything she can before school has even started. What annoys the boys most of all is, however, Hermione’s way of letting them know, that she already knows everything. In other words Hermione is not introduced as a likeable character. Children who read these books know from their own experience at school that pupils who show off with their knowledge are annoying and outsiders.
Summary of Chapters
1 Introduction: Introduces the massive success of the Harry Potter series and sets the research goal to analyze how social injustices in the books mirror real-world problems.
2 Social Justice: Defines the term "social justice" using academic perspectives and discusses its relevance to inequality in contemporary society.
3 Gender in Harry Potter: Provides a theoretical foundation for gender studies and critiques the representation of women within the series.
3.1 Definition of Gender (Sex vs. Gender): Explains the distinction between biological sex and socially constructed gender, referencing key feminist theorists.
3.2 Feminist Criticism of the Harry Potter Novels: Offers an overview of the debate surrounding whether the novels promote sexist tropes or reformist ideals.
3.3 Hermione Granger: Analyzes the character arc of Hermione Granger, addressing criticisms regarding her bookishness and role in the series.
3.3.1 “Books! And Cleverness! There are more important things.”: Explores the initial perception of Hermione's intelligence and how it evolves throughout the narrative.
3.3.2 Hermione’s love for rules: Examines Hermione's adherence to regulations and the nuanced reasons behind her rule-breaking behaviors.
3.3.3 Hermione’s fearfulness: Discusses the controversial depiction of Hermione as "fearful" and whether this contradicts her progressive characterization.
3.3.4 Hermione as a sexual object: Debunks the notion that Hermione is sexualized, noting the lack of objectifying descriptions in the text.
3.3.5. Hermione’s sense for social justice: Investigates Hermione's activism and her role in fighting for the rights of marginalized magical creatures.
3.4 Mrs. Weasley: Evaluates Molly Weasley’s character, contrasting her role as a traditional housewife with her fierce warrior persona.
3.4.1 The concept of Family: Discusses the representation of traditional family structures in the series and their implications for gender roles.
3.4.2 “Not my daughter, you bitch!” Mrs Weasley’s change from a housewife to a political person: Highlights the transition of Molly Weasley from a maternal figure to a formidable combatant during the climax of the series.
4 Society for the Promotion for Elfish Welfare: Introduces the topic of slavery and exploitation through the lens of magical creatures.
4.1 Definition and historical outline: Outlines the historical context of slavery and its enduring presence in the modern world.
4.2 Slavery in Harry Potter and its parallels to “our” world: Connects the fictional treatment of house-elves to real-world histories of oppression.
4.2 The Enslavement of the House-Elves Exemplified through Dobby, Winky and Kreacher: Provides a deep dive into the psychological and physical enslavement of specific elf characters.
4.3 The Wizarding World’s Attitude towards House-Elves: Critiques the systemic reliance on slave labor in the magical world and Hermione’s attempt to enact political change.
5 Conclusion: Summarizes the thesis findings, reinforcing that the series acts as a mirror to real-world social injustices while promoting values of empathy and friendship.
Keywords
Social Justice, Gender Studies, Harry Potter, Feminism, House-elves, Slavery, J.K. Rowling, Hermione Granger, Molly Weasley, Stereotypes, Oppression, Literary Analysis, Patriarchal Structures, Social Injustice, Magical Creatures
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this thesis?
The thesis explores the presence of social injustices within the Harry Potter novels, specifically analyzing gender stereotypes and the system of slavery, to show how they mirror problems in the real world.
What are the central themes discussed in the work?
The central themes include gender roles, feminist critique of literary characters, the ethics of slavery and exploitation, and the influence of children's literature on its readers.
What is the primary research question?
The work aims to answer whether J.K. Rowling uses her books to challenge or merely reproduce existing societal prejudices regarding gender and slavery.
Which scientific methodology is applied?
The author uses a qualitative literary analysis, drawing upon feminist theory, historical context of slavery, and secondary scholarly materials to deconstruct the narrative.
What is covered in the main body of the thesis?
The main body investigates the character development of Hermione Granger and Molly Weasley regarding gender issues, and analyzes the treatment of house-elves as a metaphor for historical and modern-day slavery.
What key concepts characterize this academic work?
Key concepts include "hegemonic masculinity," "feminist depiction," "psychological enslavement," "Bildungsroman," and "social justice" as defined by various sociological scholars.
How does the author interpret Hermione's fearfulness?
The author acknowledges that while Hermione is frequently described with fearful reactions, this behavior is often seen as a stereotypical narrative device that sometimes contrasts with her demonstrated high level of magical competence and logic.
In what way does Molly Weasley represent a change in the narrative?
Molly Weasley evolves from the traditional archetype of a stay-at-home housewife to a powerful, protective warrior, demonstrating that maternal love and domestic choice are not synonymous with weakness.
- Citar trabajo
- Lucia Vitzthum (Autor), 2017, Harry Potter and the stereotypes of gender. Social justice in the Harry Potter novels, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/452226
