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Louis Rammel
Research Writing
Harry Potter and Voldemort are representations of good and evil. Harry being a bastion
of good and Voldemort being a pillar of evil. Furthermore, the houses also find themselves in
steep competition with one another despite being classmates and representing the same school.
This goes especially for Harry in Gryffindor and Malfoy in Slytherin. Another note to be made is
the disparity between the rich and poor of the wizarding world and the differences between them,
despite the school accepting them both. Also, the seemingly big deal being made by some
students about pure blood wizards and non pure blood wizards, or even wizards that can trace
their wizard ancestry back a ways. This is kind of prevalent in the character of Hermione
Granger as she is an exceptional student, but is picked on for having normal parents. So despite
being shown to have a good grasp on magic, she is set apart due to genetic circumstances.
Something else to pay attention to is the rift between regular, non-magic humans and magical,
wizarding humans. To be taken into consideration also, is the take on fame. Harry, at the
beginning, doesn't know that he is a wizard or that he is famous for being involved in the
disappearance of the dark lord Voldemort. He is simply under the impression that he is an
ordinary boy. Furthermore, he is abused and treated with disgust at his home with the Dursleys, a
non-magical family. However, when he attends Hogwarts, the school for wizards and witches, he
The main dichotomy, or at least the one I want to talk about, is the issue that ancestry and
blood has anything to do with wizard status. It's incredibly problematic, as it is in relation to race
in real world society, as it can cost wizards positions or good grades if found under the purview
of someone who views them as inferior. Just as in life, having a stereotypical view of others is
not beneficial to anyone. Even though they are just as capable of magic, some pureblood wizards
look down and terrorize the more mixed ancestry practitioners. While the book does show people
standing up for those under this scrutiny, it also expresses that people with such a negative view
are often in places of power for whatever reason. Not only are they in power, but also very
candid about their views, which one can interpret as an almost societal acceptance of such
prejudices. Whether this is a fear induced acceptance, as those with this view find themselves in
power, or is an actual acceptance as they agree is another part of the problem with genetic
stereotypes.
Research Questions
How is the depiction of those without wizard ancestry being treated differently by those
with wizard ancestry reflected in society with the stereotypes and prejudices of some in our
populace? How has genetic prejudice in history reflected into the story of Harry Potter,
specifically the similarities between the power hungry Voldemort and Hitler and their views on
bloodlines and thoughts on genetic purity? Why do some people insist on genetic disparity as
relevant when people of all backgrounds and ancestry can perform the same actions, such as in
the story of Harry Potter with the abilities to practice magic and spellcraft? How is it that those in
power can be elected despite widespread condemnation of such biases? Furthermore, how is the