From: Elliott BatTzedek <ebattzedek>
Date: Thu, 9 Aug 2007 17:20:06 -0400

I really admire the ways HP takes on questions of prejudice throughout the series. I think it is utterly important that it outsiders to the norms of the wizard world, Harry and Hermione, who are the first to question and challenge so much of the casual bigotry. And, of course, their kindness to the house elves helps save their lives and All That is Good.
  But this is exactly why I was so disappointed in the who married who happily-ever-after epilogue. Having set up these social conflicts, I wanted J.K. to show how the defeat of V. could be a chance to fix some of the social ills. Although everyone wants her/his own ending, I know, I really wanted to see Herminone be Minister of Magic, or some such post, to show that the prejudice against "mudbloods" had been confronted, and to know that the situation for house-elves and other magical creatures was now better. V. being dead was not enough -- I wanted a new social order, too, or at least some sense of what happened that would change the systems that allowed V's hatred and rise to power to go unchallenged until it was too late.
  Children's literature, especially fantasy and social sci-fi, has always been a wonderful place to play out lessons about bigotry, fear, and hate. HP does that in some important ways, which is why I so wanted the ending to be so much stronger. Yes, I'm glad Harry is happy with his family, but Rowling gave us too much at stake for a few weddings to make it all better.
  Elliott batTzedek Curriculum and Collections Developer Children's Literacy Initiative

        -----Original Message-----
        From: ccbc-net-bounces at ccbc.education.wisc.edu on behalf of Ryan, Pat
        Sent: Thu 8/9/2007 3:36 PM
        To: ccbc-net at ccbc.education.wisc.edu
        Cc:
        Subject: Re: [CCBC-Net] Harry Potter and Race
        
        

        Coincidentally, did anyone else see an article in the paper today - I
        know lots of papers all over use the same sources - about real-life
        prejudice against red heads in Britain? Sounds silly but apparently it's
        quite serious: people being verbally and physically abused, and one
        family having to actually move several times because of graffiti on
        their homes.
        
        Patricia Ryan
        Children's Librarian
        Union City Library
        (510) 745-1464 ext. 19
        
        
        
        
        Quite by chance, I happened to read HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS
        simultaneously with Marc Aronson's forthcoming book, RACE: A HISTORY OF
        BLACK AND WHITE, and I was struck once again by the recurring theme of
        prejudice in the Harry Potter books, prejudice against against Mudbloods
        and those who support them, prejudice against various Hogwarts houses,
        and prejudices against various magical creatures--werevolves, giants,
        goblins, and house elves. Aronson alludes to several fantasy books to
        make various points, namely The Dark is Rising Sequence and Lord of the
        Rings. He probably could have devoted a whole chapter to Harry Potter.
        
        Jonathan
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Received on Thu 09 Aug 2007 04:20:06 PM CDT