How Harry Potter Fans Conceptualize and Talk About Identities - Essay Example

? HOW HARRY POTTER FANS CONCEPTUALISE AND TALK ABOUT IDENTITIES by Presented to Synopsis This paper provides an insight on how Harry Potter fans conceptualize and talk about identities. The paper will expound on Harry Potter’s ideas through his books by J.K Rowling. Apart from the different issues that will be discussed the paper will highlight reactions from different people. Introduction The Insider Higher Ed states that harry potter’s books have been applied to doctorial theses. Potter’s series has also been analyzed as courses by several universities. According to time magazine the aspects of political and social of harry potter (2007), led to the American civil war. About the message in Harry Porter, Rowling states that she wishes to join different world without problems of hierarchy, bigotry and notion of cleanliness. Further states that before ministries are taken over, there are disagreements to regimes that are known and loved. Rowling advocates that authorities should be questioned and not to fully trust the press. (Time magazine, 2007) Main body Rowling encountered big opposition on matters of education against indoctrination. This has clearly been demonstrated on the issue of gay raised by Bill O’Reilly. He was accusing Potter for indoctrinating children to gay, through an outing by his character Albus Dumbledore. In his defense, senior editor Tina Jordan brushed it off as an argument that is shallow. Tina further stated that gay people are well known, and it did not matter whether people knew or not. On continued discussion, O’Reilly pointed a finger at Rowling for teaching acceptance and equivalence of homosexuals and heterosexual. On the contrary, his guest Dennis Miller stated that acceptance was good and a child could not be indoctrinated into being gay. (weekly,2003) Catholic Church also had a problem with the books written by Rowling. An organization of roman church in America, accused Rowling of using occult language and mechanisms to indoctrinate children to gay. In Berkley Beacon’s opinion, he says that one parent’s view of indoctrination could be another’s education. Berkley had the intention of countering charges against Rowling that her books promoted homosexuality. At the pick of the controversy, Rowling stated that he did not base on Christian fundamentalists. Rowling also faced challenges with the issues of: racism, Nazism and ethnic cleansing. On the issue of racism, she was not pessimistic but realistic it could be changed. Further, Rowling argued that a committed racist will not be changed by Harry Potter. After Deathly Hallows was published, Rowling answered the e questions on metaphors in ethnic cleansing books. According to her, ‘ethnic cleansing ‘is a political metaphor. Arguably she did not intend to create a Nazi Germany. In her book tour 2007 Rowling discussed about the disagreements to Nazism. On her website, Rowling stated that some of phrases used by Harry Potter were equally used by the Nazis. Phrases such as ‘muggle-born’, ‘half blood’ and ‘pure blood’ had the same hidden logic of death eaters. Another similarity is that of lightening bolt shaped scar. Harry received the scar as a result of a curse from Voldemort, is also a sign of sir Oswald Mosley British union of fascists; Nazi sympathizers (1930s-1940s). According to Rowling, Mosley had married Diana Mitford who had a sister Jessica, whom he named her daughter after. In 1936 Oswald and Diana got married in Berlin and Adolf Hitler was a guest. Rowling further noted that Unity, Mitford’s sister an arch-fascist was Hitler’s favorite. Narcissa black Harry’s story was developed by Jessica’s story; Diana Mosley married Oswald Mosley (death eater). Her sister unity, was a death eater too. Jessica Mitford married Ted Tonk (muggle-born), even though the family was against it. Since she had eloped with Esmond Romilly her cousin, she was send away by her family. These disagreements were noted by a communist paper in America ‘Peoples’ Weekly World’ During her book tour to United States in October (2007), Rowling states that she wanted to consciously show the greatest evils of war. She says that innocent people are mercilessly slaughtered and children loosing their families. Philip Nel (Kansas University) states that Potter series could be a political tool that criticizes racism and racialism. Rowling’s social activism is evoked through Hermione’s love of oppressed elves, and the society that promotes Elfish welfare formed by her. Comparison has also been made between the house of elf (dobby) and Dobby Walker, a labor lawyer who introduced Jessica Mitford to the party of communists. Wanting to set free the House elves that were enslaved, Hermione started a campaign on political and social issues using slogans on badges. She went on campaigning even after being considered unrealistic by her friends. Furthermore most of house Elves were not for the idea. Surprisingly in deathily hallows the House of elves joined the struggle making crucial contributions. Voldemor was finally defeated and lives of the main supporters saved. Rowling in an interview acknowledged the efforts made by Hermione to save the elves. Books of Harry Porter, have been described by Garson (Washington post), as being destructive due to the answer offered about death. According to Voldemort death has to mastered and defeated. Contrary, Harry accepts to die for love. In response to Garson’s suggestions on book of tolerance, Rowling says that it is a condition to love every one. While interviewing Rowling, Joanna Carey of the guardian unlimited described him as witty and destructive. This is due to the description of her love for Jessica Mitford, and the book on Harry’s hormones. In her books, Rowling admits the fact that children can make decisions, choices and struggle to get freedom. g Harry is described being conservative. But Rowling does not seem to be bothered by this statement. Her troubles are with the thing of world being conservative .having been raised from a background of mixed race, Harry claims to reflect a modern world. In addition, Rowling admits that Hermione saves her feminine conscience. As noted by Oprah magazine, Rowling admired books by Roddy Doyle and Jane Austen since their writing dealt with class distinctions. She stated that children will notice the difference in social class. The portrayal of bureaucracy by Rowling has been seen as a symbol of criticism to the state. As the people’s weekly world newspaper suggest: the politics of wizarding world, educational decrees, war criminal connections, in away represent the current world. That is, it portrays the relationship between Bush administration and that of Fudge. A professor of law Benjamin Barton, at the University of Tennessee broadly discussed Harry’s aspects of liberation. Barton says that Rowling portrays the government in a harsh but effective way. This is because her criticism deals with many levels of the government. According to Barton, Rowling created a public interest and a nightmare to the government. Consequently Dumbledore is described as Machiavellian by Rowling, by the fact that he mistreated Harry. Alfonso Cuaron in a Newsweek magazine described George W. Bush and Saddam as being alike; they are selfish, love power, pay no attention to the environment and manipulate people. Further, Alfonso states that Fudge and Tony Blair are similar. In that they both live in denial for their own sake and power. According t the state magazine, Rowling took jabs at Blair and Bush administrations proposing the pamphlet on magic security. The pamphlet had the so called ‘operation tips’, which were looked down on. Rowling is reported to have attacked Blair’s government on the policy of families with single parent. It is believed that, Rowling wanted the labor party to be endorsed so it could help the single parent families. Even though the labor party lost in general elections (2010), Rowling had donated ?1 million towards it.(the independent 2008) Dolores Umbridge, a Hogwarts appointed headmistress is described as an obedient person. Rowling says that Dolores as in real life never questioned the authority. The founder of Harry Potter alliance Andrew Slack was of the idea that in there, Harry was above the news of: genocide, social classes, mistreatment of women and the education system of being assessed through standardized tests. On matters of anti-terrorism, harry is seen as a solution to this problem according the website of Capital magazine. The times magazine depicts harry as a leader ignored by the government, but the disaster of war made him to be known. In his book ‘the arrest of Stan Shunpike, Rowling admits the fact that innocent people are always persecuted. When children were denied access to Harry books, they protested in different way: as campaigning through letters, forming clubs and petitioning. These led to rise of an internet site known as Muggles for Harry Potter. The site developed into a forum called kidSPEAK, meant to tackle freedom of expression and advocate for Harry Potter. (The times2007) Andrew Slack in 2007 established the Harry Potter alliance to expose the Sudan crisis and social imbalance. He states that harry disagreed wit Darfur on the issue to awaken the world. The alliance wanted to stop genocide and awake the government on the infidelity of Sudan. Rowling applauses the Harry Potter alliance as it preached against the evils that happen in Darfur. In fact, in December 2007, she awarded a fan site to Harry Potter alliance (HPA). When Haiti was hit by an earthquake; HPA was on the fore front raising funds to support them. Viewers donated money as a result of being encouraged by celebrities on live websites. Tentatively the donations were given through auctioning without a guaranteed prize. The items for bid included: harry Potter books; Tom Felton signed guitar, handmade earrings by Evanna Lynch the actress and a thousand word story by John Green and Maureen Johnson. The webcasts were averagely successful, collecting over ?125,000. (Slack 2007) In attempt to bring out the idea of how the US government controls the media, Slack and the Harry Potter alliance compares it to ministry of magic control. The ministry of magic ensured that news, a free press and minority representation were not available. Due to public interest, harry Potter was saved from the grasp of a coca-cola company by the center for science. The accusations against him were that coke was fueling childhood obesity. Rowling is well known as a philanthropist, and her links promotes, Amnesty international, a society of multiple sclerosis, single parent families and lumos. She admits the existence of politics in Harry Potter series. Arguably Rowling feels that every reader will always bring their agenda to books. Evidently, Rowling wanted a democratic type of government .Rowling was sad because Obama and Clinton were both great and could not agree. Consequently in 2009, Obama confessed reading her books and to Sasha and Malia. While advising a Harvard graduating class in 2008, she told that they had the power to change the system of governance. As an employee of Amnesty international, Rowling discovered the power of imagination. She says that it is imagination that allows a person to empathize with others. On the issue of eating disorders, Rowling was against the celebrity role modes that are skinny. When attacked by a political editor Simon Walters on the same, she says that in her books all the fat characters were good while the skinny ones were bad. Recommendations Harry potter in his books recommends that children should not be taken to boarding schools. In addition, Rowling suggests that children be set free to decide on their on. Being an advocate for children’s rights, she says that children should be supported fully to avoid the rise of social classes. Further Rowling recommends that people should love one another even if it could be costly. Through his books, Harry urges people to support the needy and less fortunate in the society. Rowling demonstrates his support to the needy by coming in handy to assist the Haiti people. Leaders are called upon to support their people good example portrayed by Gordon Brown. Moreover, Harry’s message to the US government is to set the media free and allow minority representation. Rowling also agitates for a democratic type of government. On eating disorders of celebrities, Rowling urges people to eat well and void being skinny. Conclusion It is crystal clear that Rowling encountered challenges while propagating ideas in Harry Potter books. It is also evident that Rowling stood for the rights of children and the less fortunate. As much as he was opposed, there are those who stood by him by creating websites to support her. Bibliography McLemee. ( 2007).Potterin around. Scott .Inside Higher Ed. Jonathan. (2005). History according to Harry. New York. Wall street journal pp.W.13 Slack Andrew. (2007). Harry Potter and the Muggle Activists. Chicago. In These Times. Woodcock, Andrew, (2008). Jk Rowling donates ?1 million to Labour. London. The Independent. Barnett, Jennifer, (2003). Harry Potter and the irresistible. . London.New York. People’s Weekly Magazine. Read More