The Novel Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - Term Paper Example

Order #675094 TOPIC: The Novel Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire analyzed trough Karl Marx’s Conflict Theory. The plot for Joanne Katheline Rowling’s fourth Harry Potter novel Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Schoolastic Inc, 7/2000) revolves around the dangers of the Triwizard Tournament. Despite the age limit line, someone has put Harry’s name in the Goblet of Fire as a contestant, and Harry must endure all manner of ridicule and social outcasting as he tries to prove his innocence to his friends and teachers. Once the first challenge is revealed, Harry’s friends reaffirm their loyalty believing that nobody in their right mind would volunteer for such a dangerous undertaking. Surviving the tasks of the Triwizard Tournament are not the only dangers presented to Harry Potter. There is the manipulations of The Dark Lord Voldemort, the mob-like uprising and accusations at the International Quidditch Cup game. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, writer Jeff Jensen (5/25/09) questions Rowling on the underlying theme of bigotry, not only in The Goblet of Fire, but as a constant throughout the series. When asked why she wanted to explore this theme, Rowling stated that she detests bigotry, and wanted to “explore the idea that difference is equal and good” and that “oppressed groups are not, generally speaking, people who stand firmly together . . . This world of wizards and witches, they’re already ostracized, and then within themselves, they’ve formed a loathsome pecking order.” That pecking order is clearly defined when it comes to the “true blood” wizards. The Weasley’s, whose son Ronald becomes Harry’s best friend and metaphorically adoptive family, are at the low end of the wizarding pecking order. While all members are “pure,” they are not among the influential elite. The Malfoys and the Blacks, who happen to be aligned with the Hitleresque Lord Voldemort, influence The Ministry through intimidation, alliances with undesirable factions (Dementors, Goblins, Werewolves, evil wizards), and wealth. It is this disparity of wealth and social class that defines the underlying theme presented in Karl Marx’s Social Conflict theory. According to Sociology Guide, Marx defines a social class as “those who share a similar class situation also share similar life chances.” He divides social classes into two distinct sections: the ruling class which controls the money, power, and flow of materials, and the working class who produces the goods and services to be obtained.” The same article goes on to quote: “The ruling class derives its power from its ownership and control of the forces of production. The ruling class exploits and oppresses the subject class. As a result, there is a basic conflict of interest between the two classes.” Marx’s social conflict theory is at work almost from the beginning of the book, as Harry has gold galleons to spend on souvenirs at the Quidditch World Cup, while Ron has struggled for months to save a few Knuts. Later, Mrs. Weasley sets off to purchase school supplies: new robes and books for Harry with gold she withdrew from an inheritance in the Potter family vault, and Ron is given used books and clothes because the Weasley’s not only have a large family to support, but they are also one step above poverty in the economic structure. The true application for Marx’s social conflict theory begins with the children’s (Hermione Granger, Ronald Weasley, and Harry Potter) meeting with Winky, the house elf belonging to a respected Ministry of Magic official Mr. Bartemius Crouch. The oppression of the house elves comes to Hermione’s attention first because the tiny creature is forced to sit alone at the top of the stands even though she is afraid of heights, and again as the elf – who is forbidden by magical law to use or possess a wand – is accused of stealing Harry’s wand and invoking the dreaded dark mark. Although Winky is immediately cleared of the charges, Mr. Bartemius Crouch presents her with clothes – the worst disgrace a house elf can endure – and dismisses her from his “employ” with the statement: “I have no use for a servant who forgets what is due her master, and to her master’s reputation” (139). Hermione’s resolve to seek justice for the house elves’ enslavement is sparked even further with Ron and Harry’s casual remark that house elves like their situation. Much later, when they return to Hogwarts and are enjoying the first evening feast, when she discovers that Hogwarts has over 100 house elves that keep to the kitchens by day, and perform all the housekeeping tasks of keeping the fires stoked, common rooms cleaned, robes laundered by night. “Slave labor,” she says (182) and refuses to eat despite the taunts from Ron. The next day, however, she joins the boys at breakfast and states “there are better ways of making a stand about elf rights” (194). In typical Hermione fashion, she spends her free time in the library, researching. It later turns out, elf enslavement and developing the Society for the Promotion of Elf Welfare: S P E W. Initially, her revolutionary tactics is passive, the intent to raise awareness by distributing flyers, selling badges, and recruitment of new members. But during the victory celebration after Harry completes first Triwizard task, Hermione realizes it is not just the wizards’ (the bourgeoisie) attitudes that need to change, but that of the house elves themselves (the proletariat). Her actions directly relate to a Grinnell.edu lecture on conflict theory that reports: “Marx expected that the resulting economic cycles of expansion and contraction, together with tensions that will build as the working class gains greater understanding of its exploited position (and thus attains class consciousness), will eventually culminate in a socialist revolution.” Marx believed that for any true social change to occur, the proletariat must rise up against their oppressors. Although Marx was essentially an optimist, he realized too that social change was not easily attained, especially if the oppressed class is not proactive in their own liberation. Ms. Rowing displays this effectively through Hermione’s confrontation with the house elves in the kitchen (377-383), and the opposite effects freedom has on Winky, who was dismissed in disgrace, and Dobby, whose master was tricked into freeing him. Two years earlier, Harry Potter met Dobby, a house elf belonging to the Malfoy family. Dobby had taken it upon himself to save Harry’s life – and, thus, putting it in more danger – by trying to prevent him from returning to Hogwarts. This self-initiative was in defiance of Dobby’s master Lucius Malfoy, who wanted Harry to return to Hogwarts where a death trap lay waiting for him. To reward Dobby for his misguided assistance in saving his life, Harry tricks Malfo into present Dobby with a sock, and subsequently granting Dobby’s wish to be a free house elf. Dobby’s freedom is not the end of his plight, however; as he spends the next two years wandering Great Britain, unable to obtain employment because “it is very difficult for a house elf who has been dismissed to get a new position” and “Dobby wants paying now.” While Hermione is pleased and supportive of Dobby’s assertion that he is happy with his freedom, the other house elves look away and choose to ignore,as much as possible given Dobby’s collection of brightly colored clothing he has purchased with his wages, Dobby’s obvious disgrace. In contrast, Winky is not handling her “freedom” well at all. She is clothed in a hat, blouse and skirt (as opposed to the tea-towel that is typical apparel for an elf), but has made no effort to keep herself clean, fed, or active. She has sunk to the equivalent of alcoholism (substituting butter-beer) in her despair and shame, and would happily return to Mr. Crouch’s “enslavement”. Ultimately, it is the attitude of the other house elves that most discourages Hermione in her year long crusade to liberate the house elves. Although they are sympathetic with Winky’s circumstances, they collectively agree with her that Mr. Crouch was in the right to dismiss her for her disobedience. Their disapproval of both Winky and Dobby is passively evident; they care for Winky by providing her with food, warmth, and the butterbeer that eventually lulls her into sleep and stops her crying and self pity. With Dobby, they accept him as a co-worker because he is a hard worker, loyal to Professor Dumbledore and the school of Hogwarts, and does not force his view of freedom onto the others. Except, of course, by wearing all his clothes he clearly displays his continued freedom. Like Karl Marx in regards to the proletarian workers in his social conflict theory, Hermione is optimistic that Dobby’s presence will infect the apathetic house elves, and they too will petition Dumbledore for the same freedom and wages that Dobby enjoys. By the end of the novel Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, nothing has changed for the proletarian house elves who refuse the notion of revolution and the bourgeois wizards continue to take the services and productivity of the house elves for granted as a part of societal norms. As both J.K. Rowling and Karl Marx pointed out, the responsibility of social revolution must be enacted by the oppressed group themselves. Works Cited Jeff Jensen (Entertainment Weekly writer) interview with J.K. Rowling posted on Harry Potter web page. < http://www.harrypotterspage.com/the-magic-makers/j-k-rowling/jk-rowling-ew-interview/>. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (first published Tues Aug 26, 2003; substantive revision Mon June 14, 2010). Web. < http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/marx/>. Sociology Guide. Web. < http://www.sociologyguide.com/social-stratification/Conflict-Theories.php) >. Conflict Theory. Web. < http://www.grinnell.edu/courses/soc/s00/soc111-01/IntroTheories/Conflict.html >. Read More