It was a service "send the article to a friend". So it is in fact useless. Here it comes again.
Irish Times Harry Potter and the order of the Empire Richard Adams deconstructs the Tory in J.K. Rowling's vision - a reactionary little England of warm pints, Tom Brown, and paternalism The publication of the latest Harry Potter novel seems sure to confirm the extraordinary popularity of J.K. Rowling's teenage wizard and the mysteries he tackles. The real mystery, though, lies in untangling the themes of specifically British class prejudice and social commentary that run through the books. While readers in S�o Paulo or Kobe can simply enjoy the books' strong characters and plots, readers in these islands can perceive a political bandwagon being pushed. Despite all of the books' gestures to multiculturalism and gender equality, Harry Potter is a conservative. A paternalistic, One-Nation Tory, perhaps, but a Tory nonetheless. What the series portrays is a nostalgic and "small-c" conservative view of Britain. It's no coincidence that Rowling herself is an honorary member of the British Weights and Measures Association - which defends the ounce and pint, and calls the metric system "a political philosophy". Rowling's fellow members include Norris McWhirter, once a friend of apartheid. To the delight of the Daily Telegraph, the Harry Potter series is a priceless advertisement for traditional English public schools. Hogwarts is little more than the Rugby of Tom Brown's Schooldays with spells added. Justin Finch-Fletchley illustrates how closely it fits the archetype when he tells Harry "My name was down for Eton, you know, I can't tell you how glad I am I came here instead. Of course, mother was slightly disappointed." Hogwarts's curriculum doesn't include teaching foreign languages, geography or overseas trips, despite the ease of magical travel. Naturally, there are no wizard comprehensives. However, the Harry Potter fan club extends well beyond Tory supporters, in part because the books have a visible element of diversity. The problem is that it is little more than a veneer. While women make up many of the main characters, they receive little attention. Even Harry's friend, Hermione Granger, is a well-worn stereotype: the middle-class "girly swot" who tries to talk Harry out of taking risks. The only times Harry competes with women as equals - Cho Chang on the quidditch pitch and Fleur Delacour in the triwizard tournament - he defeats them both. A careful racial inclusiveness includes obviously Asian and black characters as students. But cultural identities are heavily connected to social background, and these have been scrubbed out by Rowling. Hogwarts celebrates Christmas and Hallowe'en, but there are no feasts for Rosh Hashanah or Diwali. This is not so much multiculturalism as naive monoculturalism. Rowling does attempt to make pointed racial commentary, in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, with an attempt by Hermione to emancipate the "house elves" who serve wizards. In fact they appear to be slaves - and Rowling rams home the point by having them speak in a witless, sub-Gone With the Wind patois. The characters' names are important in sending clues about race and nationality. Contrast the honest English yeomanry in Harry Potter and his parents Lily and James, compared with Draco Malfoy and his father, Lucius - names that suggest Norman aristocracy. As does that of Lord Voldemort - "vol de mort" is French for stealing corpses. The aristocracy of magic is a central part of the plot. Voldemort and his supporters are willing to exploit their magic power over ordinary humans, known as Muggles, and are obsessed with the purification of their race by removing "mudbloods" - wizards born of Muggles. Rowling's commitment to the traditional family - despite being a single parent herself - means Harry has to endure the cruel and violent treatment of his aunt and uncle, Vernon and Petunia Dursley, who took him in after his real parents were killed. The Dursleys are Rowling's epitome of the modern middle class: crass, mean-spirited and grasping, living in a detached house in the suburb of Little Whinging. The irony for Rowling is that the Dursleys are also her most devoted readers. Little Whinging's residents will be queuing up to buy her new book. -(Guardian Service) (c) The Irish Times ----- Original Message ----- From: "Bill Potts" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Saturday, 2003-10-04 20:40 Subject: [USMA:27099] RE: Harry Potter and the order of the Empire > That's not much good to us, Han, as it's subscriber-only. > > Possibly you could post the article itself. > > Bill Potts, CMS > Roseville, CA > http://metric1.org [SI Navigator] > > > >-----Original Message----- > >From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > >Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >Sent: Saturday, October 04, 2003 07:31 > >To: U.S. Metric Association > >Subject: [USMA:27098] Harry Potter and the order of the Empire > > > > > > > >([EMAIL PROTECTED]). > >Harry Potter and the order of the Empire > > > ><strong>Richard Adams</strong> deconstructs the Tory in J.K. > >Rowling's vision - a reactionary little England of warm pints, Tom > >Brown, and paternalism > > > >http://www.Ireland.com/newspaper/opinion/2003/0623/2186551676OPJKRAWL.html > > > >Remarks > >------- > >An article about J.K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter books > >and honorary member of the BWMA in the Irish times of 2003 June 23. > > > > >
