Symbols for Social Change in “Harry Potter”
Many fans of the “Harry Potter” series, and other works in the fantasy genre, have criticised J.K. Rowling’s use of magical creatures and the tension between magical races to act as a metaphor for real world racism and other inequalities. While critics justify their position by arguing that metaphor makes the messages easy to miss or intentionally ignore, I have to disagree. I think the initial ambiguity of the deeper meaning behind the tension between pure-bloods, werewolves, goblins, and trolls is actually a very powerful tool for educating readers about larger systems of discrimination, particularly for young readers.
