“Magic Is Might” Reading the Harry Potter Heptalogy Through a Dystopian Lens
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“Magic Is Might” Reading the Harry Potter Heptalogy through a Dystopian Lens provided by Trepo - Institutional Repository of Tampere University View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk CORE brought to you by Kaisa Pyysalo University of Tampere Faculty of Communication Sciences Master’s Programme in English Language and Literature Pro Gradu Thesis April 2017 Tampereen yliopisto Englannin kielen ja kirjallisuuden maisteriopinnot Viestintätieteiden tiedekunta PYYSALO, KAISA: “Magic Is Might.” Reading the Harry Potter Heptalogy through a Dystopian Lens Pro gradu -tutkielma, 119 sivua + lähdeluettelo 4 sivua Huhtikuu 2017 Tarkastelen pro gradu -tutkielmassani J. K. Rowlingin maailmanlaatuista suosiota saavuttanutta Harry Potter -kirjasarjaa (1997–2007) dystopian näkökulmasta. Romaaneja analysoimalla tutkin, esiintyykö usein synkkänä ja toivottomana koetun dystopiakirjallisuuden ominaispiirteitä myös teoksissa, jotka tavallisesti luokitellaan viattomaksi lastenkirjallisuudeksi. Tutkielman tarkoituksena on selvittää, mitä hyötyä nuorille ja vanhemmillekin lukijoille on dystopiaan tutustumisesta ja mitä he voivat tästä kirjallisuudenlajista oppia. Vaikka monia kirjallisia teoksia kuvataan dystooppisiksi, ei tälle fiktion tyylisuunnalle löydy aiemmasta tutkimuksesta selkeää määritelmää, joka pätisi kaikkiin dystopioiksi kutsuttuihin teoksiin. Tutkielmassani luon dystopiakirjallisuudelle oman määritelmäni, joka perustuu sekä alan aiempaan tutkimukseen että omaan tulkintaani kolmesta romaanista, jotka usein luetaan kuuluviksi dystopian klassikoihin: Aldous Huxleyn Uljas uusi maailma (Brave New World, 1932), George Orwellin Vuonna 1984 (Nineteen Eighty-Four, 1949) ja Margaret Atwoodin Orjattaresi (The Handmaid’s Tale, 1985). Kiinnitän tutkimuksessani huomiota myös siihen, millä tavoin dystooppisten teemojen käyttö lapsille ja nuorille aikuisille suunnatuissa kirjoissa tapaa poiketa dystopian klassikoista, mitä havainnollistan esimerkeillä eräästä viime vuosien suosituimmasta nuortenkirjasarjasta, Suzanne Collinsin Nälkäpeli-trilogiasta (The Hunger Games, 2008–2010). Tässä määritelmässä eritellyt dystopian ominaispiirteet luovan pohjan Harry Potter -sarjan seitsemän osan analyysiin, jossa vertaan sarjassa esiintyviä sosiaalisia ja poliittisia rakenteita ja käytäntöjä dystopian klassikoissa esiintyviin teemoihin. Tutkimukseni osoittaa, että sosiaalinen hierarkia, vallan väärinkäyttö, ihmisoikeuksien rajoittaminen ja kansalaisten tietynasteinen ehdollistaminen ovat yhtä olennainen osa velhomaailmaa kuin dystopian klassikoiden yhteiskuntia. Kaikille lukijoille tämä ei kuitenkaan välttämättä ole ilmeistä, sillä dystooppisia teemoja lähestytään ensisijaisesti lapsilukijoille suunnatuissa Harry Potter -kirjoissa tyypillisesti huomattavasti pehmeämmin kuin dystopian klassikoissa. Tutkimukseni valossa on ilmeistä, että dystopiakirjallisuudella on selkeä tarkoitus: kiinnittää lukijoiden huomio yhteiskunnan epäkohtiin ja rohkaista heitä muuttamaan omaa todellisuuttaan oikeudenmukaisempaan suuntaan. Voisi jopa sanoa, että Harry Potter -kirjasarja saavuttaa tämän tavoitteen paremmin kuin vanhemmille lukijoille suunnatut dystopiateokset, sillä huomattavasti laajemman lukijakuntansa ansiosta dystooppiset teemat tavoittavat lapset tavallista varhemmassa iässä. Avainsanat: Harry Potter, dystopia, lastenkirjallisuus, nuortenkirjallisuus Table of Contents List of abbreviations used for primary sources 1 Introduction 1 2 Dystopian Literature 5 2.1 Function 8 2.2 Social Hierarchy and the Use of Power 9 2.3 Gated and Alternative Communities 19 3 Dystopian Features in Harry Potter 28 3.1 Tyranny of the Ordinary 28 3.2 Might of the Ministry 32 3.2.1 Gated Communities and Control 32 3.2.2 Social Hierarchy 39 3.2.3 Use of Power 50 3.3 Hogwarts 58 3.3.1 Gated and Alternative Communities 59 3.3.2 Social Hierarchy and the Use of Power 66 3.3.3 Dumbledore 79 3.4 Voldemort’s Reign of Terror 87 3.5 Harry as a Dystopian Protagonist 103 4 Conclusion 117 5 Bibliography 120 List of abbreviations used for primary sources: THT Margaret Atwood (1985): The Handmaid’s Tale HG Suzanne Collins (2008): The Hunger Games HGCF Suzanne Collins (2009): The Hunger Games: Catching Fire HGM Suzanne Collins (2008): The Hunger Games: Mockingjay BNW Aldous Huxley (1932): Brave New World NEF George Orwell (1949): Nineteen Eighty-Four PS J. K. Rowling (1997): Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone CoS J. K. Rowling (1998): Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets PoA J. K. Rowling (1999): Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban GoF J. K. Rowling (2000): Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire OoP J. K. Rowling (2003): Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix HBP J. K. Rowling (2005): Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince DH J. K. Rowling (2007): Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows FB J. K. Rowling (2001): Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them For full publication details, see Bibliography. 1 Introduction J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series, whose seven volumes were published between 1997 and 2007, has been a phenomenal success and universally loved among readers of all ages ever since the first novel was released. To date, its global sales have surpassed 400 million copies, making it an iconic and ubiquitous part of today’s cultural world (Heilman 2009, 1). While many people – particularly those who have not actually read the novels – view the Harry Potter series as simple children’s stories unworthy of adults’ and especially literary critics’ attention (Thomas 2009, 24), Colin Manlove (2009, 8) argues that a closer look at the novels reveals that they are more complex and offer much more food for thought than generally expected. It may be that for its youngest readers, the heptalogy only offers exciting adventures and immature jokes about gnomes in Christmas trees (HBP 309), but for others – often older readers – there is subtler humour and plenty of serious if, in places, equally subtle social commentary to appreciate. Over the course of the seven novels, various darker aspects of the wizarding world are brought to light in a manner that forces every reader, regardless of age, to pay attention to them. Some of them are only discussed in passing – such as Hermione’s intense but quickly forgotten campaign for house-elf rights – but others in considerable detail, most notably Lord Voldemort’s brutal pursuit for world dominance. In recent years, it seems that a lot of literature aimed at younger readers, particularly at the young adult (YA) market, has taken a fancy to the darker side of life. Some of the most popular YA novels published over the last fifteen years have included the Divergent series by Veronica Roth (published 2011–2013) and The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins (2008–2010), which are marketed under the title of YA dystopia. These works integrate all or some of the elements featured in traditional dystopian literature, except they replace the adult protagonist with a young one and often make certain adjustments to the typical dystopian storyline to make it more suitable for their young readers. The recent popularity of incorporating darker, dystopian themes, including caste systems, restrictions on an individual’s free will and the misuse of power, into works of literature 1 aimed primarily at younger readers raises questions about why this is done and whether other works popular among this readership could be interpreted as representing this trend. (For the purposes of this thesis, literary works are denominated as children’s literature or YA literature simply based on the section of a book store or library in which the books in question are likely to be found, although the terms generally also reveal the approximate age of the protagonist.) The aim of this thesis is to read the Harry Potter heptalogy from a dystopian point of view, with the hope of discovering the extent to which this supposedly innocent children’s story utilises features and themes from the traditionally bleak dystopian tradition of writing. Along the way, it attempts to discover the benefits of introducing readers to difficult topics at a young age, and to point out what they can learn from fictional dystopian societies. Even a superficial reading of the Harry Potter series reveals that the wizarding world contains a number of aspects which undermine its classification as a utopian place, and it is to be suspected that plenty more injustice can be unearthed in a detailed analysis of the novels. The main hypotheses of this thesis are that dystopia is present in everything – in real life as well as in any literary work – and that dystopian literature serves a very important purpose: making readers aware of the political and social injustices of the world and, in doing so, encouraging them to change their own reality for the better. In order to answer these questions, it will first be necessary to establish a definition for what is meant by dystopia in general, and to identify its typical features in literature. The word dystopia has been used to describe literary works for several decades, but it is often unclear what exactly this concept entails. Many people seem fairly familiar with what could crudely be called its opposite, utopia, yet there is much more to dystopian literature than the depiction of a world in which nothing is good or desirable. Chapter 2 of this thesis will provide an overview of dystopian literature and its function, followed by a discussion of the features and themes which are typically highlighted in these works. In addition, the most significant differences