More grumbling about how the fans treat JKR...

[sweettalkeress.livejournal.com]

I recognize that this is several months after the fact, but as a Jew, I can't help but be a bit miffed by the fact that people felt the need to ask Rowling if there were Jewish students at Hogwarts. Surely that's something they could have inferred themselves, if they so chose? Yet, they were so thrilled to learn that Anthony Goldstein was Jewish straight from the author's mouth. Leaving aside for a moment the fact that Anthony Goldstein never says or does anything, ever, in the entire course of the series (and is a Ravenclaw, note, not a Gryffindor), to me that's a bit like a Jewish metalhead going up to the guys in Iron Maiden and asking permission, as a Jew, to be a fan. It is true that the members of Iron Maiden had said they'd welcome Jewish fans--which near as I can tell was without a prompt, and in any case didn't focus specifically on Jewish fans but was more a blanket "We're so accepting and welcoming that we take all types of fans!" thing. Either way I have never, ever, ever heard of anyone asking the members of Iron Maiden if they accept fans of their racial or cultural background, because that's simply not how it works--either you like Maiden's music and consider yourself a fan or you don't. Likewise, if you think there ought to be Jewish students at Hogwarts you're well within your rights to imagine there being, and the author's own ideas on the subject don't and shouldn't have to play into this at all.

And here's the thing: the UK is a fairly diverse, multicultural place already. Probably it has representatives of the majority of races, cultures, and creeds that have ever existed living there (granted, this is not to say that it's without discrimination or prejudice--but that's slightly off-topic). So...shouldn't it be reasonably expected, that if a group is represented by a cross-section of the UK's population (Hogwarts is the leading British wizard school, Iron Maiden are a British band and initially gained traction in the UK before going international...), that group will contain at least a few Jews by definition? Because there are plenty of Jews that live in the UK. I even met some of them when I studied abroad there.

I just think it's ridiculous that these fans can't come to their own conclusions about this, but instead have to ask the author about it. Can they not make their own decisions about anything related to the series at all?

Comments

[spongebending.livejournal.com]

You know, speaking of unfortunate implications and the like, maybe I'm just being oversensitive, but the way the Asian characters in the series were treated always rubbed me the wrong way. They were all attractive girls (there's nothing wrong with that on it's own, of course), that seemed to be used to play second-stringer to the Real (white) Love Interests and prop up how much better they were.
It's an old trope actually, where the white protagonist samples an exotic, Eastern beauty as long as he ends with the good, pure white girl at the end of story.

I'm South Asian on my dad's side, and it just always bothered me... Maybe I'm just over-thinking it; but I remember feeling really sad when I realized Cho was just being used by the narrative to show how much better Ginny was.

[sweettalkeress.livejournal.com]

Sadly Rowling does have kind of an unfortunate habit of trying to pass off outdated stereotypes as empowering. "I want my school to look racially-tolerant so I'll create an Asian character! And I'll make her good-looking and good at Quidditch to show I'm totally not stereotyping Asians as weak or inferior! Oh, but now she exists just to unsuccessfully date Harry. Oops!"

See also: Dumbledore is Gay.

[jana-ch.livejournal.com]

"It's an old trope actually, where the white protagonist samples an exotic, Eastern beauty as long as he ends with the good, pure white girl at the end of story."

Harry James Potter, otherwise known as Benjamin Franklin Pinkerton. Well, at least Cho didn't kill herself.

[oneandthetruth.livejournal.com]

Well, she and Harry weren't married, and she hadn't had his child, then been abandoned, then had him come back with another wife. Under those circumstances, she might have. Which would have proven what a coward she was because she wasn't willing to live for her child's sake.

I'm rereading Arsenoe de Blassenville's "Best Revenge" series. One of my favorite scenes is when Scummywhore gets raked over the coals by Charity for his misogynistic remarks about Merope. It's even more effective because she's usually so mild-mannered--and she's backed up by the other witches! Yay!

Charity dissing Scumbles

[terri-testing.livejournal.com]

I'd forgotten that--which chapter was it?

Re: Charity dissing Scumbles

[oneandthetruth.livejournal.com]

Oh dear, you would ask that. It took some combing through the books to find it, since I finished it a week ago, and I've read about 3 other books since then. Anyway, it's in Time of the Basilisk, chapter 22. She also talks about how Tom should have been allowed to stay at Hogwarts during WWII.

Re: Charity dissing Scumbles

[terri-testing.livejournal.com]

Thanks! (goes back & re-reads)--I do like AB's Charity....

Re: Charity dissing Scumbles

[nx74defiant.livejournal.com]

I liked it too.

Charity ask how was Merope to know using a love potion was wrong? Merope was never taught that.

But even if Merope had gone to Hogwarts she wouldn't have been taught it was wrong.