Heathcliff is called "gypsy", "dark boy" and it is suggested that he could be a lost Indian prince, all of which fits together quite nicely. He is not white!
I agree that JKR is very influenced by these novels and probably does a lot of this mirroring unconsciously. The Goblins are very obvious and I really don't think they are a conscious decision, because uh ...what would be the point?
In detail, though:
Yes, Voldemort is evil; yes, they are good and right to fight him - but part of what they are fighting to preserve is the status quo. And a little social climber like Severus Snape, who aspires far beyond his station, must be put down. It is not insignificant, I think, that James Potter and Sirius Black are both members of the social elite - independently wealthy purebloods, and, in Black's case, from a very old family. And they, of course, are the "good guys".
That would work better if the books would be about James, Sirius and Snape. As it is Snape is the only major character out of these (James is super minor) and no other of the good guys is anywhere near as elite as James and Sirius(rich and pure-blood and everything) The only equally elite characters I can think of are the Malfoys and Bellatrix, who are also interested in the status quo in their way.
You must have noticed that Draco thinks people like Ron and Hermione are beneath him and don't know their place. This attitude is maligned on purpose. So looking at the main characters you get the opposite of the message you are suggesting with only two ambiguous side characters to ambiguously back you up.
The only way Hermione is advantaged by birth in this world is maybe that she is a born Gryffindor. So yes, with the house system I can see an argument, but there is obviously no message of rich and noble people being better and having more right to rule the world than the poor and common people - This is not a trap JKR fell for IMO.
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Date: 2008-06-30 10:36 pm (UTC)I agree that JKR is very influenced by these novels and probably does a lot of this mirroring unconsciously. The Goblins are very obvious and I really don't think they are a conscious decision, because uh ...what would be the point?
In detail, though:
Yes, Voldemort is evil; yes, they are good and right to fight him - but part of what they are fighting to preserve is the status quo. And a little social climber like Severus Snape, who aspires far beyond his station, must be put down. It is not insignificant, I think, that James Potter and Sirius Black are both members of the social elite - independently wealthy purebloods, and, in Black's case, from a very old family. And they, of course, are the "good guys".
That would work better if the books would be about James, Sirius and Snape. As it is Snape is the only major character out of these (James is super minor) and no other of the good guys is anywhere near as elite as James and Sirius(rich and pure-blood and everything) The only equally elite characters I can think of are the Malfoys and Bellatrix, who are also interested in the status quo in their way.
You must have noticed that Draco thinks people like Ron and Hermione are beneath him and don't know their place. This attitude is maligned on purpose. So looking at the main characters you get the opposite of the message you are suggesting with only two ambiguous side characters to ambiguously back you up.
The only way Hermione is advantaged by birth in this world is maybe that she is a born Gryffindor. So yes, with the house system I can see an argument, but there is obviously no message of rich and noble people being better and having more right to rule the world than the poor and common people - This is not a trap JKR fell for IMO.