I was in travail with a new story, is why it took me so long to comment. Found it very illuminating--only main problem I saw with your analogies, you seem to be relying primarily on Severus in your ambition section, and most of the DE's seem to be purebloods. But I had a great idea on that, which crashed when I tried to post it here.
The comment about HP reflecting the Zeitgeist of our age: callousness, meanness of spirit, believing that who ends on top is entitled ... sounds like compassionate conservatism to me.
Regarding women's role and the heritability of status: in every mixed marriage I see, the woman takes on her husband's status unconditionally:
Merope, Eileen, and Seamus's mom all apparently lived in the Muggle world (Seamus is a football not Quidditch fan) Andromeda Tonks is NOT living like a Black scion (and note Uncle whosis got blasted off the tapestry for leaving his money to Sirius, not to both black sheep) Lily & Kendra both apparently lived at their husbands' status levels.
I never could read Dickens; now I see partly why....
Yay mores!
The comment about HP reflecting the Zeitgeist of our age: callousness, meanness of spirit, believing that who ends on top is entitled ... sounds like compassionate conservatism to me.
Regarding women's role and the heritability of status: in every mixed marriage I see, the woman takes on her husband's status unconditionally:
Merope, Eileen, and Seamus's mom all apparently lived in the Muggle world (Seamus is a football not Quidditch fan)
Andromeda Tonks is NOT living like a Black scion (and note Uncle whosis got blasted off the tapestry for leaving his money to Sirius, not to both black sheep)
Lily & Kendra both apparently lived at their husbands' status levels.
I never could read Dickens; now I see partly why....