Thinking Activity: Harry Potter: Worksheets

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1)      Feminist reading of Harmione’s character in Harry Potter: How do the character portrayal of Harmione and other female characters support feminist discourse?

 

Ans : Harmione as courageous and strong character , an integral part of ' The trio ' . Hermione's greatest strength is a vast intellect combined with her magical ability. She portrayed as an emotional character , Harry not means it is boycentric narration here. Sometimes Hermione self- conscious about physical appearance , that can be seen as feminist reading. That women cares for it much not men. She also feel jealous when Ron dating anyone.

Sometimes common patriarchal gender roles have been reversed and Hermione is given the power to take control of the situation, while harry just follows her. McGonagall holds powerful position in Hogwarts against professor . Tom Riddle uses Ginny for power , Rowling criticising the immorality of society where men feel free to victimize women. nowadays fight against patriarchy in real world for own identities and empowerment.

 

 

 2)  Discourse on the purity of Blood and Harry Potter: How do the novels play with the thesis of pure blood (Master Race) giving an anti-thesis by belonging protagonists to half-blood / Mud-blood? What sort of synthesis is sought in this discourse in Harry Potter series?

 

Ans: Pure blood for Wizards and Witches who have no muggle blood or muggle born. They are supremacists , weasly , potter and lang bottoms are old pure blood families.

Half- blood for those Wizards and Witches who have magical and muggle ancestors in their family trees.Half- blood inferior to pure blood.The malfoy family , Voldemort and Severus Snape belongs it. Harry himself is a Half- blood , his father married to muggle born Lily.

Muggle born is the term applied to those whose parents were muggles. Malfoy used the term mudblood to insult Hermione.

 (3) Confronting reality by reading fantasy: How does reading Harry Potter make us confront the reality of our everyday existence?

 

 

Ans: Fantasy stories are commonly used to represent a particular reality that is present and visible in the society.

Harry 's frustration, desires and loneliness are based on emotions and feelings that is very typical for real people to experience.

Social moral issues such as greed , power, fame and superiority became one of the dark theme also present in current society. Discriminatioin Gryffindor , Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw  and Slytherin ,in school house produces that also in our society and culture.

 

4)      Self-Help culture and Harry Potter: How does it stand by an argument that Self-Help Culture serves as a tool of social control: it sooths political unrest . . . one blames oneself for not getting better off is society and remains in one's own pursuit of self-invention, blaming oneself for the failure rather than the systems?

 

Ans : From this series , we are able to recognize ourself in that character and understand the struggle , thus might have better understanding our own.

From Harry 's character sense of deciding own Fate. Some relationship, friends and siblings very important in life.

Feelings of hopeless , lost friends, life and love , felt triumph and loss , this reading make us wiser and disillusioned with the world. Characters gave us our own experience and inspire hope when we are struggling with our own experience.

5. The discourse of Power and Politics in Harry Potter

 

Ans : Harry Potter very deeply making statement on the power and politics. Foucault's power and knowledge. knowledge is always an exercise of power and power always a function of knowledge and knowledge is created by those who are in power position. In Harry Potter the ministry of Magic which has power and rules over the Hogwarts school. Prof. Dolores Umbridge declares theoretical education rather than practical. Voldemort and his death eaters has ultimate power and practices on the mudbloods and Muggles. Role of ministry of magic, considered as the power, ministers like Dolores Umbridge who seeks the power make their own rules. Author very well observed the discourse of power and apply in the novel.

 

(6) Children’s Literature and Harry Potter

 

Ans: Harry potter was written as children literature because it deals with fantasy world, mystery story, school story, adventure novel, humorous story, and epic. after four books it doesn’t remain as a children’s literature. Along with children’s literature It contain some aspect of adolescent literature as well. It took children to the reality that if you know magic then also you can’t bring the death ones back. After fifth and sixth part it doesn't remain as much of it. Harry deals with power and politics, the dark lord. The different perspective of this novel like racism, ministry, politics, which is more than children's literature.

 

 

 7. Speculative literature and Harry Potter

 

Ans: Speculative writing is defined as looking at a photo or reading a short scenario and then writing a fictional story about what could happen next. This novel has aspects of speculative fiction. Speculative means do not exists in real world, often in the context of supernatural, futuristic or other imaginative themes. It includes science fiction, fantasy, superhero, horror and supernatural fiction. 'Harry Potter’ also considered as speculative fiction, it has supernatural powers, magical world, horror, mystery. The novel refers imaginative kind of animals, places, which we never listen. Like, Basilisk, nicknamed the King of Snakes by wizards, fluffy- three  headed dog.

 

 

 8. The theme of Choice and Chance

 

Ans: Choice determines the outcomes not chance. In the life we all have choices and chance, it is upon us what we have to choose. Choices are most important than abilities. Voldemort and Harry both have almost same abilities but it’s choice that makes them different. Harry has a good intentions, he was chosen one, but Harry chooses to make it own self. Sorting hat putting Harry in the Gryffindor house, as Dumbledore says him that if you want then hat put you in Gryffindor house. And he also says that it is not our abilities that make us, it is our abilities who define us. Voldemort both have same abilities but choices makes them different. Person's choices and actions defines the morality. Hermione chooses to destroy the horcruxes. Peter Pettigrew chooses the wrong path. Neville chooses in Deathly Hallows to fight on at Hogwarts even after the Death Eaters take over. In a way it is upon us what we are chooses.

 

9. The theme of Love and Death

 

Ans : Love is one the central theme of the novel. Harry stands for love, friendship, bravery. Love and death are major concern in the novel. Because of the for each of everyone is ready to sacrifice for Harry and for the sake of good things. In the first part Lily sacrifice for her son. That's why Harry was able to defeated the Quirrell. Harry is loved by his friends while Voldemort is far away from the concept of love and he never knew that, what love is. Harry says to Ron and Hermione that Voldemort has not what we have that is love and friendship. Harry's selfless love for friends and family. Death also played an important role. Many of the characters are died till the end. In fourth part Cedric dies, Sirius Black, the godfather of Harry, also dies. Harry's parents, Dumbledore, one of the twin brother dies. In the end Voldemort also dies. So, love and death are major theme in the novel.

 

10. Moral and Philosophical reading of Harry Potter

 

Ans: Harry and Voldemort, different moral values. Harry's moral values becomes the weapon to defeat the Voldemort. In his acceptance of his mortality, “the boy who lived” is able more fully and wholly to live. Voldemort in the quest to be immortal he loses his moral values. In the end of many books Dumbuldore give Harry some kind of moral lessons like about love, choices, friendship.  Throughout the Harry Potter series there are two distinct types of characters, morally good and bad. On the good side there is characters such as, Harry, Hermione, Ron, Dumbledore. While on the bad side Draco, Umbridge, Voldemort. Those who are in the favour of good moral values they gain the love of readers.

 

11. Christianity and Harry Potter Series

 

Ans: In the novel, directly not shown Christianity, no church, no prayer. But Harry's self sacrifice, love for humanity can be compared to Jesus. In the series we can not find any kind of religious discussion, no church at all, no prayer. In life threatening situations also Jesus is not remembered While fighting with Voldemort God's grace not shown to save Harry. But if we look the events we can find Christian imagery. In beginning we can assume, as Jesus saved, Harry also saved. Last part connected with resurrection. Directly it doesn't shown the optics of Christianity.

12. What is your opinion on this:-

 

Ans : Harry Potter, the novel conveys the message which is don't like by reader and many who watched the movie. Because protagonist, the half blood wins over the pure blood, which can be not digest. And what can be assume about media and press it can not  be truth also.