I know the vibe you're talking about, but I had always interpreted it as instead Rowling trying to portray childhood innocence and wonder versus how adults are stuck in their ways. I'd have to read them again to see what you're talking about.
The later books took that inevitable shift because Rowling tried to cater to an audience growing into their teenage and adult years. So there are more adult themes like romance, politics, violence, etc. And I'd argue those showcase Rowling's inherent ideology better, because they relate more to real world ideology. The earlier books do seem more progressively minded, for instance the Durselys are roundly mocked and are portrayed as stuffy Daily Mail readers. Some of the adult wizards are portrayed as stuffy, uptight and stubborn in the other direction.
There's definitely some kind of vibe that Hogwarts doesn't take the safety of the students seriously enough. And how many adult wizards, despite being supposedly educated and more enlightened than muggles, fall victim to superstition and paranoia like how they can't say Voldemort's name. So Harry often presents himself as audience surrogate who can see through the stuck ways of both the muggles and the wizards, since he exists in both realms. So there's where I could see what you mean, Harry exists initially as an innocent child slowly seeing the problems of both realities he's within, only finding comfort with his friends.
’d have to read them again to see what you’re talking about.
Christ, don't go that far.
So Harry often presents himself as audience surrogate who can see through the stuck ways of both the muggles and the wizards, since he exists in both realms.
He's as much a narrative framing device as a character. Hermione and Ron are far better written as characters, with Harry being more of a neutral observer.
That's also why the conclusions of each book seem so bland. Harry Wins is the foregone conclusion of each volume. The stories are far more about the journey than the destination.
There’s definitely some kind of vibe that Hogwarts doesn’t take the safety of the students seriously enough.
That's not part of any intended deeper message, the Wizarding World was just portrayed as a comically grim place and the wizards as kinda callous assholes early on
Then the series tried to develop some more serious drama and you were supposed to take the world more seriously
Yeah, sometimes there's this slightly edgy Tim Burton/Addams Family/etc permanent PG-13 Halloween mode going on, but then the wizards are also basically just Good Christians
I’d have to read them again to see what you’re talking about.
Or, hear me out - read absolutely anything else.
The Broken Earth trilogy by NK Jemisin is incredible, highly recommend.
The first three Red Rising books are also a complete trilogy story that's got all the heroics of Star Wars or Harry Potter but is actually really good and doesn't portray one loser wanna-be-cop as the savoir of a status quo, it's a story about an actual revolution and the actual overthrow of an evil society. And the audiobook narrator has the sexiest Irish accent.
I know the vibe you're talking about, but I had always interpreted it as instead Rowling trying to portray childhood innocence and wonder versus how adults are stuck in their ways. I'd have to read them again to see what you're talking about.
The later books took that inevitable shift because Rowling tried to cater to an audience growing into their teenage and adult years. So there are more adult themes like romance, politics, violence, etc. And I'd argue those showcase Rowling's inherent ideology better, because they relate more to real world ideology. The earlier books do seem more progressively minded, for instance the Durselys are roundly mocked and are portrayed as stuffy Daily Mail readers. Some of the adult wizards are portrayed as stuffy, uptight and stubborn in the other direction.
There's definitely some kind of vibe that Hogwarts doesn't take the safety of the students seriously enough. And how many adult wizards, despite being supposedly educated and more enlightened than muggles, fall victim to superstition and paranoia like how they can't say Voldemort's name. So Harry often presents himself as audience surrogate who can see through the stuck ways of both the muggles and the wizards, since he exists in both realms. So there's where I could see what you mean, Harry exists initially as an innocent child slowly seeing the problems of both realities he's within, only finding comfort with his friends.
Christ, don't go that far.
He's as much a narrative framing device as a character. Hermione and Ron are far better written as characters, with Harry being more of a neutral observer.
That's also why the conclusions of each book seem so bland. Harry Wins is the foregone conclusion of each volume. The stories are far more about the journey than the destination.
That's not part of any intended deeper message, the Wizarding World was just portrayed as a comically grim place and the wizards as kinda callous assholes early on
Then the series tried to develop some more serious drama and you were supposed to take the world more seriously
I remember in the first or second book when the janitor complains he's not allowed to chain students to the ceiling as punishment anymore.
Yeah, sometimes there's this slightly edgy Tim Burton/Addams Family/etc permanent PG-13 Halloween mode going on, but then the wizards are also basically just Good Christians
Or, hear me out - read absolutely anything else.
The Broken Earth trilogy by NK Jemisin is incredible, highly recommend.
The first three Red Rising books are also a complete trilogy story that's got all the heroics of Star Wars or Harry Potter but is actually really good and doesn't portray one loser wanna-be-cop as the savoir of a status quo, it's a story about an actual revolution and the actual overthrow of an evil society. And the audiobook narrator has the sexiest Irish accent.
Hell yeah always nice to meet a fellow Howler