Webquest Activity
This blog is a part of my classroom activity on Web Quest on Harry Potter series in we have to search three best online sources and give argument and illustration for given point by Dr. Dilip Barad. To know more about Web Quest task click here to read professor's blog.
Q-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.The Harry Potter novels based on how they perform gender. My main focus was if the characters challenge the gender stereotypes or if they build on clichés, norms and stereotypes when it comes to performing gender. Based on my analysis one could argue that the three main characters perform gender in different ways. Harry Potter and Ron Weasley belong to the same sex, being men, but their gender roles and their characteristics differ in many ways. Harry shows more of the traditional masculine characteristics, such as strength, protectiveness, competitiveness and independence, while Ron’s characteristics are not as masculine. Ron shows signs of feminine emotions such as fear and concern, he is very dependent (mostly on Harry) and he is much too aware of his own appearance to fit into the cliché of the traditional man. Thereby, Harry can be seen as a part of the hegemonic masculinity while Ron’s masculinity is at odds with it. Hermione is the only main character of the female sex. She is also the character who most often shows signs of feminine characteristics such as being self-conscious when it comes to her looks, overly emotional and vulnerable. However, Hermione can also be seen as the strongest character of the three. She overcomes most obstacles without the help of anyone else, she is very independent and she takes care of the boys and protects them. The three main characters show signs of both female and male characteristics and one can thereby draw the conclusion that they question a simplistic binary thinking. No-one has either all male features or all female features. It is very refreshing to read about characters who are complex in their gender roles and who also show gender awareness. In the Harry Potter novels boys are allowed to cry and girls can be the protectors. However, girls are also allowed to giggle and boys are also allowed to dream about a career in sports. This is what makes the Harry Potter novels unconventional when it comes to gender stereotypes: the characters are as complex as you and I.
Q-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.“You place too much importance, and you always have done, on the so called purity of blood. You fail to recognise that it matters not what someone is born, but what they grow to be!” - Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (768) From the deeply rooted house-elf slavery to Voldemort's pure-blood utopia and goblin isolation, the racial issues of Rowling's story about young wizard Harry Potter can be found in every corner. The issues of racism and race discrimination in the wizarding world at least try to teach the reader of the Potter saga the consequences of racial hatred. As mentioned before, 18 Rowling mirrors the history of the real world's racial problems in her fantasy world of wizards. By creating the concepts of Mudbloods and halfbloods, enslaved elves, and mistreated magical creatures she reflects issues comparable to the hatred of the Jews in Nazi Germany, and the African-American enslavement in the 17th to 19th century United States. Even if some writers have pointed out Rowling’s failing antiracist arguments concerning the house-elf enslavement, she manages to reach a turning point towards the end. It might also be argued that she shows that it is not always a question about good and evil. The fact that there already is a long existing hierarchy in the wizard world before Voldemort's rise shows that sometimes it is necessary for someone from the outside to view the problem to be able to actually see it. Being born in the Muggle-world and therefore an outside observer, Hermione’s role as fighter for elf-rights makes the reader, and hopefully other wizards aware of the issue. Owning to the obscurity in the end of book seven that the situation changed concerning the issue of elf enslavement, one can only hope that actions were taken later on. Nevertheless, Ron's remark to his daughter in the very end of the last book (“Granddad Weasley would never forgive you if you married a pure-blood” (DH 605)) indicates that the situation at least changes for the better concerning the Muggle-born discrimination.
AnsGeorge and Fred Weasley, the troublemakers of the family, are the extreme transcendentalists. They are always doing what they believe to be the best thing to do at the time. Never following anyone else’s lead, but being leaders themselves. The Weasley twins are always confident in their abilities. This ultimately leads to the opening of their joke shop, Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes. No one else believed in them to amount to anything in life, but they believed in themselves. With confidence and relying on themselves they were able to create happiness in a dark time. I personally believe that the twins sum up the entire Transcendentalism idea.
Ans.As per the Mitchel Foucault's theory "Power and Knowledge. J. K. Rowling similarly conveys the message that question the power because what is written is not always true in the post truth era. These lines by Rowling is also relevant in the present era, we see in many political leaders and media who keep on speaking lies for remaining in the power and also there are many speeches or write fake history. So, we have to cross check everything rather than follow blindly.
This blog is a part of my classroom activity on Web Quest on Harry Potter series in we have to search three best online sources and give argument and illustration for given point by Dr. Dilip Barad. To know more about Web Quest task click here to read professor's blog.
Q-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.The Harry Potter novels based on how they perform gender. My main focus was if the characters challenge the gender stereotypes or if they build on clichés, norms and stereotypes when it comes to performing gender. Based on my analysis one could argue that the three main characters perform gender in different ways. Harry Potter and Ron Weasley belong to the same sex, being men, but their gender roles and their characteristics differ in many ways. Harry shows more of the traditional masculine characteristics, such as strength, protectiveness, competitiveness and independence, while Ron’s characteristics are not as masculine. Ron shows signs of feminine emotions such as fear and concern, he is very dependent (mostly on Harry) and he is much too aware of his own appearance to fit into the cliché of the traditional man. Thereby, Harry can be seen as a part of the hegemonic masculinity while Ron’s masculinity is at odds with it. Hermione is the only main character of the female sex. She is also the character who most often shows signs of feminine characteristics such as being self-conscious when it comes to her looks, overly emotional and vulnerable. However, Hermione can also be seen as the strongest character of the three. She overcomes most obstacles without the help of anyone else, she is very independent and she takes care of the boys and protects them. The three main characters show signs of both female and male characteristics and one can thereby draw the conclusion that they question a simplistic binary thinking. No-one has either all male features or all female features. It is very refreshing to read about characters who are complex in their gender roles and who also show gender awareness. In the Harry Potter novels boys are allowed to cry and girls can be the protectors. However, girls are also allowed to giggle and boys are also allowed to dream about a career in sports. This is what makes the Harry Potter novels unconventional when it comes to gender stereotypes: the characters are as complex as you and I.
Q-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.“You place too much importance, and you always have done, on the so called purity of blood. You fail to recognise that it matters not what someone is born, but what they grow to be!” - Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (768) From the deeply rooted house-elf slavery to Voldemort's pure-blood utopia and goblin isolation, the racial issues of Rowling's story about young wizard Harry Potter can be found in every corner. The issues of racism and race discrimination in the wizarding world at least try to teach the reader of the Potter saga the consequences of racial hatred. As mentioned before, 18 Rowling mirrors the history of the real world's racial problems in her fantasy world of wizards. By creating the concepts of Mudbloods and halfbloods, enslaved elves, and mistreated magical creatures she reflects issues comparable to the hatred of the Jews in Nazi Germany, and the African-American enslavement in the 17th to 19th century United States. Even if some writers have pointed out Rowling’s failing antiracist arguments concerning the house-elf enslavement, she manages to reach a turning point towards the end. It might also be argued that she shows that it is not always a question about good and evil. The fact that there already is a long existing hierarchy in the wizard world before Voldemort's rise shows that sometimes it is necessary for someone from the outside to view the problem to be able to actually see it. Being born in the Muggle-world and therefore an outside observer, Hermione’s role as fighter for elf-rights makes the reader, and hopefully other wizards aware of the issue. Owning to the obscurity in the end of book seven that the situation changed concerning the issue of elf enslavement, one can only hope that actions were taken later on. Nevertheless, Ron's remark to his daughter in the very end of the last book (“Granddad Weasley would never forgive you if you married a pure-blood” (DH 605)) indicates that the situation at least changes for the better concerning the Muggle-born discrimination.
Q-3 Confronting reality by reading fantasy: How does reading Harry Potter make us confront the reality of our everyday existence?
Ans.When someone with a wand wants to collect a thing out of reach, they use the spell
“Accio”! Hopefully, this is what this essay has given its readers, the help to be able to reach
something not reachable before: A spell to aqcuire some new knowledge about the CRT
perspective on the five sequence comparisons from the novel and movie Harry Potter and the
Chamber of Secrets. With a click on the computer this paper has flown into the reader’s hand.
The aim of this essay was to examine how J.K Rowling has characterized and criticized
racism in her second novel by a close analysis of selected chapters and movie sequences,
comparing them and applying CRT. In addition, I have discussed how the contrastive analysis
can be adapted to an upper secondary EFL classroom setting. The literary and visual
comparison analyses show how important it is to analyze films and the corresponding novels
simultaneously to achieve maximum understanding. The purpose of the classroom adaptation
was to argue for why fantasy literature (in this case Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets)
works effectively to make students democratic citizens by enhancing their critical skills with
CRT when reading novels and watching films. Both students and teachers can be enlightened
about literature and film with the help of the sequence comparisons in this paper. When
teaching such a versatile subject as English, the fantastic and magic qualities of Harry Potter
can be endless for a dedicated and CRT aware teacher. On the other hand, a teacher must, in
addition to having knowledge of literary tools and CRT, have insight into their students’
experiences and remember their own struggles during their adolescence to be able to reach the
students and teach literature effectively. If a teacher cannot listen, understand their students
and adapt the teaching to those factors, it does not matter what kind of novel or film they use,
the result will be mediocre.
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets offers endless opportunities to discover new
perspectives; in our academic world this is called future research. An example of this could be
Berggren 28
to focus on the pureblood Malfoy family during the sequence comparisons, to get to know the
other side of the wizarding world better. Sometimes the perspective of the oppressor in the
novel can give the reader understanding of their lives and why they do the things they do.
Furthermore, there are many other things to look at, such as other wizarding schools which
are presented during the series, or other wizarding cultures in the novels. It is rather easy for a
person living in Sweden to relate to an English setting. To learn about other cultures is an aim
in the Syllabus, and the ties to the real world gives the students that perspective, in
moderation.
Lastly, I would like to thank everyone who took the time to read this work through to the
end, that is more than enough magic for me. I want to reach out to people with an interest in
using fantasy literature to make the world a better place, being teacher, student or Harry
Potter fan. The fantasy genre can sound farfetched to many people, but with the right tools, it
can provide inspiration and strategies to help us cope in everyday life. Fantasy literature
provides an escape from the reader’s reality, but as mentioned before, it affects the reader in
different fashions and the reading process can become even more fantastic if readers can see
the relations between their own world and the parallel one. Then they can create their own
interpretation and try to behave to others as they want to be treated, in accordance with the
golden rule. The Harry Potter phenomenon will exist in people’s hearts for a long time to
come. My contribution is another drop into the sea of analyses which will constantly increase
as time passes. As a teacher, there are many ways to apply Harry Potter and the Chamber of
Secrets to the EFL classroom. My personal goal will be to teach it in different varieties to
make the world a more magic place, always.
Q-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?
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?
AnsGeorge and Fred Weasley, the troublemakers of the family, are the extreme transcendentalists. They are always doing what they believe to be the best thing to do at the time. Never following anyone else’s lead, but being leaders themselves. The Weasley twins are always confident in their abilities. This ultimately leads to the opening of their joke shop, Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes. No one else believed in them to amount to anything in life, but they believed in themselves. With confidence and relying on themselves they were able to create happiness in a dark time. I personally believe that the twins sum up the entire Transcendentalism idea.
Until Harry turned 11 years old, he was on his own. These key years in a child’s life was a time for Harry when he had to rely on himself to make himself happy. Even when he arrived at Hogwarts, he still had to rely on himself when fighting against Voldemort the first, second, and third time. The remaining times he fought against Voldemort he had the support of his friends. Harry first fought against Voldemort during his first year at Hogwarts on the third floor. Ron and Hermione had helped him through the numerous obstacles guarding the stone, but in the end Harry had to fight Voldemort on his own. This took extreme courage, self-confidence, and believing in himself. The second time he encountered Voldemort in the Chamber of Secrets it took the same traits as it did for his first fight with Voldemort. Harry and Voldemort’s third meet was the ultimate test of relying on himself. For the first time he had no help at all. With his fellow schoolmate murdered and surrounded by Death Eaters, Harry was truly alone. Yet again, Harry has self-confidence unparalleled to any other 14 year old. Harry’s confidence and self-reliance is a true demonstration of Transcendentalism.
The Forbidden Forest on Hogwarts’ grounds shows the importance of nature in the Harry Potter series. The centaurs believe the skies to predict the future. In the first book, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer of Stone, Hagrid tells Hermione and Harry that the centaurs are “not interest in anythin’ closer’n the moon.” This enforces the point of how important nature is to the centaur herd. During Harry’s first encounter with the centaurs by himself, he witnesses a conversation between Firenze and Bane right after Firenze saved him. As they are talking about the slain unicorn, Firenze asks Bane, ” or have the planets not let you in on that secret?” One can tell just how seriously the centaurs take the signs of nature and how near and dear to their hearts it is. Harry’s next encounter with Firenze comes when he starts teaching Divination at Hogwarts during Harry’s fifth year. He tells the students of the importance of nature and the connection of nature (in this case the constellations) to the future. Firenze also teaches the witches and wizards at Hogwarts of how nature affects the world around us. By including the centaurs J.K. Rowling is able to incorporate the importance of nature into the Harry Potter series.
The Harry Potter series is a brilliant demonstration of Transcendentalism that millions around the world have witnessed.
Q-5 The discourse of Power and Politics in Harry Potter: How does Ministry of Magic control the resistance? How do they prosecute the ‘Other’?
Ans. the arbitrariness of human rule-making. If rules and procedures are
made by humans, they are subject to the same irrationalities and prejudices to which humans
themselves are prone, and they solve nothing. We cannot place our faith in rules, institutions or
procedures, because all of these things are made and applied by human beings with human
failings. Any rule or institution, no matter how well conceived, is subject to our own weaknesses
and love of power and domination. No civilized regime can survive the apathy of its citizens.
Part of Rowling's message is exactly this. Our institutions of law, government and justice
survive only so long as we say they do. We exist in society of laws, rather than of powerful men,
only because we choose to do so from day to day. The instant that we lose our determination to
do this, all façade of due process, equality, fairness and justice vanish. Laws are mere words, like
the words of a spell. Unless there is someone who puts his or her magic behind the spell, it has
no effect.
But in a greater sense, in Rowling's world the formal rules of law and government are almost
irrelevant. She would have us consider the purity and wholeness of the human soul. Again and
again she tells us that killing is destructive to the killer -- more ultimately destructive, indeed,
than to the victim. Voldemort's repeated murders to ensure his own immortality render him
fragmented and spiritually maimed. Harry intervenes to save Pettigrew from the other
Marauders, not for Pettigrew's sake, but to protect Lupin and Sirius from the spiritual violence
they would experience through committing such an act. The acts that ultimately matter
throughout the series are acts of self-sacrifice. Harry repeatedly disregards rules and laws in the
interests of what he believes to be right -- indeed, his teachers comment on this. But Harry, not
Hermione, is the hero of the story.
Q-6 Children’s Literature and Harry Potter: How far does J K Rowling transcends the canonical confines of children’s literature and claims the heights of ‘real’ literature?
Ans.The magic of Hogwarts is really for everyone. Some people realized this long ago, but Harry Potter cannot continue to be synonymous with children’s literature for others to take notice. JK Rowling has created something that is much more than children’s literature. She has created a story for all people, and I think that is it is time to acknowledge that. Children are not going to stop reading Harry Potter now. If that is the case, is it not about time for more adults to start? A book that can be enjoyed by all ages should be marketed for all ages. If you can never be too old for Harry Potter, I do not understand how his story can be confined to the children’s section.
Q-7 Speculative literature and Harry Potter: What is speculative literature? How far Harry Potter qualifies for the same? Does J K Rowling transcends the confines of speculative literature and claim the heights of ‘real’ literature?
Ans.Harry Potter, the Harry Potter series. J.K. Rowling grew up in the Church of England and attended the Church of Scotland while writing her famous fantasy novels, and the title character shows it. In the seventh book of the series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Harry dies willingly at the hands of Lord Voldemort in order to render Voldemort vulnerable to destruction. Harry returns from death in order the defeat Voldemort and save wizards and Muggles alike.
Q-8 The theme of Choice and Chance: How does Harry Potter discusses the antithetical concepts of ‘choice’ and ‘chance’?
Ans.
Voldemort, in his ruthless, futile quest for immortality, openly rejects
his own humanity. This prevents him from ever really understanding what
life is about and what makes it so precious. It blocks him from appreciating
the power of love and its fundamental role in human life. It is this failure to
recognize and accept his humanity that makes his irredeemable evil possible,
and ultimately, is what leads to his defeat.
And it is Harry’s acceptance of his mortality that allows him to
embrace his humanity and to love. It is this recognition that gives Harry the
power to defeat Voldemort. More than that, it makes it possible for Harry to
develop into a realized, virtuous adult. In his acceptance of his mortality, “the
boy who lived” is able more fully and wholly to live.
Q-9 The theme of Love and Death: How does Harry Potter make use of age old theme of Love of the dead as well as living as protecting armour? How does Harry Potter deal with the concept of Death as something inevitable?
Ans.how the theme of death is represented in the Potter books, as said before many links are made between scripture and the series of books. However in comparison to a literary criticism it is not as useful, no theories or theorists are explored in relation to Harry Potter and Christianity/the theme of death. Although outside of literary criticism this article could help the Christian readership deal with the idea that death is inevitable and that the main focusses in life, and the main focusses in the Harry Potter series, are those of love, life and friendship.
Q-10 Moral and Philosophical reading of Harry Potter: How does the concept of ‘evil breeds evil’ unfold in Harry Potter? What is the significance of Harry being one of the Horcruxes?
Think critically and develop an argument on any three of the following topics.
Ans.the moral universe of Rowling‟s series stands out as
uncontroversial and socially acceptable. Harry fights Slytherin and Hermione fights slavery.
Indifferent Ron becomes a house-elf liberator, clumsy Neville becomes a hero and eccentric
Luna a treasured friend. Most importantly the devil, villain and antagonist Voldemort is killed
and the epic battle between good and evil is settled. In Rowling‟s universe the moral
backbone of a few heroes compensates for the corruptions of an imperfect world.
Q-11 Christianity and Harry Potter Series: How many times Harry and his friends visit Church? how often in the moments of crisis when they are helpless, clueless, they pray to God for Grace or Mercy? How many times God's Grace saves them from the Devil Lord Voldemort? Does J.K. Rowling use Christianity at any level in the entire Harry Potter series?
Ans.Christians stand on one side or the other when it comes to the Harry Potter books, and there are biblical experts on both sides of the Harry Potter argument. If you are considering reading the "Harry Potter" books, then you may want to sit down with your parents first. Talk to them about what they believe. Wheaton College professor Alan Jacobs describes the "Harry Potter" books as having "the possibility for serious moral reflection," and that reflection should come from a discussion with the others in your life.
There are cases when "Harry Potter" should be avoided. While most Christian teens considering reading the "Harry Potter" books never turn to occult practices, some Christian teens may have a background that makes reading the books tempting, because there are some Christian teens that have been drawn in toward occult practices at some point and time in their lives. If you feel you will be tempted back into the occult from reading the books, then you may want to avoid them.
The argument over whether or not Christian teens should be reading "Harry Potter" will continue. Anyone who is not sure about the books can read more from experts that have written books on both the pros and cons of the books. Discussion, prayer, and strong consideration should be given to any subject that remains as controversial as Harry Potter.
Q-12 What is your opinion on this:
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