Is the World of Harry Potter a Place Where Boys Come First?

          J.K. Rowling’s blockbuster Harry Potter series contains mystery, suspense, compelling language and colorful imagery, magical feats, and real life concerns.  These books have managed to get children of all ages reading in a society dominated by computers, television, and videos.  However, there have been several critics that claim these books are sexually biased.  From the beginning of the first Potter book, it is boys and men, wizards and sorcerers, who dominate the scenes and determine the action.  This alone does not make these books sexually biased.

          Christine Schoefer, a freelance writer and concerned parent of three female Harry Potter fans, dissected the books in a brief piece for Salon on January 12, 2000.  She claimed that the books are a “fictional realm of magic and wizardry that perfectly mirrors the conventional assumption that men do and should run the world” (Schoefer).  J.K. Rowling did not attempt to portray the world as dominated by men.  It is true that the Potter books contain more males.  So what?  Girls as well as boys find likable characteristics to enjoy.

          Schoefer claims that Hermione, Harry’s good friend and the female lead, is a goody goody that annoys Harry (Schoefer).  However, Hermione is smart, loyal, and a member of Harry’s inner circle.  She is the problem solver who guides the boys through many situations.  These criticisms against Hermione make her a more complete and interesting character.

          Another female character, Ron’s younger sister Ginny, seems to be portrayed as a silly and “stupid little girl” (Rowling 336).  Ginny becomes the tool of evil when she takes to writing in a magical diary.  For months and months, Ginny confides all her “pitiful worries and woes” (Rowling 309).  For example, she wrote that “she didn’t think famous, good, great Harry Potter would ever like her” (Rowling).  Riddle, the owner of the diary said, “It’s very boring, having to listen to the silly little troubles of an eleven year old” (Rowling 309).  Ginny feels comfortable confiding in this diary and didn’t realize that it would cause such troubles.  She is being a little naïve, but this is probably because she is only eleven years old; not because she is female.  Dumbledore, Harry’s professor, defends Ginny.  “This has been a terrible ordeal for her.  Older and wiser wizards than she have been hoodwinked by Lord Voldemort” (Rowling 330).

          The only female authority figure is Minerva McGonagall, professor of transfiguration and deputy head mistress of Hogwarts.  McGonagall is Dumbledore’s right hand.  Schoefer claims that Minerva lacks Dumbledore’s vision of the bigger picture.  Although Minerva makes a great effort to keep her feelings under control, in a situation of crisis she loses herself in emotion (Schoefer).  When Harry returns from the chamber of secrets, she was “taking great, steadying gasps, clutching her chest” (Rowling 327).  Schoefer claimed that Dumbledore is a stronger person.  Minerva was simply expressing herself openly while Dumbledore sat back and beamed.

          Sure, Rowling could have written a book with a head mistress that was intelligent and passionate.  However, she did not.  Instead she wrote an intriguing and well-loved series about a young kid wizard.  It is true that the Harry Potter series contain more male characters than females.  That does not make them sexually biased.  Gender is not an issue here, only heroism and just plain fun.

 

--Shannon M. Olivas

 

Works Cited

Rowling, J.K. The Chamber of Secrets. Illustrated by Mary Grandpre. New York:    Scholastic, 
          1999.

Schoefer, Christine. “Harry Potter’s Girl Troubles.” Salon. 12 Jan. 2000.
          <http://www.salon.com/books/feature/2000/01/13/potter/index.html?CP=SAL&DN=650.>