Unpopular Geek Media Opinions

[Ruin Explorer]

What's the retcon? Harry makes his choice in the first book and Dumbledore validates it.

No, the hat chooses for him. I've read text just now. He's crapping his pants about it selecting Slytherin, but it doesn't ask him to make a choice, it makes a choice for him, possibly (unclear) because he's crapping his pants re: Slytherin, which makes sense.

But the idea he just chose is an absolute retcon not textually supported by the books.

He goes on for book after book after book saying that the hat chose for him. And no-one says "Well I chose to be in this house". They all say "The hat put me here".

Dumbledore's comments are:

A) Many years after this criticism started (in the UK - maybe you're not aware of this).

B) Don't go against the idea that the hat chooses.

complicated by an aristocracy that's blasé about enslavement of a sapient species

...

That's not a valid reading, especially if you're aware of Rowling's notes to translators.

Rowling agrees that it's right to enslave elves. She makes this point at painful length. She makes Hermione call SPEW a dumb name to make Hermione look like an idiot and undermine sympathy for her. We know this, because her notes to translators, she explicitly told them to make sure Hermione's organisation had a dumb and preferably kinda-disgusting name.

So there's no "blase" here. She may since have tried to retcon this (if so I'm unaware of it), but no, she's fine with that.

The whole thing is also extremely funny in the context of her "I know better than trans people" attitudes, because my god, she's her Hermione here.

It's fashionable to bash Rowling right and left these days - her attacks on trans women are absolutely bashable. But I think people make her a punching bag for things she doesn't deserve as a result as well. THAT's the retcon.

"Bounces off me and sticks to you" is seriously your argument? Not sure about that one matey-o. That's literally not what "retcon" means either.

Also "on trans women"? She's attacked all trans people from the get-go, the very idea of being trans (particularly trans men, actually, that people are allowed to transition ftm seems to upset her even more of mtf, even though she says nastier things about the latter as people), and has now set up a legal fund with hundreds of millions of pounds specifically to fight against any pro-trans legal cases in the UK, very much including all those around trans men/trans masc people. I also don't appreciate your suggestion that she's some kind of victim re: "bashing" (come on). She's a billionaire who spends millions attacking people, aggressively launches litigation against any public person or paper who criticises her (litigation that would be illegal in much of the US and the world due to SLAPP-type laws), and who is solidly supported by the leadership teams of all three major political parties in the UK (despite the public not agreeing). How is she a victim? That's just DARVO.

EDIT - I will say if Rowling had named the legal fund something like SPEW she would have proven that she was literally The Joker and had pulled off the greatest (and most appalling) "bit" in human history. Sadly she did not. JKRWF in case you were wondering.

 

[The Firebird]

Yet I believe textually (maybe I forget, it's been years and I didn't read all the books), all Slytherin kids are evil/side with evil? No exceptions? Only like, a couple of ex-Slytherin adults are not evil?

Might I suggest finishing the series? This is not true.

Rowling agrees that it's right to enslave elves. She makes this point at painful length. She makes Hermione call SPEW a dumb name to make Hermione look like an idiot and undermine sympathy for her. We know this, because her notes to translators, she explicitly told them to make sure Hermione's organisation had a dumb and preferably kinda-disgusting name.

Likewise, "elf slavery is good" does not survive contact with Dobby. The point Hermione is learning with SPEW is rather "when you advocate for others, communicate with them and do so in a way that advances their goals". She's idealistic and brave but has space to grow as a listener.

 

[Fifinjir]

On the house elf thing, there’s two parts to it. House elves do tend to enjoy housekeeping, but they’re magically bound to stay at one house even if that means having to work for people who hurt them. The seemingly obvious solution is to undo the binding so the elves can keep house for whoever they want and get out if those people mistreat them, but that possibility, as far as I remember, never comes up. It’s treated as a dichotomy of “keep things exactly the same” versus “throw them out on the streets”, excluding a lot of other possibilities.

 

[trappedslider]

do other children/YA books/ series get this level of examination or is it just harry potter?

 

[Reynard]

The inherent nature's of supernatural beings is interesting, as is a discussion about how unethical actors might utilize it. But Rowling just isn't a good enough writer (or person) to pull it off.

I am old so HP was something of mild interest rather than being foundational. I appreciated that Rowling seemed to grow as an author as the series went on, but there was never anything in the books that constituted complexity in any real way. That she has turned out to be a monster is a shame, but I understand that HP is very important to a particular cohort.

All I can say in that regard is the answer likes with Jack Sparrow.

 

[BookTenTiger]

do other children/YA books/ series get this level of examination or is it just harry potter?

Everything as popular as Harry Potter gets taken apart and examined. Star Wars, MCU, Hunger Games...

And of course there's the whole field of critical analysis of Shakespeare, Greek Mythology, and all other media that makes a cultural impact.

It's just that in my (unpopular) opinion, Harry Potter gets both criticism and accolades, and only deserves the former.

 

[BookTenTiger]

It would have been much more interesting if Harry had wound up in Slytherin and had to figure out how to survive boarding school and a fascist takeover while being vilified by the rest of Hogwarts. Convincing the children of wizard supremacists to resist facism, stand up for muggles, and unite the houses. Now that's a hero's journey!

 

[trappedslider]

Everything as popular as Harry Potter gets taken apart and examined. Star Wars, MCU, Hunger Games...

And of course there's the whole field of critical analysis of Shakespeare, Greek Mythology, and all other media that makes a cultural impact.

The folk who pull it part part have the same energy as those who do the same with the bible when it comes to supporting their religious views.

If Charlie and the chocolate factory had been released today, we'd be talking about how unsafe and unhealthy everything is, among other aspects.

 

[Reynard]

The folk who pull it part part have the same energy as those who do the same with the bible when it comes to supporting their religious views.

If Charlie and the chocolate factory had been released today, we'd be talking about how unsafe and unhealthy everything is, among other aspects.

Popularity drives mainstream analysis and critique. And mainstream analysis and critique is usually pretty lacking (as compared to academic analysis and critique).

 

[BookTenTiger]

The folk who pull it part part have the same energy as those who do the same with the bible when it comes to supporting their religious views.

If Charlie and the chocolate factory had been released today, we'd be talking about how unsafe and unhealthy everything is, among other aspects.

I guess if you don't want to read criticism of works you enjoy, don't read unpopular opinions about them?

I will say, with Roald Dahl, his antisemitism is well documented. As an elementary school teacher who is culturally Jewish, I've debated whether to have his books in my classroom library. However, I feel like his books are so good and subversive that they're still worth reading. And I love their message of not trusting adults just because they're adults!

I also have Harry Potter in my classroom library, and I'd never stop a kid from reading it. But I wouldn't read it as a read aloud myself since I don't think the writing and story are that good, and don't counterbalance the lazy tropes and stereotypes used throughout.

(This is, however, something I never bring up with my coworkers since there's a lot of Harry Potter fandom in the education community!)