After the moral themes of the book on meritocracy, freedom and equality, I was a bit disappointed by the ending. I won't give anything away. All I am saying is that this last book offered an opportunity to be as clear as possible about the evils of hypocrisy, self-hatred and of racism -- for both individuals and society at large. After a title like Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (the previous book), I was expecting a bit more. Perhaps J.K. Rowling thought it might be overkill to state things clearly. I for one am not so sure.
- On Harry Potter and Mudbloods, Jack and Jill Politics, 07.23.07
I think JK was spot on in the way she handled these themes. Always a running undercurrent of her 7 novels, the prickly problems of race and class are rarely the primary theme but are often the key turning points in the relationships and fortunes of characters on both sides of the wand. The characters I most associate with racism, The Malfoys and The Dursleys, consistently get their just desserts and The Malfoys, in particular, have an absolutely awful go of it over the last two books (while still clinging heartily to their beliefs in blood purity). Meanwhile, everyone except Hermione accepts the concept of an elfen underclass that they generally treat horribly, to such a degree, in fact, that an elf's entire world view is overthrown by simple acts of kindness and appreciation. And, in the Deathly Hallows, we are presented with the complication of goblins. Goblins, while generally distasteful, seem to have a pretty compelling reason for distrusting and disliking humanity.
The strongest statement that JK could and does make is that while we all must navigate this maze of societal ooze, life is happening. It goes on.