Blog 2 Prompt 1- Sarah Saalfeld

            J.K. Rowling addresses a number of social issues in the Harry Potter series. Adults and children alike can relate to these many social issues. J.K. Rowling addresses subjects in the series such as, family problems, the loss of a loved one, starting a new school, finding something dramatic about yourself, fighting with friends, building new friendships, etc. I think that one social issue that J.K. Rowling addresses in detail, throughout the series, is bullying. Bullying is a huge social issue right now and is constantly being talked about.

            Rowling shows many examples of different kinds of bullying throughout the series. The most obvious example of bullying is the way that the Dursleys treat Harry. In The Sorcerer’s Stone, the reader see how Harry is mistreated and bullied by his aunt, uncle, and cousin. He does not even get a bedroom (although there is an extra one). Rather, he lives in cupboard under the staircase. They also buy their son, Dudley, many presents for his birthday, but they barely even acknowledge Harry’s birthday. They also treat Harry as a maid, making him clean and cook while the rest of the family sits around (Rowling, The Sorcerer’s Stone).

            Another example of bullying is the character Draco Malfoy. Malfoy is constantly bullying other students at Hogwarts. He has a particular inclination to bully those witches and wizards who are muggle born. He calls them “mudbloods”, a derogatory name for people born to non-magic parents (Rowling, The Chamber of Secrets). Draco is also constantly making fun of Ron and the whole Weasley family for being poor. As soon as the readers meet Draco, he shows his true colors by telling Harry that he should be careful who he hangs out with, implying that because Ron is poor he is not worth Harry’s time (Rowling, The Sorcerer’s Stone). 

            Through all of the bullying we see in the books, J.K. Rowling is sure to show that the bullies do not come out on top. Rather, the people being bullied persevere and come out of the situation okay. This is an incredibly positive message for children. First, it shows them that they are not alone in their struggles. Second, it gives them someone to relate to. It also shows them that things can get better and that they, just as the characters in the book, can make it through the hard times.