Also Read
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookie Policy.
JK Rowling's birthday is on July 31.
Not only is Harry Potter one of the greatest children's books ever written, but it's also had a huge impact on its readers, the impact of which we can barely fathom. New research suggests that children who've read Harry Potter are less prejudiced towards gays, immigrants and refugees. Children who've been exposed to mudbloods, house elves, giants, werewolves, centaurs and others means that they empathise more with people who aren't part of the mainstream culture.
Harry and friends have always defended those who've been mocked by others whether it be Hagrid, Dobby or even Hagrid's half-brother giant Grawp. 'Harry has meaningful contact with characters belonging to stigmatised groups,' say the researchers from a group of Italian universities. 'He tries to understand and appreciate their difficulties ... and fights for a world free of social inequalities.'
Harry's battles against Voldemort have thus in turn become a parallel to the fighting against Nazism with Hitler as obsessed as Voldemort about blood purity and supremacy of the race. The experiment was carried out on fifth-graders and found that the children's attitudes to immigrants changed after they read selected excerpts of Harry Potter and Chamber of Secrets.
Other studies surveyed high school and college students about their attitudes towards gays and refugees and found similar results. 'Reading the novels of Harry Potter is associated with improved attitudes towards a stigmatised group such as homosexuals,' concludes the report, which also revealed more positive attitudes towards refugees among Potter fans.
And interestingly, the readers found the effect was less on those who identified more with Voldemort than Harry. Rowling has always denied that Harry potter carried any hidden messages. 'I've never set out to teach anyone anything,' she said in 2003. 'It's been more of an expression of my views and feelings than sitting down and deciding 'What is today's message?''
However, she has also called the books 'a prolonged plea for an end to bigotry', adding: 'I think it's one of the reasons that some people don't like the books, but I think that it's a very healthy message to pass on to younger people that you should question authority and you should not assume that the establishment or the press tells you all of the truth.'
But then it does send a beautiful message to everyone around the world when one of the most venerated figures in the series Albus Dumbeldore is actually gay.
You may also like to read:
For more articles on body mind soul, visit our body mind soul section. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for all the latest updates! For daily free health tips, sign up for our newsletter. And to join discussions on health topics of your choice, visit our forum.