Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Social Sensitivity

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Social Sensitivity

In the past, such eminent critics as Jack Zipes have criticized J.K. Rowling for a perceived lack of political correctness (which is often inappropriately confused with social sensitivity). The argument stands that quality art should not be judged according to its perceived level of political correctness— not even when the literary art has been created for a young adult audience. This consideration is complicated by the defense that Rowling's use of both tradition and innovation is within the "safe" remove of a fantasy setting. But that argument must necessarily be placed alongside the critical notion that young adults form opinions and expectations of their world based, in part, on their reading material and that, therefore, they do not gain the positive socialization from fantastic literature that they do from realism. It must be noted, however, that in fantasy—as in Rowling's Harry Potter books—it is the parallels that inform the reader,...
(read more)