“누구를 위한 마법능력인가?” —『해리 포터』와 영국 제국주의 아동관 (Whom does Harry’s Magic Power Benefit?: Imperialistic Ideas of Children in The Harry Potter Books)

서지정보

· 발행기관 : 한국영어영문학회
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· 저자명 : 박소진

초록

The Harry Potter series is considered to represent the multicultural aspect
of contemporary British society and to show critical perspectives of racism.
This series, however, also includes many elements of British imperialism.
This paper examines the ideas about education and Harry’s role in relation to
British imperialism. One of the main ideas prevalent in 19th century British
boys’ public schools was that people’s blood origin is the most important
element in determining their characteristics, ability and moral qualities. The
students’ inherited capacity and their family background are more highly
regarded than their secondary learning and training. This reflects a 19th
century concept that ultimately, inborn quality makes ‘a hero’, a truth presented
in the educational policies of Hogwarts.
Hogwarts’ educational policies and systems can also be related to ‘developmentalism’,
which defines children as imperfect, in-progress and incomplete,
thus needing proper training and discipline. As this concept functioned
to justify the control of children while educating them, Hogwarts
adopts diverse controlling devices and oppressive policies, which are mainly
justified in the name of education. On the one hand, child characters are
controlled and oppressed by the school authorities, on the other hand, some
of the students such as Harry have remarkable magic powers enough to
resist the adult authority and even to save the magic society from the evil
power. Harry plays dual roles, which the British boys of the Empire were
assigned from their society; they are important heirs to conquer the ‘evil’ or
‘barbarous’ world but need to be obedient to a ‘good’ authority to achieve
the mission. Harry’s magic power and self-discipline ultimately contribute
to fulfilling Dumbledore’s mission, which mirrors 19th century British
boys’ roles as the heirs of the British Empire.

영어초록

The Harry Potter series is considered to represent the multicultural aspect
of contemporary British society and to show critical perspectives of racism.
This series, however, also includes many elements of British imperialism.
This paper examines the ideas about education and Harry’s role in relation to
British imperialism. One of the main ideas prevalent in 19th century British
boys’ public schools was that people’s blood origin is the most important
element in determining their characteristics, ability and moral qualities. The
students’ inherited capacity and their family background are more highly
regarded than their secondary learning and training. This reflects a 19th
century concept that ultimately, inborn quality makes ‘a hero’, a truth presented
in the educational policies of Hogwarts.
Hogwarts’ educational policies and systems can also be related to ‘developmentalism’,
which defines children as imperfect, in-progress and incomplete,
thus needing proper training and discipline. As this concept functioned
to justify the control of children while educating them, Hogwarts
adopts diverse controlling devices and oppressive policies, which are mainly
justified in the name of education. On the one hand, child characters are
controlled and oppressed by the school authorities, on the other hand, some
of the students such as Harry have remarkable magic powers enough to
resist the adult authority and even to save the magic society from the evil
power. Harry plays dual roles, which the British boys of the Empire were
assigned from their society; they are important heirs to conquer the ‘evil’ or
‘barbarous’ world but need to be obedient to a ‘good’ authority to achieve
the mission. Harry’s magic power and self-discipline ultimately contribute
to fulfilling Dumbledore’s mission, which mirrors 19th century British
boys’ roles as the heirs of the British Empire.

참고자료

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