How Is Harry Potter A Marxist

Marxist literary criticism as defined by Peter Barry approaches a literary text through terms introduced in Karl Marx’ and Friedrich Engels’ Communist economic theory. Their jointly written text titled The Communist Manifesto called for a society with “state ownership on industry… rather than private ownership”. The social theory later became known as Marxism. As stated in Barry’s text, “The aim of Marxism is to bring about a classless society, based on the common ownership of the means of production, distribution, and exchange” (156). One of the theory’s main aspects looks to the “exploitation of one social class by another. The result leaves one class alienated.” Central to Marxism is a belief in its ability to change the material world, which it theorizes. According to Marxist theorists, only through conflicts between the bourgeoisie and the proletariat, can the status quo positively change (157).

Marxism is a critical perspective based off of the ideas of Karl Marx, with Marx’s most famous work being the Communist Manifesto. This book illustrates

Harry Potter was a very famous series of fictional books and movies by J.K. Rowling. Harry is the main protagonist, who goes to a large, seven-story high castle supported by magic called Hogwarts. Through all the adventures of Harry’s life described in the books, I see it as a very intriguing topic to talk about. Diction, language, and imagery are going to be talked about for the fictional character chosen, also followed by answered questions to give a better idea, through details, of how Harry Potter really is seen.

Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling is a magical story about a boy who set on a heroic journey to save his home. Along the way he shows great heroism, courage, and natural intelligence as he navigates his way through Hogwarts and it’s mystery’s. Harry Potter’s story left a mark in every audience member's heart and a permanent fondness for the magical story in their minds.

Harry Potter is a fictional character invented by J.K Rowling in the series of seven books starting with Harry Potter and the Philosopher 's Stone and ending with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Wikipedia, 2015). Harry is the main character in this series whose parents died when he was young and he was brought up by his aunt and uncle (Philosopher’s Stone, 1997, p.5). Harry was neglected by his aunt and uncle (Philosopher’s Stone, 1997, p.27). Harry is presented a whole new reality when he goes to the zoo one day and his integration into the magical world changes him from the foundation. These changes within him will be analysed using the developmental psychology theories of Lawrence Kohlberg and Erik Erikson to explain how the environment aided or obstructed Harry’s development.

“All previous historical movements were movements of minorities, or in the interest of minorities. The proletarian movement is the self-conscious, independent movement of the immense majority. The proletariat, the lowest stratum of our present society, cannot stir, cannot raise itself up without the whole superincumbent strata of official society being sprung into the air.” (Page 222). Karl Marx wrote The Communist Manifesto. This is a really important essay. It has three sections in the book that I read it from. Robert B. Reich wrote Why the Rich Are Getting Richer and the Poor, Poorer. This was widely discussed and still is. That is how important this essay it to people. These two essays are about economics. They may not agree on things, but they are both respected and discussed in many colleges. According to Aijaz Ahmad, “Earlier texts include passages and entire sections of great originality. However, virtually all of them are written in opposition to some particular writers or tendencies, i.e., Hegel and the others we have mentioned above. This kind of focused criticism is continued in the latter section of the Manifesto as well, but the memorable first part can be viewed as perhaps the first of Marx 's texts that is written entirely in the declarative, in opposition to not this or that thinker, this or that tendency in thought, but in opposition to bourgeois society as a whole.

A Marxist lens is strong lens to analyze Conrad’s novel Heart of Darkness. Marxism is the belief that there is a conflict between the ruling class and working class, the crux of this conflict is the working struggle for economic power while the ruling class believes in the profit of capitalism but the power of Marxism. Throughout the Heart of Darkness Marxism influences all aspect of society, laws, economic base, and exploitation.

For the Marxist critic, literature is in of itself a social institution, with a particular ideological function based on the experience and beliefs of the author, and a material product to be comprehended in broadly historical terms, emphasizing class and ideology as they are illustrated, distribute, and contest the social order of the period in which it was written. Terry Eagleton, in his book Marxism and Literary Criticism, describes Marxist application to literature

Harry Potter is a fascinating tale of sorcerers, wands, broomsticks, dragons, and magic. The story begins with a young boy named Harry Potter who lives at number four Privit Drive, Surray, England. His journey begins after the death of his parents at the hands of the evil Lord Voldemort. Harry learns of his past and his future as a wizard from Hagrid, the keeper of keys and grounds at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He travels to Hogwarts where he learns spells and enchantments, makes new friends, finds enemies, and discovers fantastic secretes. J.K. Rowling weaves a web of impeccable storytelling with this critically acclaimed novel. In the tale of Harry Potter imagery, symbolism, and motif take central focus.

The working definition of Marxism is a theory that analyzes the relationships of classes and the social conflicts that are within the classes. Marxism claims that this conflict is between the rich and the poor. This theory entails thoughts of socioeconomic differences and focuses the systematic view of the economy. The theory of Marxism is very prevalent in the novel, “The Other Wes Moore.” “The Other Wes Moore”, and a short story titled, “The Lottery” are great example of the differences within social classes.

While writing the bestseller Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone J.K. Rowling was struggling on welfare in a coffee shop. Like Rowling, the heros in her novel are social outcasts. Harry is an orphan; Ron comes from poverty; and Hermione comes from a non-wizard family. Harry grows up in the non-magical world, raised by non-magical folk. He is maltreated because he is different, and to an extent an uninvited part of the family. The real world exhibits prejudice due to race, religion, gender and social class on an everyday basis. Harry Potter and The Philosopher’s Stone is set in a fantasy world that is far from the ordinary world readers are used to, however; prejudice is a theme that is dealt with throughout the whole story, much like

Marx understanding of society shift into modernism lead to develop a form of communism that would come to be known as Marxism, communism is the economic thought of Marxism. Marx understands that Modernism calls for society to embrace equality for the betterment of society. Part of the problem with Capitalism comes from its exploitation of the working class; Marx understands this problem to be a vein of Pre-modernism and not a pillar of Modernism. Marx calls for the working class to rise up over their bourgeoisie oppressors and seize the equality that rightfully belongs to them. “Society as a whole is more and more splitting up into two great hostile camps, into two great classes directly facing each other – bourgeoisie and proletariat. (Communist pg. 9)” If society wants to embrace modernism, then society needs to shift its focus from fighting each other and one exploiting another to a classless society. Marx highly criticizes the bourgeoisie in The Communist Manifesto, and this stems from the problems they created for themselves and for the rest of society. In their attempt to gain more power, land, and resources, their material conditions, upon the prominence which their families had been formed, were dissipating due to the lack of foresight and selfish greed. If the Bourgeoisie continues to exploit the proletariat then society will head to conflict, as is expected of Pre-modernism, but if the Bourgeoisie cease its exploitation and relinquish its power for the group,

The Marxist literary criticism states that “literature reflects class struggle and materialism.” Someone who reads texts through a Marxist lens tries to identify issues that relate to both money and power, and commonly asks questions about how they deal with the struggles for money and power, along with the roles they play in the work. These criticisms stem from the beliefs and perceptions of popular philosopher Karl Marx that human society consists of clashes and conflicts between the oppressed and oppressing; between the proletariats and the bourgeoisie (Delahoyde).

A major character in the book is of course, Harry Potter. A fourteen-year old protagonist with prominent principles to guide him and developing maturity. The boy inherited his father’s (James Potter) “perpetually untidy black hair, his mother’s (Lily Potter) green eyes, a lightning bolt-shaped scar on his forehead, round eyeglasses, and small & skinny for his age.” (Rowling) Harry attends Hogwarts with Hermione Granger along with Ron Weasley, both are best-friends of him.

In the past couple years, there has been a growing phenomenon in the world of children's literature, this phenomenon is Harry Potter. J.K. Rowlings series of novels about a young wizard and his years at "Hogwarts School of Wizarding and Witchcraft," has become one of the most successful children's book series of all time. Before reading any of the now four novels, one may find it hard to believe that a children's novel may be so entertaining. But once one starts reading any of the four books, it is plain to see why these books are so popular.