DICKERSON CORR FINAL.DOC FEBRUARY 28, 2008 3:21 PM
Winter 2008] PROFESSOR DUMBLEDORE’S ADVICE 275
As in law schools,
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the wizard world has its own caste system.
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Pure-
blood wizards
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sit at the pinnacle, followed by half-blood wizards,
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Muggle-
49. Kent D. Syverud, The Caste System and Best Practices in Legal Education, 1 J. ALWD 12,
13 (2001) (observing that “[t]here are seven castes in most American law schools, ranging from the
elite Brahmins to the dalits, or untouchables,” and that castes “include: tenured and tenure track
faculty, deans, clinical faculty, law library directors, legal writing directors and faculty, and adjunct
faculty. The untouchables, who are barely mentioned when we talk about what our institutions
teach students, are, of course, the professional staff of law schools.”).
50. Author J.K. Rowling has confirmed this caste system:
Oppressed groups are not, generally speaking, people who stand firmly together—no, sadly,
they kind of subdivide among themselves and fight like hell. That’s human nature, so that’s
what you see here [in the books]. This world of wizards and witches, they’re already
ostracized, and then within themselves, they’ve formed a loathsome pecking order.
John Granger, Unlocking Harry Potter 143 (Zossima Press 2007) (quoting J.K. Rowling,
http://www.accio-quote.org/articles/2000/00900-ew-jensen.htm). The caste system is also depicted
in the “The Fountain of Magical Ministry” within the Ministry of Magic:
Halfway down the hall was a fountain. A group of golden statues, larger than life-size, stood
in the middle of a circular pool. Tallest of them was a noble-looking wizard with his wand
pointing straight up in the air. Groups around him were a beautiful witch, a centaur, a goblin,
and a house-elf. The last three were all looking adoringly up at the witch and wizard.
Order of the Phoenix at 127. For additional information on class status, see generally Dianna
Summers, Secrets of the Classlist, http://www.hp-lexicon.org/essays/essay-secrets-of-the-
classlist.html#racism (last updated Aug. 9, 2006).
51. “Pure-bloods” are wizards who have at least four wizard grandparents. Characters who are
pure-bloods include Albus Dumbledore, supra n. 22, the Weasley family, Sorcerer’s Stone at 99;
Order of the Phoenix at 113 (although they were considered “blood traitors,” Order of the Phoenix
at 113, because they befriend and marry half-bloods and Muggle-borns), the Malfoys, Order of the
Phoenix at 113, and the Longbottoms, Order of the Phoenix at 842. “The pure-blood families are
all interrelated.” Order of the Phoenix at 113 (quoting Sirius, when discussing the Black family
tree; the Black family’s motto is, with some irony, “Touojurs pur,” or “Always pure.”). The issue
of blood status dates to the four founders of Hogwarts. Salazar Slytherin wanted only pure-blood
wizards in his house, and at some point wanted Hogwarts to admit only pure-bloods. When the
other three founders objected to the new admissions standards, Slytherin left. Chamber of Secrets
at 150-151.
52. “Half-bloods” have between one and three non-magical grandparents. Ironically, both
Lord Voldemort and Harry Potter are half-bloods. Although Lord Voldemort’s mother was a direct
heir of Hogwarts co-founder Salazar Slytherin, Half-Blood Prince at 208, his father was a Muggle,
Half-Blood Prince at 212-214. Harry’s mother was born to two Muggle parents. Deathly Hallows
at 666. Severus Snape is also a half-blood.
Half-Blood Prince at 604. One of Voldemort’s goals
was to purify the wizarding race by eliminating Muggle-borns and putting pure bloods in charge.
Order of the Phoenix at 112. In this regard, the author and others have compared Voldemort to
Adolph Hitler. E.g. Accio Quote!, J.K. Rowling Interview, CBCNewsWorld: Hot Type, July 13,
2000, http://www.accio-quote.org/articles/2000/0700-hottype-solomon.htm (J.K. Rowling
compares Voldemort to Hitler); Lana A. Whited, Epilogue at 369, in The Ivory Tower and Harry
Potter (Lana A. Whited ed., U. Mo. Press 2002). It was not coincidental, therefore, that Chapter 30
in Order of the Phoenix was titled “The Second War Begins,” that Dumbledore defeated
Grindelwald in 1945, or that Tom Riddle transformed into Lord Voldemort around 1942. See
Accio Quote!, Melissa Anelli & Emerson Spartz, The Leaky Cauldron and Mugglenet Interview:
Joanne Kathleen Rowling: Part Three, The Leaky Cauldron, http://www.accio-quote.org/articles/
2005/0705-tlc_mugglenet-anelli-3.htm (July 16, 2007). Like Hitler, who sought to advance