In the book "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" by J.K. Rowling, the government plays a big role in symbolizing faults in our government today. The government is shown at its weakest point, being unfair to the public, and doing horrible things to citizens based on race and friendliness. After reading it was obvious how many of these situations occur in the real world. When delving in it is obvious how clear Rowling made the connection. Throughout the series you begin to realize when getting deeper how many meanings she left in the words for the reader to infer. The fun is to figure out what threads of evidence you can find to support any secret messages.
J.K. Rowling uses the character Voldemort to portray dictatorship in the world and all the countries that were a part of taking over the government in power. An example from the text is pg. 6 " 'At any rate, it remains unlikely that the Ministry will be mine before next Saturday.' " This is where Voldemort is speaking of the ambush of Harry's traveling plans and of how he is planning to take over the ministry by some point, he just can't yet. He feels like a modern day dictator to me because of the way he uses his power so strongly so people follow under him with no questions and he has the right feel and horrible attitude of one. Libya is the main place that pops into my head when I think about the situation occurring in the book it is basically a plan to completely ambush the ministry/government into having new rule and lose all power. Although Voldemort might seem like he is very happy and faithful to some of his death eaters it seems as though in the end he would leave them all behind and become supreme power.
The character Umbridge and a few others are used to show how the government sides with racism for who knows what in the book and in the real world. This is shown on pg. 260 " 'T-took?' sobbed Mrs. Cattermole. 'I didn't t-take it from anybody. I b-bought it when I was eleven years old. It - it - it - chose me.' She cried harder than ever." This is when Umbridge and Yaxley are survey a woman who is clearly a witch who rightfully got her wand and even if she hadn't the government should no right to kill or imprison someone because of their race. This has definitely happened in our world a lot through history and sadly still occurs in many countries currently. Why should it be the ministries job to punish if you aren't enough pure blood? Why should it be the government or anyone's job to punish you for being black, Spanish, or any race not welcome in the area? Although here it was a mix of racism and government I still think it strongly goes under criticizing the government and the bad ways they've kept up for so long.
J.K. Rowling uses the character Mundugus to show how the ministry uses their power in bad ways. For example on pg. 222 " 'I was selling in Diagon Alley and she comes up to me and asks if I've got a license for trading in magical artifacts. Bleedin' snoop. She was gonna fine me, but she took a fancy to the locket an' told me she'd take it and let me off that time, and to fink myself lucky.' " Here Mundugus the little rat who steals and sells everyone's valuables got away with trouble by bribing Umbridge to take a locket and not get in trouble in return. It so unconstitutional and ungrateful to use the immense power of the government behind you to get things you want. This has happened in the real world too where someone high up in the government will do something like the rape scandal with that man last year with his power and if in trouble not get totally screwed over because of their position.When things like this happen it is the citizens that should get angry and say something against those "full of themselves" people.
I find it extremely interesting how J.K. Rowling chose to show this one trend line of example throughout the book. The places like these is where she is trying to get the reader to dig in deeper and realize the meaning and relation she is trying to show with the world and the book. Where she compared government racism with the ministry's I thought it was really powerful not only because it is such a huge issue in both worlds but because I feel like she really made her point with the different blood people. Go muggles, blood traitors, half-bloods and all the rest!!
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