THE SOCIAL DISCRIMINATION REPRESENTED IN J.K ROWLING’S HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE AND HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS

Abstract

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows are two last novels of Harry Potter series written by J.K Rowling. This thesis is conducted to explore the social discrimination described in the two novels which occur within the social class. The social class in the novel is determined by the blood status, those are: Pure-blood as the upper class, Half- blood as the middle class, and Muggle-born as the lower class. Those class disparity is created by a group of people as their political intention to dominate the society by putting the minority/lower class in hard condition. There are three problems discussed in this research. The first is social discrimination represented in the novel, the second is the author’s ideology constructed in the novel which reveals the politic beyond the discrimination as well. In analysing this research, I use qualitative research method by presenting qualitative data in the form of words, phrases and sentences. This research begins with the analysis of the novel by applying theory of representation by Stuart Hall. I analyze the texts of the novels which construct the discourse of social discrimination through the characters’ action. Furthermore, I analyze the author’s ideology towards social class and discrimination through the discourse constructed in the novel. This research has found that, in Harry Potter novels, social class is a concept created by a group of people to maintain their position, in which this system can harm the lower class who are used to be discriminated. Besides, there is a political intention lies beyond discrimination which aims to gain power. Furthermore, this thesis concludes that J.K Rowling, through her writing Harry Potter, rejects the class disparity and depicts the inapplicability of the political system of social class by presenting the failure of Voldemort in gaining power and maintaining his blood purity concept.