Description
Book SynopsisFemales and Harry Potter is a deconstruction of the representations of women''s agency in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer''s Stone. Using critical discourse analysis and focusing on five themes (rule following and breaking, intelligence, validating and enabling, mothering, and resistance), Mayes-Elma explores the construction of traditional gender roles in the book. Additionally, the author locates the foundations of feminist epistemologybinary oppositions, gender boundaries, and woman as ''other''that is deeply embedded within the book''s themes. Traditional gender constructions of both men and women are found throughout the Sorcerer''s Stone. Ultimately, the book explores the sexism inherent in the Harry Potter series: a hero and his male friends are the focus and center of activity and the female characters are enablersat best. Passive and invisible female characters exist only as bodies, ''bound'' by traditional gender conventions; they resist evil, but never gender stereotypes. May
Trade ReviewThis book is an interesting and thorough analysis for academic and feminist collections. * VOYA, February 2008 *
This is a long-awaited volume which weaves feminist theory with the importance of the Harry Potter books. Mayes-Elma has created a new genre in which to explore both the teaching of literature and social theory. Following Rowling's females and their actions, this book has established a new way to view character roles within literature. -- Shirley R. Steinberg, associate professor Series Editor and associate professor, Mcgill University Faculty of Education
Table of ContentsChapter 1 Harry Potter in Review Chapter 2 You've Got to Have Theory Chapter 3 Method to My Madness Chapter 4 Analyzing Harry and Friends Chapter 5 Where Do We Go From Here?
