Notions of Class in the Harry Potter Novels

Human lifestyle undoubtedly has changed along with the way that people think. However, memories and records of events and the like are not always forgotten. People may not forget things easily, and some make it a point to hang on to memories and even grudges. Historic events may be recorded solely for the purpose of preserving thoughts of the world so that man, in time to come, would have a chance of knowing his roots.
Through history, one important thing that has come to man’s attention is the existence of inequalities through time. Inequalities have always existed, and these have always been a major source of conflict.

Conflict has always been known man, and has never been a stranger to man at any point in time. This is not to say that wars always raged across the earth, but certainly does mean that atrocities and the like always existed. The hostilities and crime that one witnesses today is hardly different from the crimes that were committed in the past. The only thing that makes it much more different to what it was in the past is that there is technology on one’s side today. Instead of this being of greater help to man today, it has resulted in much more death and destruction, all starting from inequalities in resources. Theorists like Karl Marx and Stephen Greenblatt are individuals that would be able to shed greater light on the disharmony in society. Their views on social living also help one to understand the way that things were and are today, and how similar conflicts may be through time .
Domination could take almost any form, and this would depend on what kind of resources one class has. If one has economic resources, it is possible to dominate others extensively. In Marxist terms, domination is usually because the resources a class has in hand. If a class has economic resources, it has greater strength and can dominate others. If the resources have limited value, they cannot dominate all that much. In addition to the possession of resources that causes conflict, there is also something known as a sense of belonging. If a person feels that another is not of his status or does not speak the language that s/he does, conflict might arise. However, “Differences of habit and language are nothing at all if our aims are identical and our hearts are open” . 
Aside from the differences in resources and the conflict that takes place because of a difference in resources, Marxism has other values. It is a theory that explains social change, which is why it can be applied to various situations of conflict. The reason for this is that there always has to be a reason for conflict, and this refers to differences in resources of strengths .
Marxism being a macro-sociological theory is one that can also apply to smaller setups. This means that it can apply to communities as well even though a community is only a part of a larger society. However, this makes sense because of the fact that it also applies to a whole state that itself a smaller part of a global environment . 
Being a theory that can be used to see significance in communities, it is one that can be applied to the magician’s community in Harry Potter Novels by J.K Rowling. The community in Harry Potter Novels is perfect for implementing Marxist theory. This is because of the fact that there is existence of segregation, class/group conflict, oppression, slavery, Prejudice, etc. existing in the community. It is all these factors that expose the importance of Marxist theory and the way that communities go through changes during conflict. The stages in a conflict are also clearly visible as one reads through the Harry Potter books. These stages are similar to Marxist explanations, and are also in sync with social changes that occur because of conflicts .
In addition to the class conflict that would occur because of control over resources or magical powers, there is also the case of descent. Descent or heritage is an issue in Harry Potter stories as well because those who belong to an original group are believed to be rightful heirs and have authorized control. This is something that is explained by other theories as well, but Marxism primarily considers these to be because of beliefs and doctrines that are embedded in people’s minds. They are also most likely to occur because of the control that people believe they are entitled to when they are of original or pure descent . This is precisely the case wit the pure bloods that think they are rightful owners of magic. The purebloods assumed that they have the rights to magic and only they should be allowed to study at the school of magic. They wanted the half bloods and the mudbloods ousted. However, since they could not do it through fair means they resorted to other means. At various stages of the whole story of Harry Potter’s experience this is demonstrated. Not only is Harry Potter subject to their unfair means but so are many innocent people. The pure bloods are willing to go to any length to dominate and gain control over all others. They want to gain control in the wider society by first taking over the magic school and proving themselves as rightful owners of magic. They are inbred and come from generations of practice. Albus Dumbledore asserts: “You place too much importance... on the so-called purity of blood!  You fail to recognize that it matters not what someone is born, but what they grow to be! ” 
Undoubtedly, they may possess exceptional traits and ability to perform spells, but it may also be said that they have mastered all this through immense practice. As opposed to this, Harry Potter is an individual who is of half wizard descent. He still has more abilities than most other wizards of pure descent. He has the ability to apply magical spells at will even though he was warned in the initial stages that it could prove dangerous for him. He was told that after performing magic for the first time, it is “Natural to want a bit more”. He was told that he “can't start flying cars to try and get” himself “noticed” (Chapter 6, p. 91).
The best part about Harry Potter’s character is that he is a wizard or a young wizard with immense skill. He does not use his magical strengths unless he really needs to. He had been warned against using magical spells, but also preferred to use commonsense to work his way through situations. It may be asserted that Harry Potter was a clever magician who used his magical capabilities to reinforce his efforts.
Describing magical situations in a community of wizards and using a macro-sociological theory to back it up, may seem odd. However, it appears that the discrimination between different groups or classes is best described through this theory. The manner in which individuals in this story behave is interesting and fits well into such a theory.    
Considering Roald Dahl’s ‘The Witches’, it can also be asserted that Marxism fits into it too. This is because there are also notions of groups or class in this story. There is also existence of oppressors. These oppressors are the ones that cause the disharmony; they try to get rid of children, and people in general cannot detect them living along with them in society. They look like normal ladies and have every general character that women have, and no one would even imagine that there are some of the wickedest women living right beside them.

Analysis:

Since class distinction is an important part of Marxist theory, it is worth asserting that Harry Potter has no shortage of Marxist notions. This can be observed in the fact that class distinction is quite open. The manner in which classification takes place in ‘Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone’ is exceptional. This is typically visible when they magicians are categorized and placed in traditional houses. Each magician is placed in a traditional house according to his or her capability or status. An example of this is the manner in which Harry is placed in the house of Gryffindor. He is a hero and is placed here while other magicians such as Malfoy, are placed in Slytherin. Though it may be argued that this is highly unlike a Marxist practice because of the inequality, it can be said that it is actually very much in sync with Marxist theory. This is because of the fact that Marxism holds that each one has particular capabilities that could be put to use. Marxism emphasizes on the notion: from each one according to his capability, and to each one according to his need (Marx & Engels, 1848). In the above example, it is obvious that the emphasis is more on the capability of the individual, which is why each of the characterized are placed in separate houses.
In this kind of segregation, there are particular advantages as well as disadvantages. This refers to the fact that being segregated could cause unity in some ways and further disintegration in others. In ‘Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone’, both these notions are visible clearly. Unity is demonstrated through the recognition of morals in each character. The characters recognize certain qualities in each other and they are drawn closer; Harry, Ron and Hermione stand out as examples. In contrast to this, it can also be observed that there are instances where some characters are repulsed.   
It is through the unity that is created by the three friends at the magic school that a plot has been detected to steal the ‘Philosopher’s Stone’. Harry, Ron and Hermione work together to discover a culprit at the top level. It turns out that one of the teachers is a suspect. The work that the three friends put in to discover the suspect is an example of the way that the people in a state can work towards foiling a treacherous attempt. This part of the story also reflects the nature of the Marxist state that is more than likely to pull down a leader or any official that puts them at risk. The people are the ones with power and they may use it collectively to achieve a goal. Though there may be other individuals against them, they may still go ahead with what they believe in.
The Philosopher’s Stone is like the importance of a state, and if any one is trying to steal something that belongs to the state they need to be stopped. The situation can be deadly, which is why it may also be adventurous. “After all, to the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure” . 
This is precisely what Harry and his friends set out to do after they have strong suspicions on particular people. However, their earlier suspicions were not accurate as Harry discovers that he has to face someone other than Snape. One can have “As much money and life as you could want!  The two things most human beings would choose above all - the trouble is, humans”, even if they are magicians, “do have a knack of choosing precisely those things that are worst for them” . 

Sacrifice for the Sake of the Community:

In order to prevent the Philosopher’s Stone from being stolen, Harry and his friends have to go after the stone themselves. This meant that they had to get in through the guards to make sure the Stone would not be stolen away. At this point in the story, it is specifically mentioned that Harry and his friends had to pull their strengths together in order to get where they reached.
Harry and his friends manage to do this quite successfully until Harry has to go in alone after the Stone. In doing this, he is faced with Professor Quirrell. Being his crafty self like many politicians that want to benefit the most, Professor Quirrell tries to use Harry to get to the stone. He knew that Harry would be able to get through, and so knew it would be the best way. However, the professor remains unsuccessful in his attempt. Quirrell was killed and Voldemort defeated. This defeat and death stands for the necessity of conflict to bring peace and restoration to a state. The characters defeated stand for those that interfere with the relatively peaceful system in place. Harry and his friends stand for those that are willing to risk all that is theirs in order to do what is right. Harry in particular demonstrates that he is the people of a state because of the fact that he was ready to lay down his life for everyone. He knew that he was the only one capable of completing the task, and so went into a dangerous situation all by himself. However, he emerged victorious and thus lived up to being a hero.

Unity to protect everyone’s Rights:

Though Harry did a splendid amount of heroic work single-handedly, it cannot be forgotten that he could not have done it all by himself. Towards the end of the adventure, this is exposed considerably through the points scored in all the efforts. Gryffindor earns one hundred and sixty points through the collective efforts of Harry, Ron and Hermione. However, an extra ten points were earned because of Neville’s efforts to stop the three from going to the Philosopher’s Stone.
It is obvious that trying to stop Harry and his friends from going through the defenses of the guards would be seen as a good act. Quite naturally, Harry’s actions as ring leader were not the most appropriate; the school of magic may not have been pleased about this, and so placed a ban on him from using magic for the rest of the summer. However, he kept this ban a secret so that no one would take advantage of him. Using magic could not be kept a secret, but not using it could be kept a secret. Looking at the practice of magic in the literature published today, there are several religious groups that are against the use of magic and witchcraft in Harry potter stories. This has been the case so much so that religious groups have moved to have the series banned. However, this is an unlikely thing to happen, as the book is fiction; something that is far from reality. However, in comparing the notions in this series with Marxist literature, it can also be said that there are people who scrutinize it (Marxist Literature) as well, terming it all as evil and a social disease that aims at overturning other just forms of governance. The fears are more real in this sense, but pertinent literature can hardly be banned from publication .

Uprooting Injustice:

Marxist literature is known to focus on many different aspects of societal living; it is a political theory and often serves as a means of scrutinizing state operations. One of the main things that it targets is injustice. It emphasizes on the need to get rid the root of injustice in society. In Marxist notions, there are ways of targeting and getting rid of injustice. The words mentioned earlier about Marxism can aptly be applied here as well: ‘to each one according to his needs’ (Marx & Engels, 1848). These words comprehensively overrule injustice, but of course are not sufficient to make sure that injustice does not occur. Injustice still occurs in its various forms, and discrimination towards individuals belonging to particular origins is one of the most well known of its forms. Discrimination is also something that is a major consideration in ‘Harry Potter and the chamber of secrets’.

The Existence of Classes of Groups at the Magic School:

Basically the discrimination is generalized at all magicians lower than ‘pure blood wizards’. In ‘Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets’ Harry is discriminated by Malfoy because Harry is not a pure blood wizard. In contrast to this story talking about discrimination and making of differences between wizards, there is a great deal that one can learn from it. Tolerance is one of the major teachings in this story. Individuals of all ages can learn from tolerance, no matter what their backgrounds are. Marxist theory also holds fast to tolerance as opposed to its notions of conflict. People living in a society may have differences, but they still have to live together. Provided that the differences are not too magnified, there is no reason why they cannot live together. In extreme cases, they may need to clash before peace is established, but first tolerance is preferred. Conflict is actually the last option; when there is no other way out, conflict is resorted to. The intensity of the conflict can be observed in the following lines when Arthur Weasley says: “Never trust anything that can think for itself if you can't see where it keeps its brain” . 

Tolerance in the Community:

In Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, tolerance in the community is of great importance. If tolerance is non existent, there would be no community. However, there are some individuals that want to cause disharmony even if their intentions seem logical. In the story, Salazar Slytherin wants to get rid of all those that are different and establish a community that is pure; he wants to get rid of the "mudbloods," or wizards that do not have any magical ancestors. Here, one can see that is a definite distinction between the two classes, and there is also a definite demeaning tone and term being used against those that were not pure magicians . Quite obviously, there was a response from those who were being looked down upon. They would defend themselves if attacked or harmed in any way. This would be legitimate in the sense that all members in a society are entitled to equal rights, and these are natural rights. The targeted class might feel the need to resist hostilities or even launch attacks. This conflict is nothing unknown to Marxism; in fact, class conflict is normal for peace to be achieved. Particularly, it must be noted that class conflict in Harry Potter and the Chamber of secrets is also similar to Marxist description because of the class conflict existing between two classes. Typically, this was the Quidditch game between Gryffindor and Slytherin. The Gryffindor and Slytherin represent the two classes in conflict.

The Existence of Two Classes:

According to Marxism there are no other classes; there is just a conflict between to very distinctive classes in society because of the differences in resources . Here, one can observe that the class conflict or group conflict in Harry Potter exists between those that have more magical power and those that do not. Also, those that have more power are ones that claim to have purer heritage. They believe that they can purify their community by getting rid of those without such heritage.
Purifying the community is something that is out of Marxist views; it is something that does not pertain to the theory. Though there have been instances in the past that may be used as examples of purifying communities and races, none can be blamed on Marxism. Purification of races and communities is something that has been the result of Darwinian thought. However, since these notions were integrated with so-called socialist strategies, Marxism is largely blamed for heinous events in history .
In Harry Potter, the purification that Salazar Slytherin intends actually goes to show that these ideas are opposed to peace. Peace can only attained by getting rid of such prejudices. The only way to get of these prejudices is to change the way that the dominating class thinks and acts or to have a direct and open conflict to demolish it.
Coming back to the manner in which Harry and Hermione are both demeaned because of their heritage, Harry’s is only half of what the pure bloods were. Both Hermione’s parents were not magicians as well. This means that both friends were not pure magicians by blood. However, they were pretty good at whatever they did; there magic was far better and more effective than Malfoy’s who was a pure blood. Here again there can be a Marxist comparison. This is because of the fact that Harry’s and Hermione’s characters demonstrate the fact that all individuals no matter what their heritage have the ability to perform in any art; all individuals are able to do just as well as any other individuals.

Diversity in Society benefits everyone:   

Marxism holds that all people in a community have the ability to work and be as productive as any other individual. Though there are individuals with specialized skills who can be more productive in terms of quality, other individuals should not be demeaned or under estimated. However, this is what Malfoy does; he and his lot are described as oversized, strange-looking, mean and unintelligent, but they are still pure bloods coming from generations of pure blood. They have not much in their favor, and so, it is very important for them to be pure. They have worked for generations to be ‘purebloods’ at the cost of losing everything else. This is perhaps the reason why they are so hung up on remaining in control and excluding all those that are different to them. Perhaps they could not stand anyone having magical [powers and not being pure bloods. However, the problem for them was that Harry and Hermione were really good at their magic even though they were not pure bloods .

Class Conflict:

Observing the manner in which the ‘pure blood wizards’ treated the ‘mudbloods’, one can say that there already are already two classes in conflict. However, the mudbloods are those that are targeted, and within a broad category of those that dominate them are the pure blood wizards along with others. These others include people such as the Dursleys, who virtually fear magic. They are the ones that try to avoid magic and had kept Harry away from these practices that were rightfully his own. The Dursleys serve as a group of people in the category of those that oppress the ‘mudbloods’ even though they are not exactly on the same side of the ‘pure blood wizards’. However, the fact is that, anyone or group that opposes or oppresses the mudbloods are automatically considered to be in one broad category. This is similar to the manner in which all those who oppose or oppress the proletarian are considered to be one group or class.     
As opposed to the class conflict that is clearly visible in Harry {Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Marxist theory has it that for a community to survive there is need for tolerance to be practiced. If tolerance is not a strength in a community, at any point in future, a community is liable to fall apart or become a victim of disharmony.
A community should be strong enough in its bonds in order to prevent disharmony. It should tolerance and other qualities at its center so that its community members can rely on it. Speaking of a community as a whole, in Harry Potter could not have been a hero on his own. He needed other individuals to support his role and cause too. Without them, he could not be successful and would never have been recognized as a hero.
Harry also has individual traits as well that are required of a hero. He is one that depends on the moment for taking decisions that ultimately define his success. Harry uses each moment intelligently and applies common sense knowledge to situations. He does not think with his magical powers. He instead, uses his magical abilities to reinforce his decisions. He does not think with magic or with power. This is reflected in Marxist theory as well, as individuals and governing bodies or a state or even a community need to think logically and not with the power they have in their hands. Social living is given a lot of importance in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, which is why Harry maybe used as an important example. He is a community member. He is one that is oppressed by those that are in a position to oppress him, but he does not give in. He knows better because he can think and does not abuse his magical power. This is something important and in fact is close to utopia in Marxism. Being honest and having the ability to control one’s power and authority is a quality that many do not have  .

Collaborated Efforts Benefit All:

Just like the legal system in Marxism is taken into consideration so is it done in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban’. The system of governance in place is most important to consider. This is because of the fact that it is the foundation of actions to be carried out when dealing with millions of people in a country. If there is injustice in the legal system, it needs to be dealt with accordingly. An example of injustice in the legal system is reflected I the way that Lucius and Malfoy deal with those that make mistakes. Their decisions are severe and harsh, and in most cases are unnecessary.  
Lucius and Malfoy represent the harsh hand of the law. In many cases recorded in history there have been legal systems that have practiced harsh treatment of their people and little was done. However, Marxist ideals do not agree with this even though rulers may have misused tenets of Marxism. Injustice of the kind that Lucius and Malfoy carried out cannot be tolerated.
The Social set up is such that it allows all individuals to prove themselves. They may do sop as individuals or as a group. The Quidditch is believed to be a social indicator that can reveal the way individuals are. This is possible because it allows a competition between two sides, Gryffindor and Slytherin. The integrity of the two sides is measured in terms of the strategies they use. Each of them wants to emerge as the winner and earn recognition through their powers. However, the serious conflict is that the Slytherin use unfair means to prove themselves even though they are pure bloods. The Gryffindor on the other hand are not necessarily pure in terms of magical power heritage; they are however, effective, and are even believed to be more powerful than their opponents.

Society and the Quidditch:  

The Quidditch also serves as an environment of its own kind because of the fact that it has the ability to observe individuals as though they are in another environment altogether. Through the Quidditch a lot can be revealed about an individual’s real life intentions; it can be used to predict the lengths to which that individuals may go in order to win or prove themselves. On the parts of both competitors, Gryffindor and Slytherin, it can be observed that they have tried hard to prove themselves the best way they know how. In this process, a great deal has been revealed about the Marxist notions involved in the overall set up.   
Something that reinforces Marxist notions, especially with the oppressed magicians, is the fact that they are concerned about those that are enslaved. They understand the plight of those enslaved and know that their condition is perhaps worse than their own. Being oppressed is one thing because at least the oppressed like Harry and Hermione have the power to fight back. With the elves, there is hardly a chance of fighting back, as they have nothing to fight with and have no special magical powers. It is this concern for the enslaved that is typical of individuals among the proletarian. This is an attitude that has the power to bring people together and oppose oppression by the dominant ones.

Slavery:

The slaves in Harry Potter are individuals that are kept for free labor for the wicked wizarding families. The way that these elves are treated depends on the mercy the wizards have for them, and since they have enslaved them it is obvious what kind of mercy they have shown them.
Hermione has learned much from this enslavement and knows that this is not far from the way that other good and bad wizards have experienced at the hands of Lord Voldemort. Hermione then works throughout the book to liberate the oppressed individuals. Some of those enslaved were made so by physically restricting them to particular areas or by placing them under a curse or spell. In view of the way that they were enslaved, Marxist views would reveal that individuals in society can also be enslaved in similar ways. The physical way of course is possible through keeping a person in captivity or even abusing political power to torment individuals. The alternative means of enslaving a person through a curse could refer to the way that an individual may be placed under bonds, contracts and the like. People often take advantage of individuals who fail to fulfill agreements under bonds and contracts, and they may subject them to blackmail or compel them to serve their demands. Just like the wizards may not have been able to do much under the Imperius curse, individuals cannot do much after being placed under a bond.
People with the power to enslave others and control them in this way gradually can take control of a lot of people. Politicians have the power to do this when they are ion power and create particular decrees that compel the people in a country to act accordingly. Getting people to act according to the demands of a ruler is also enslavement. The same thing is in effect in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. The words mentioned in this book that say exactly what one should know about a man’s behavior towards others are as follows: “If you want to know what a man's like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals” . These are precise words and ones that say a lot about class difference and individual attitude in view of a person’s social position. However, the intention that Voldemort had was to get all the slaves together and then get rid of them so that there would be almost a nation of pure bloods. This sounds very familiar; history rings a bell here, and one is compelled to consider the Second World War in which the Germans had attempted and succeeded at doing this to some extent. However, this is something is opposed to Marxist theory because of the fact that Marxism does not hold with purifying a community through enslavement and other similar practices.
Though it has been blamed for what happened in the Second World War, Marxism promotes diversity. Again here one of its tenets may be considered as it was earlier: to each one according to his need, and from each one according to his capability . These words automatically clear Marxism, promoting the appreciation of diversity in society. Establishing a pure race is no where within the tenets of Marxism because it is a theory that primarily focuses on the value of human life and effort . This human life and effort cannot be compared or compensated for economically; it cannot be sold as a commodity, and should not be sold as such. Instead, the value of human life and effort is so high that it should be cared for in such a way that the state appreciates it through its entire existence. This is particularly the reason why this theory does not believe in the accumulation of personal assets; it is more focused on state-provided care in order to maintain power that is distributed among the people. When power rests with the state, no individual a group can rise up easily and take control of others with shortage of resources or power. In Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, this is what causes the problem in the magician’s community; a handful of magicians manage to take control of others through their crafty ways and gain more and more control. “There was no point in worrying yet.... what would come, would come... and he would have to meet it when it did” . It is through brave and selfless efforts that Harry manages to overturn these efforts. Harry is not just interested in saving the community nor is he totally against wrong doings, but he is keen on opposing domination. He becomes a hero because he has one aim and that is to protect what was important to everyone primarily. He wanted to protect the Philosopher’s Stone and also confront the evil magicians. However, it is these efforts that build up a community connectedness. In his efforts he had to seek help from those he could. Without his friends by his side, Harry might not have been able to get to the Philosopher’s Stone.
In the Triwizard Tournament as well, Harry is not alone. Hagrid and Moody had helped him in getting him past the dragon. Also, Cedric and Dobby had helped him further when they helped him decrypt the golden egg; this enabled Harry to rescue the underwater victims.
While trying to figure out what Harry may have done single-handedly, there is apparently little to go on. This even includes Harry getting through the maze; he would not have been able to get through had it not been for the protective charms created by his wand's connection with Voldemort's wand. Trouble for Voldemort was inevitable. “It's a strange thing, but when you are dreading something, and would give anything to slow down time, it has a disobliging habit of speeding up” . 
Harry was also under the protection of his parents’ sacrifice. Harry always thought about his parents; he also thought “about his father” . He also thought about his father's three oldest friends: Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs” (Chapter 21, p. 407)
His parents’ sacrifice was the thing that kept him alive. Therefore, whenever he is apparently cornered, he has a way out. Harry only needs to apply himself; his basic groundwork and skill help him out, and reinforcing his skill is the protection he is under. This does not mean that Harry is not brave because he is certainly courageous. His courage is observed when he goes before the wicked magicians alone. However, Harry is aware of the help that he gets, and makes it known too because he openly encourages Hagrid to start teaching again. He also tells Cedric about the dragon. This means that Harry is aware of each person’s role and values a connected effort. Informing those who helped him about what they should and can do exposes Harry’s value for their efforts and time. He knows the value of time and understands the value of acing all situations in the contest.

The Importance of Time:

Time is of immense importance because kit helps Harry become a better magician. The experience he gains here at the contest will help him in his future as a complete wizard. For Harry, patience is a must, and whatever he does he needs to be patient; whether one observes his life with the Dursley’s or his period in the magical contest, Harry has to mature slowly. This helps him to become a better thinker who does not always need to depend on magic.
In spite of him knowing that he needs to be patient. Harry is faced with little choice. He was told not to use his magical powers because it may not have been safe for him to do so. However, he had to do so because he had to defend himself. Fortunately, it all went his way from the beginning right till the fifth story of Harry in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.
Had the other students at Howgarts not been stubborn to study defense spells, they might not have been able to save themselves in the end. These students were aware of the corrupt Ministry of magic trying to take over the magic school; they knew that this ministry was not allowing the students to learn defense against their dark spells. However, studying defensive spells secretly allows the young magicians to escape. They developed a secret study group just for the sake of learning how to defend themselves and overturn any dark spell that the Ministry could put on them. Luna Lovegood asserts the inevitability of conflict when she says “No, I think I'll just go down and have some pudding and wait for it all to turn up.... It always does in the end” .  Perhaps, they knew what was about to happen.

A Secretive Approach:

The secrecy involved with learning how to overturn evil and crippling spells is reminiscent of the way that people from the oppressed class would go about formulating a plan to bring down oppressors. This is how a revolution is brought about. Undoubtedly, death and destruction is involved in the process, but after the clash, there is peace. In Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix this is what the students did when they secretly studied defensive spells together. They managed to stat a revolt; they were in a significant number to overthrow the oppressors, and managed to do so successfully. The best part about this plan is that the oppressors knew little about it. The secrecy involved in their practice was in fact a weapon on its own. This helped the students take the oppressors by surprise, as it should be in a revolt. They were surprised because of the fact that their spells were not successful when they were really relying on them to take control and maximize their hold on the students.
The manner in which the students secretly studied the defense spells speaks for the power of knowledge; it is knowledge of the defense spells that helped them survive. It gave them power to survive. In Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix it becomes apparent to everyone that education is in jeopardy because of the Dark Ministry at work. Everyone knows that there is something bad going on, but there is little that they could do. It is only thanks to a few individuals who had good ideas that a plan was devised. The plan was devised and implemented accordingly. Even though there were few working their way through, it made a whole lot of difference in the end. The value to learn here is that even a few individuals with common sense and skill can make a difference for a large number of people. This is because if they can manage their plans well and implement them without being interfered with there is a lot that can be achieved. The key is to keep it all a secret and not let anyone know anything about the plan. By doing this, there are greater chances of success because when no one knows about a revolt, especially the enemy, there can be no action against. The opposition would not know how to deal with it. They would not even have time to deal with it when it does occur, and so, this makes the chances of a successful revolt even greater.
In addition to the Marxist secrecy observed in action against the Dark Ministry, there are particular rules that are given at the beginning. The Sorting Hat warns the students about standing together. It is their unity that would prevent them from being defeated. The problem is that the housing system at the Hogwart’s was the reason why they were separated into two groups . Fortunately though, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and Neville are all in the same house as Harry. This makes it easier fro them to stick together. However, there is still a lot that they have to overcome because of the existing segregation that exists among many of the students. Inside the school at which they were studying magic as well as outside there was a lot of segregation and hostility as well. The pure bloods wanted to have control, and they wanted to take control of the magic school so that only they would be educated in magic. This would reinforce their control in the wider society as well. Obviously, they were not satisfied with the success that half bloods and mudbloods had with doing magic.

Conflict between Children and Witches:

In addition to stories like Harry Potter portraying the manner in which one class oppresses another in the way that the pure bloods oppressed the half bloods, the mudbloods and the elves, there are other means through which evil-doers accomplish their goals. There are evil-doers that come under disguise too. They may appear to be average looking people that the ordinary person may not be able to suspect, which is the reason why they are most dangerous. Nobody knows who they are; they are trusted all the way through their secret evil deeds, and often go on being undetected for years. Literature that reveals such is in the book by Roald Dahl, called ‘The Witches’. In this book, the difference between the fairy-tale idea of witches and real idea of witches is revealed.
‘The witches’ by Roald Dahl is an interesting book that reveals the way that people conceal their real personalities but still manage to get what they want. The book tells one about a seven-year-old boy who comes face to face with real-life witches. These witches are like no others that one reads about in a fairy-tale. The book reveals that witches are quite different to those funny or evil looking women dressed up unusually. No, witches are not those that have long ugly hair, wear pointed, tall hats, wear pointed shoes, have a black cat or fly around on a broom. Witches are those women living among us that seem to be like any other women: they all dress up the same way and look the same too. This makes it so difficult to trace them out. They have ordinary lifestyles and may have ordinary jobs too. The only thing about witches is that they do not like children. They may, on the surface, pretend to like children around them, but they actually hate them. They can be very deceptive too, which is what makes them dangerous. Children may be able to detect it when a person does not like them for some reason. They may not even want to go anywhere near such women. However, some parents find that their children are being shy or just plain rude to women when they do that. People do not actually read what a child senses, and these feelings of a child are hardly ever wrong. This is because children do not react in such ways for no reason at all; there has to be a reason for their fear or dislike of some women.
Quite obviously, children would fear evil women because they know there is really something to fear about them. According to Dahl, evil women (witches) are capable of going through great lengths in order to do away with children. They are liable to perform any amount of evil spells to get rid of them for good. Children who know this, would do their level best to escape. However, Roald Dahl tells one about a child wanting to expose the existence of a witch before the witch disposes of the child.
There are different angles from which one may look at Roald Dahl’s work in the ‘The Witches’. This is because as far as evil-doing is concerned, it can be said that a state needs to be aware and informed about evil-doers and those individuals that attempt to bring down a state. Especially those individuals that may be a part of a much larger organization or class need to be taken into consideration. In view of this, it must be said that the witches in disguise are the ones to be watched out for; there needs to be a great deal of awareness regarding this issue.
Looking at this book from another angle will reveal that there is need to be careful regarding concrete evidence against individuals. Any individual might be accused of evil-doing and be targeted. This would be a dreadful situation if the public is stirred up for no rhyme or reason against any individual or group. However, in the light of proof being present to pin an individual down for perpetration, action may be taken. When a state is informed of any misdeeds or unusual action, there is first of all need for thorough investigation. It is through this investigative process that it can be determined what has to be done in the next stage.
If there is sufficient proof against an individual for wrong-doings, s/he may be taken into custody straight away. Individuals who have committed crimes in the past have particular patterns that are followed. It is on the basis of these patterns that they may be reason to suspect them of evil-doing.
When it comes to detecting witches in Roald Dahl and arousing suspicion about them, one can say that those are first and foremost in danger need to be considered first. They are the ones that are capable of having as much information as possible about witches and should be taken as seriously as possible. The spreading of knowledge about witches is important because the more people know about it the better. This is not mere propaganda, but is awareness among people in a state .
Another important point to note in ‘The Witches’ is there is existence of groups that may be measured by Marxist theory . Witches can be considered as one class or group as opposed to children. The children can be described as the targeted group while the witches can be described as the oppressors. Since the children are the ones that are most likely to be targeted, they need to watch out for adults, particularly women. The oppressor class does not necessarily consist of a great many evil women, but there is need to be ware of who might be evil among the women.  

Conclusion:

Conflicts may be generally the same through time because of the fact that the source of these conflicts lies in inequalities regarding resources. This is typically a Marxist view because Marxism holds that the basic reason for conflict and disharmony is inequality of resources. When one class possesses more resources than the other, there is bound to be some form of conflict. This is because one class tries to dominate the other. Also, the class that does not have all the resources may be displeased and conflict with the class that has all the resources. It is a well known trend that the class with all the resources dominates the class with fewer resources.
Those with the power to dominate will do so, and this power to dominate comes through the possession of resources. This is something that has been observed in all parts of the Harry Potter books, as well as ‘The Witches’ by Roald Dahl. Those with the ability to be harsh or take control will ultimately do so unless they are stooped. In Harry Potter, the readers observe that the oppressed magicians (the half bloods and the mudbloods) finally manage to overcome oppression by the pure bloods. In ‘The Witches’ too, the 7-year-old boy manages to expose the witches that were out to dispose of him.

References:

Adorno, Theodor. 1968. "Is Marx Obsolete?" Diogenes 64 1-16
Adorno, Theodor. 1978. "Freudian Theory and the Pattern of Fascist Propaganda", The Culture Industry 114-35;
Arato, Andrew & Gebhardt, eds., 1978. The Essential Frankfurt School Reader Oxford: Blackwell, 118-137
Avineri, S. 1968. The Social and Political Thought of Karl Marx
Greenblatt, Stephen. 1978, "Marlow, Marx, and Anti-Semitism."   Critical Inquiry  5(2):  291-307.
Kolakowski, Leszek. 1978. "The Frankfurt School and 'Critical Theory'" 341-95 in his Main Currents of Marxism, vol 3, trans. P.S. Falla. London: Oxford University Press.
Lukàcs, G. 1971. History and Class Consciousness
Marx, Karl & Engels, Frederick. The Communist Manifesto, 1848.
Ollman, Bertell. Alienation: Marx's Conception of Man in Capitalist Society (Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 1971).
Rowling, J.K. "Dobby's Reward," Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, 1999.
Rowling, J.K. "The Beginning," Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, 2000.
Rowling, J.K. "The Second War Begins," Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, 2003.
Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, 2000.
Rowling, J.K. The Man with Two Faces, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, 1997.