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'Fantastic Beasts' and the Problematic Politics of J.K. Rowling

Not a read of J.K....more of a light skim.

By Jo' AshPublished 5 years ago 6 min read
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Image via IGN

I would like to preface this by saying that I like the Harry Potter franchise. I am part of the generation that grew up with the books and the characters. I remember my older brother warning me about Hermione's name and telling me how it was pronounced (I was all ready to call her Her-me-own). I remember the twists, turns, and shocks that came with reading the books. I still feel betrayed that we didn't get the Full Veela Extravaganza in the movie adaption of Goblet of Fire. I don't even like to say the M word (you all know the one). I am in no way someone that wants to hate on the franchise just to hate it.

However.

Since Harry's scar never hurt again and all was well, the universe has been taking some interesting turns. From the posthumous outing of Albus Dumbledore to Nagini being a cursed human, the additions to the Harry Potter universe after the Battle of Hogwarts have been...questionable to say the least.

Spoilers From Here

Now that's out the way, let's get into why we're here. Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (the title format alone...Grindelwald had nothing to do with those beasts) was a film that I felt gripped by. I would say that it was a lot better than I thought it would be. The (needlessly) titular beasts looked lovely, and I particularly liked how the script built us to to the beasts that were already part of different real-world cultures. Mentioning them by name meant that any mythology nerds (like me) were braced to see what they'd look like in this world and they did not disappoint. Special shout out to the kelpie who didn't really look as equine as I'd have imagined until we saw it's head out of the water. Of course, it would look like a lump of kelp underwater. Camouflage!

The characterisation of Dumbledore as someone that wants to help but refuses to be straightforward about it was very fitting. Of course, that queen would have a meeting on a roof. Purely to be extra. A stunt queen. Queenie was another character who I already enjoyed in the first film but in this film, I truly fell for her. Maybe it's some deep desire to play Adelaide in Guys and Dolls or Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors that sparked my empathy for her. When she said "he wants what I want" in that Megan Hilty in Smash Marilyn Monroe accent and walked through the flames, whew. I felt that. Newt's deliciously awkward demeanour helped provide levity and heart to a movie that seems somewhat congested with a lot going on.

Finally, Zoe Kravitz as Leta Lestrange (which is absolutely a drag name) was everything. Her backstory of being a child who was the result of her mother being under the imperius curse so she'd lay with her father, drew a parallel to Merope Gaunt using a love potion to gain the affection of Tom Riddle Sr and conceiving Voldemort. However, despite being conceived under magic that robbed someone of consent, Leta turned out to be a more positive character capable of love. This provided a nice antidote to what was a (daft) implication that the circumstances of Voldemort's conception are what made him evil. Leta's backstory involving the racial politics of a powerful white man claiming a black body for his own consumption, (despite it literally making Leta Lestrange a tragic mulatto) was a rather savvy addition as to how racial politics could play out in the magical world.

Having a woman of colour play Nagini, despite the initial announcement being met with criticism very nearly made sense. People of colour often were part of sideshow exhibits and were dehumanised and fetishised the same way that Nagini was. Her transforming into a snake because of a blood curse, and with that being part of her performance in the sideshow, was a visual representation of a white man profiting from the literal dehumanisation of a woman of colour. Which, despite being a real-life issue, was again another smart way of (finally) looking at how racial politics may play out in the HP universe.

Okay now here is where the politics of the film take a turn that I found... uncomfortable.

The film starts with Theseus Scamander suggesting that New Scamander pick a side in the conflict between the Ministry of Magic, and with Grindelwald. Initially, Newt refuses to pick a side, but following the events of the movie, including the death of Leta Lestrange, and the defection of Queenie to Grindelwald's forces, Newt goes on to side with the ministry. Queenie joining Grindelwald was a particularly interesting moment in the movie for me. Being in love with a muggle (I'm British I'm gonna say muggle), Queenie was not allowed to marry the man that she loved under the systems in place in the time of the film. Because of this Queenie found herself isolated, frustrated and literally crying in the street (I'm sure she's a Pisces) because of the strain that put on her relationship. Grindelwald promised a restructuring of the current social rules for wizards that could have theoretically improved the life of Queenie.

Now.

This is not a defence of Grindelwald. Sing it with me. Sopranos, altos tenors, loud, and proud.

This is NOT a defence of Grindelwald.

I am too queer and too black to think a man who thinks that those who have access to the most power should be in charge.

However.

As I saw the movie I thought of the film ending with using the established in-universe political system to be framed as the "right side" by the central protagonist made me think about the idea of resistance and how we resist, and part of that is new socio-political ideas that are met with resistance by the powers that be.

J.K's history of transphobia (related article linked below) draws parallels to a very old school thought of what constitutes womanhood, she seemingly refuses to update these ideas. There was cultural appropriation when she tried (note I said tried) to successfully build the magical world in North America (related article linked below) and (this one still throws me) she had hook-nosed goblins in charge of the money at Gringotts Bank. Dumbledore coming out posthumously made him a gay character that would be totally acceptable under section 28. Even after this movie! Thanks, J.K.! Gay rights! It seems like J.K. has some very outdated ideas of what is acceptable and what can be seen a sign of her own internal bigotry. She seems very set in her ways and seems to show either glacially slow change or no change at all. Her resistance to criticisms of this seemed to be eerily reflected in the Ministry of Magic's black and white stance on dealing with young wizards dealing with an obscurus parasite (read as: being totally down to murder). Along with their own refusal to change their policies or practises. Especially when you consider Creedence (I'm not calling him that Dumbledore name because that bit just didn't make sense) becoming somewhat of a political pawn in the movie, despite him essentially being, a sick orphan in need of help.

I'm aware that later movies and books in the timeline do address the problems with the Ministry of Magic but, when those books were being written, J.K. was not the public figure under criticism in the same way that she has become in recent years. I'm also aware that there are 3 movies left in this series so the issues in the Ministry of Magic may well be addressed and challenged, which I would LOVE.

To wrap things up, I just wanted to clarify that this was my own response to the framing of things within the movie especially considering J.K.'s previous behaviour. I still enjoyed the movie, and I just want to make it clear that.

I. Am. Not. Defending. Grindelwald.

Love, peace, and hair grease!

Jo'

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About the Creator

Jo' Ash

A British Musical Theatre Person™ who loves and writes about identity, the arts, and popular culture sometimes all at once!

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Twitter @Joashaha

Instagram @Joashhh

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