It’s been more than 20 years since the world was spellbound by the very first book about The Boy Who Lived. People from every corner of the globe breathlessly read about magic, dangerous potions, fantastic creatures, and fights against evil forces. According to a new paper, the young wizard’s victory has not been limited to the pages of the book series only. It actually makes people better in real life.
Specialists claim that true fans of Harry Potter are warmly attached to their friends are more likely to be tolerant toward stigmatized groups. They tend to develop higher empathy toward minorities. And this isn’t magic, this is science!
There were three parts of the study which confirmed the initial hypothesis. During the first test, elementary school kids participated in two surveys. They were conducted before and after children read the scenes which contained paragraphs related to prejudice (where Malfoy insulted Hermione Granger because she was a muggle) and neutral fragments (when Harry bought his wand).
High school and university students participated in experiments 2 and 3 of the study. They were asked about their emotions toward alienated people after reading about Harry Potter's adventures.
That happens because we have a chance to see the world through Harry’s eyes. And sometimes what we observe does not make us happy. For example, the critical topic of the book is Voldemort’s obsession with pure-blooded wizards. In fact, almost all characters had to cope with the difficulties arising from their differences.
While Hermione is a “Mudblood,” Ron Weasley lives in a poor family, and Neville Longbottom is incredibly klutzy and clumsy. Hagrid is a giant, that works as a Hogwarts teacher, but who isn't allowed to use magic. And despite all those quirks, they're still good friends, and they're always ready to support one another.
Furthermore, Harry himself knows how difficult it is to be different. He lost his parents and had to grow up with his “reactionary, prejudiced, narrow-minded, ignorant, and bigoted” relatives in a cupboard under the stairs. He did not have any friends and was often tormented by his cousin. Therefore, Harry gets it, he knows what it’s like.
So, this fantasy story helps people realize the unfairness in the wizarding world and notice similar examples of prejudice in the real world.
Harry’s character helps us understand that the main thing is to be kind to other people without paying attention to how different they can be. Albus Dumbledore's words confirm it: “Differences of habit and language are nothing at all if our aims are identical and our hearts are open.”
Preview photo: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets / Warner Bros
COMMENTS