While Mendlesohn’s observations on the depiction of kindness in the books are
legitimate, it may be that Rowling is actually reflecting the reality many people have of
kindness. People are willing to donate thirty dollars a month to help a child in a poor country
as an act of kindness but would never think of joining a political movement or social
movement which has as its aim to cause real change. This may involve change in
Government policies such as the implementation of true free trade policies so that poorer
countries are able to freely sell their goods in Western countries or the transfer of excess farm
produce to poorer countries from nations that subsidise their farmers to overproduce resulting
in dumping of excess produce where it is left to rot. Change in big companies’ business
practices can be encouraged so that production of items in poorer countries provides those
workers with a fair wage based on the price the products eventually sell for in Western
countries and that natural resources taken from poorer countries are paid for at a reasonable
rate. Such changes may enable the demise of world poverty and give all families in the world
an acceptable lifestyle. The payment of small amounts of money by kind hearted people so
that a child will survive in a third world, inevitably growing up into a culture of disease,
poverty and short life expectancy may be an accurate interpretation of one form of Western kindness. Rowling shows a flawed kindness, which is perhaps the real depiction of kindness
in the world of the majority of her readers.
It is important to note that there are numerous incidents of Harry Potter and his friends
being kind to those around them throughout the series. Hagrid is kind to both the students in
the school and the animals that he encounters as well as his giant half brother Grawp (OoP,
pp. 608-614). The trio of Ron, Hermione and Harry show kindness towards Neville
Longbottom even before they witness the condition Neville’s parents are in after being
tortured by the Death Eaters (OoP, pp. 452-455). Harry himself seems to be generally kind to
those around him except when Rowling presents the reader with the mood swings and
emotional minefield that can be part of being a teenager. Dumbledore is certainly depicted as
a kind headmaster who is always concerned for the welfare of his students regardless of the
policies that are being pushed onto him by the bureaucracy of the Ministry of Magic.
We are all flawed, as are the characters in the books, including the hero, Harry Potter.
We have some instances of moodiness exhibited by Harry when he is not so kind to those
around him. This is particularly illustrated in the fifth book in the series, OoP, where Harry
suffers moments of jealousy and anger towards his friends:
He could hardly bear to think of the pair of them having fun at The Burrow when he
was stuck in Privet Drive. In fact, he was so angry with them he had thrown away,
unopened, the two boxes of Honeydukes chocolates they’d set him for his birthday.
(p. 13).
But before he knew it, Harry was shouting.
‘SO YOU HAVEN’T BEEN IN THE MEETINGS, BIG DEAL! YOU’VE
STILL BEEN HERE, HAVEN’T YOU? YOU’VE STILL BEEN TOGETHER! ME,
I’VE BEEN STUCK AT THE DURSLEYS’ FOR A MONTH! AND I’VE HANDLED MORE THAN YOU TWO’VE EVER MANAGED AND DUMBLEDORE KNOWS
IT – WHO SAVED THE PHILOSOPHER’S STONE? WHO GOT RID OF RIDDLE?
WHO SAVED BOTH YOUR SKINS FROM THE DEMENTORS?’ (p. 63) [Capitals
in original].
These types of feelings, while unkind, can be seen as examples of the feelings that
most teenagers suffer from. Ron also shows jealousy and betrayal towards Harry when he is
convinced Harry placed his own name in the Goblet of Fire (GoF. pp. 251-252): “ ‘Yeah?’
said Ron, and there was no trace of a grin, forced or otherwise, on his face now. ‘You want to
get to bed, Harry, I expect you’ll need to be up early tomorrow for a photocall or
something.’ ” (p. 252). Harry, like most of us, has a dark side, which is sometimes shown in
his actions and emotions. At one stage Harry cannot understand why both Ron and Hermione
are made prefects when he isn’t and he is upset and jealous over their appointment: “I’ve
definitely done more, Harry thought indignantly. I’ve done more than either of them!” (OoP,
p. 152). We all have moments of jealousy when others get something we may have wished
for and though we should feel happy for them in the success they have gained we instead find
ourselves resentful. Instead of criticising Rowling for this depiction of flawed kindness we
should be praising her. She portrays the sort of select kindness that we all exhibit because we
all have emotions, which cause us turmoil. By portraying a heroic figure with real emotions,
including those less attractive emotions, Rowling helps readers understand that no one is
perfect and the reader is more readily able to identify with that hero because of his flawed
character.
As previously mentioned, students included kindness as a personal value that Harry
exhibits in the books (Appendix 7, Student Interview responses, p. 4). Students perceived
kindness as the most popular personal value that Harry displayed with nine students expressing opinions on this value compared to the next popular value which was caring for
others with six responses (Appendix 7: Student Interview responses, p. 4). Kindness is also
mentioned in other values people exhibit which include caring for others, helping others,
treating people equally, being interested in others and being thoughtful, which were all
commented on by students (Appendix 7: Student Interview responses, p. 4). Students
recognised the values in other characters that are linked with kindness or included kindness.
Hermione showed kindness and a caring attitude, Ron showed kindness, a caring attitude and
consideration for others, Dumbledore was kind, caring and treated people equally while
Hagrid was also kind, caring, loving and helpful (Appendix 7: Student Interview responses,
p. 5).
Importantly children recognised that for a character to be good they had to exhibit
kindness and the qualities linked to kindness. In answering the question “What makes them
good?” students listed some qualities that relate to kindness. These included:
• They have good qualities (humour, smart, helpful/fun to be with, kind,
caring)
• They are caring
• Try to help others
• Don’t put others down (Appendix 7: Student Interview responses, p. 6).
It is also relevant that students made statements on values that are opposite to those that are
based on kindness to explain what were the qualities of bad/evil characters in the series
(Appendix 7: Student Interview responses, pp. 7-8). These included:
• They hurt/kill people
• They seek power (without consideration for others)
• They are selfish
• They put people down
They take pleasure in seeing others suffer
• Don’t care about others’ feelings
• Don’t value other people
• They’re mean
• Hate others
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