Reminders of Rugby in the Halls of Hogwarts: The Insidious Influence of the School Story Genre on the Works of J. K. Rowling

Abstract

The Harry Potter novels clearly contain elements from the school story tradition, yet there has been a tendency to view the fantasy series as a revision, rather than a continuation, of the genre. Considering the similarities between Tom Brown’s Schooldays and J.K. Rowling’s work reveals how the elitist traditions of the genre are perpetuated through a phenomenally popular series which, on the surface, appears to champion equality and diversity. Transcending both generational and geographical boundaries, Rowling’s books hold mass appeal, yet they simultaneously propagate elitist notions of class, gender, and masculine heroism that are integral to the school story tradition.