This socially defined norm is to abhor abnormalities, and despite William’s young agePrejudice is a flawed act in which humans take part. Prejudice is the “preconceived opinion that is not based on reason or actual experience” (Oxford Dictionaries). Prejudice and its resultant problems are present across many genres. Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, and Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice showcase how prejudice negatively affects those being prejudiced, as well as those around them. Frankenstein’s creature becomes a killer due to the prejudice of others, Snape misleads Harry Potter and Harry’s friends due to his prejudice, and the entire town in Pride and Prejudice is enveloped in gossip and
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There is less emphasis on the direct harm caused by prejudice in this novel, but instead on the outside circumstances it influences. The primary source of prejudice is from Professor Severus Snape. Snape dislikes Harry’s father, as they were rivals in their time at school together, and extends his hatred for James Potter to James’ son. Harry mentions to Dumbledore: “Quirrell said he hates me because he hated my father” (Rowling 217) to which Dumbledore agrees. Snape’s hatred and prejudice towards Harry are the root of a major problem and oversight by the characters in the novel. Snape’s mistreatment of Harry and his friends leads to their mistrust of Snape. Consequently, Harry and his friends assume Snape is the one who has sided with Voldemort and is trying to obtain the Philosopher’s Stone. The students would not have been biased as to believe Snape was the culprit if he had been nicer. Instead, the students’ perception of Snape, stemmed from Snape’s prejudice and perhaps influenced by their own prejudice based on his unappealing appearance of “greasy black hair, a hooked nose, and sallow skin” (Rowling 94), blinds their judgement, leading them to believe he is evil. The students subsequently overlook anyone else that could have been the culprit instead of Snape. As Quirrell tells Harry: “Yes, Severus does seem like the type doesn’t he? So useful to have [Snape] swooping around like an overgrown bat” (Rowling 209). They did not even consider the possibility that Professor Quirrell was the traitor and not Snape since Snape allowed himself to be prejudiced towards Harry. Furthermore, prejudice from Malfoy and his fellow Slytherin housemates leads to their loss of the Hogwarts House Cup, due to their underestimation of Harry and his friends. They believe that since Hermione is a muggle-born and Ron’s family is poor, even though he is a pure blood, that they are a disgrace
There is less emphasis on the direct harm caused by prejudice in this novel, but instead on the outside circumstances it influences. The primary source of prejudice is from Professor Severus Snape. Snape dislikes Harry’s father, as they were rivals in their time at school together, and extends his hatred for James Potter to James’ son. Harry mentions to Dumbledore: “Quirrell said he hates me because he hated my father” (Rowling 217) to which Dumbledore agrees. Snape’s hatred and prejudice towards Harry are the root of a major problem and oversight by the characters in the novel. Snape’s mistreatment of Harry and his friends leads to their mistrust of Snape. Consequently, Harry and his friends assume Snape is the one who has sided with Voldemort and is trying to obtain the Philosopher’s Stone. The students would not have been biased as to believe Snape was the culprit if he had been nicer. Instead, the students’ perception of Snape, stemmed from Snape’s prejudice and perhaps influenced by their own prejudice based on his unappealing appearance of “greasy black hair, a hooked nose, and sallow skin” (Rowling 94), blinds their judgement, leading them to believe he is evil. The students subsequently overlook anyone else that could have been the culprit instead of Snape. As Quirrell tells Harry: “Yes, Severus does seem like the type doesn’t he? So useful to have [Snape] swooping around like an overgrown bat” (Rowling 209). They did not even consider the possibility that Professor Quirrell was the traitor and not Snape since Snape allowed himself to be prejudiced towards Harry. Furthermore, prejudice from Malfoy and his fellow Slytherin housemates leads to their loss of the Hogwarts House Cup, due to their underestimation of Harry and his friends. They believe that since Hermione is a muggle-born and Ron’s family is poor, even though he is a pure blood, that they are a disgrace