Anyone else think J.K Rowling is a spanko?

As an avid Harry Potter fan, I have just re-read all the books for the umpteenth time, and was struck by several references.

In The Philosopher's Stone (Sorcerer's Stone in the U,S.) Harry is being marched along by Professor McGonagall, having been caught flying without permission. She takes him to a classroom where she asks the teacher if she might 'Borrow Wood.' Harry wonders if Wood is a cane she is going to use on him. Now, given that Harry was brought up after cp ceased to be used in schools, why did he have that thought? Was he perhaps caned by the dreadful Dursleys?

In another novel, Ron describes a 'prank' played on him by the twins, and comments that he had never seen his dad so angry. He goes on to say, "George swears his right buttock has never been the same since."

The Order of the Phoenix has a telling moment when Phineas Nigellus refuses to accept an order from Dumbledore: "Shall I persuade him, Dumbledore?" called a gimlet-eyed witch, raising an unusually thick wand that looked not unlike a birch rod.

Later in the same book, Argus Filch is eager to deal with the Weasley twins: "I've got the form, Headmistress," he said hoarsely ... "I've got the form and I've got the whips waiting ... oh. let me do it now ..."

Just a thought - I'm obviously bored and have too much time on my hands!

Well, Hogwarts is an old fashioned English boarding school. References to spankings and canings are only to be expected given the setting, and don't necessarily say much about the author.

Is anyone here familiar with the youtube reviews of sfdebris, by the way? He's been making more and more spanking references lately, to the point where I'm pretty well convinced he's one of us.

Well I'm with you Linda, and not just on the bit about you having too much time on your hands .

Actually, Hogwarts seems to be in Scotland. Although cp wasn't officially banned until the late 90s, it had virtually died out much earlier. I went into teaching in 1983, and never saw it used. Besides, the references aren't all about school; they refer to home, and hint at adult spanking too.

The wizard society is archaic in many ways, though. It wouldn't surprise me if those traditions took longer to die for them.

Your second point about adult and home spanking references is valid, though. Perhaps you're on to something.

She was asking for Oliver Wood in the classroom. He's the Gryffindor Quidditch Captain and feels Harry would be perfect for catching the little Snitch ball after seeing his flying abilities and catching a ball in mid-air.

Of course you probably knew that already since you read them twice.

Does anyone remember the one with the aunt that visited his home? The one where she was blown up with air or something? Harry did mention that (in a joking way) they caned the students often. He said it be sarcastic.

bendover

Uh huh - I knew that! But Harry didn't at the time!


Twice? Double that - treble it! Quadruple it!

From chapter two of HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN (Book #3):

(Uncle Vernon has falsely told his sister, Dudley's Aunt Marge, that Harry attends St. Brutus's Secure Center for Incurably Criminal Boys.)

"I see," said Aunt Marge. "Do they use the cane at St. Brutus's, boy?" she barked across the table.
"Er--"
Uncle Vernon nodded curtly behind Aunt Marge's back.
"Yes," said Harry. Then, feeling he might as well do the thing properly, he added, "all the time."
"Excellent," said Aunt Marge. "I won't have this namby-pamby, wishy-washy nonsense about not hitting people who deserve it. A good thrashing is what's needed in ninety-nine cases out of a hundred. Have *you* been beaten often?"
"Oh, yeah," said Harry, "loads of times."
Aunt Marge narrowed her eyes.
"I still don't like your tone, boy," she said. "If you can speak of your beatings in that casual way, they clearly aren't hitting you hard enough. Petunia, I'd write if I were you. Make it clear that you approve the use of extreme force in this boy's case."

Well, I'm guessing that Aunt Marge was a spanker, notably with that 'highly inflated' view of herself... --C.K.

I would disagree that Aunt Marge was a spanker, rather a person who just had traditional views on how discipline should be maintained, and of course was made more extreme for comedic effect.

Now once she was sailing in the air she might have found a spanker ( the type of sail) helpful

I think I'll just leave this here: http://hpmor.com/

If you like comedy, science, and Harry Potter, you will LOVE this.