Gender Portrayal in J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix: A Feminist Rhetorical Criticism

J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter novels are known throughout the world. They are credited with getting children and adults away from other forms of entertainment and back to reading a book for enjoyment. However, what do children and adults learn from reading these novels? This book examined J.K. Rowling's (2003) novel entitled,Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Although this novel has not yet been classified as a fairy tale, it does contain fairy tale elements. This work reviewed literature in the field of folklore, fairy tales, and feminism. Foss' (2004) four-step feminist criticism model was employed to analyze gender portrayals in the novel. According to Foss' model, the novel was analyzed for masculine or feminine perspectives of the world, effects on the audience, improvement of women's lives, and impact on rhetorical theory. Although Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is not a feminist tale, it has the potential to affect women and men positively and negatively. The study found women's roles were more realistically portrayed while men's roles were more traditionally portrayed. The novel both affirmed and contradicted gender roles created by society.