International Relations and Multiculturalism in Goblet of Fire

Introduction: The Harry Potter Series Beyond Entertainment

Rowling's series of books concerning the boy wizard Harry Potter has garnered a great deal of attention since the publication of the first volume over a decade ago. Much of it has been positive — the books have been credited with encouraging children to read, and even with rekindling faith in juvenile fiction altogether. Critics applaud Rowling's storytelling abilities, and her business acumen (with the help of Hollywood and other marketers) has made her one of the wealthiest individuals in the world, all from a seemingly simple series of books. Not all of the attention given to the Harry Potter series has been positive, however. The portrayal of witchcraft has angered many people, especially conservative Christians, and there are many who believe the books are simply frivolous stories with little point and absolutely no literary value. Given the strength of the world's reaction to these books, however, it is clear that whatever one thinks about their moral content or literary value, the Harry Potter books are anything but frivolous.

In fact, even the most basic reading of these books reveals lessons both explicitly stated in the text and layered beneath the surface of the story. This is true even of the overarching narrative of the entire series. Harry Potter is considered by many within the world of the novel as the savior of the wizarding world because he survived when the evil Voldemort tried to kill him. That same Dark Wizard succeeded in killing Harry's parents in the same attack, and much of the series revolves around sacrifice and coming to terms with grief and loss. This strain is readily apparent in the fourth book, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, but the main message of the novel deals less with loss than with acceptance — of other people, other cultures, and other ideas. Rowling's genius lies in weaving her lessons seamlessly into the plot, and this book says a great deal about multiculturalism.

Multiculturalism as the Central Theme of Goblet of Fire

It is somewhat doubtful that Rowling conducted formal research in preparing her depiction of international relations, but her accurate portrayal of the several stages many people go through when encountering a new and different culture for the first time is not diminished by this in the slightest. Part of Rowling's brilliance as a storyteller is her adept understanding and portrayal of human characteristics and feelings that are entirely universal, and the view taken of the foreign wizards and witches in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is no exception. Harry, Hermione, and Ron — as well as the other recurring characters of the series — do not view the foreigners through a single lens throughout the novel, but rather adjust their perceptions and opinions as they genuinely come to know the foreign guests at Hogwarts.

First Impressions: Sensationalism at the Quidditch World Cup

The first reaction the English characters show upon meeting foreigners is somewhat sensationalistic. This begins even before the Triwizard Tournament at Hogwarts is mentioned, while Harry is attending the Quidditch Cup with the Weasley family. Given the nature of the event — which is quite obviously modeled on soccer's World Cup and is a cause for extreme nationalism among all spectators, and even more so those camping beside the playing field — the stereotyped and sensational image of other cultures is not surprising. Thus, when Harry, Ron, and Hermione walk "into a patch of tents that were all covered with a thick growth of shamrocks," it does not seem unusual. The effect is somewhat more startling when the teen wizards encounter the Bulgarian section, but the overall impression one takes from the Quidditch Cup is that it is our tendency — whether Muggle or wizard — to paint foreigners with a broad brush, and perhaps even to interpret their behavior as confirming that image without much objectivity.