Squibs in the Wizarding World.

By Starkiller, (c) 2006.




I never really gave much thought to the place and role of Squibs in the Wizarding World. I just took what we were given within the text about them and didn't bother to consider it any further. However, as I started writing an OC that was a Squib and very defensive about it, it got me thinking – just how are Squibs viewed in the Wizarding World?

The Wizarding World exhibits certain prejudices that they don't see anything particularly wrong with – the House Elves is the biggest example of this, what Hermione describes as being a slave race. Her attempts to 'liberate' the House Elves gains no supporters, despite Ron telling her repeatedly that the House Elves like their role as the servants/slaves to the Wizards, she continues to try to gain equality for them. J. K. Rowling dedicates a lot of time to Hermione's quest for House Elf equality, attempting to make the plight of the House Elves something that the reader will empathise with Hermione about. Whatever message she was making within the text, however, was lost with the appearance on film of 'Jar-Jar Dobby' as Dobby has been unfortunately nick named.

Squibs, however, are rarely, if ever, presented in any sort of positive light. Within the text, the reader's first introduction to Squibs is the school caretaker, Argus Filch. In chapter nine of 'Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets,' entitled 'The Writing on the Wall,' Ron describes what it is that makes Filch a Squib, and introduces the reader to the Kwikspell Course.

"Well -- it's not funny really -- but as it's Filch," he said. "A Squib is someone who was born into a wizarding family but hasn't got any magic powers. Kind of the opposite of Muggle-born wizards, but Squibs are quite unusual. If Filch's trying to learn magic from a Kwikspell course, I reckon he must be a Squib. It would explain a lot. Like why he hates students so much." Ron gave a satisfied smile. "He's bitter." [1]

In an interview, J. K. Rowling has addressed the concept of blood status within her books. She speaks in broad terms, but its clear that she is referring to pure-blood versus half-blood and so on. In the 'Entertainment Weekly' article of October 2000, J. K. Rowling said,

 

"Because bigotry is probably the thing I detest most. All forms of intolerance, the whole idea of "that which is different from me is necessary evil." I really like to explore the idea that difference is equal and good. But there's another idea that I like to explore, too. Oppressed groups are not, generally speaking, people who stand firmly together -- no, sadly, they kind of subdivide among themselves and fight like hell. That's human nature, so that's what you see here. This world of wizards and witches, they're already ostracized, and then within themselves, they've formed a loathsome pecking order." [2]

Squibs are explained to be a much rarer birth than a wizard or witch born to non-magical parents. Within the text, J. K. Rowling has introduced us to two Squibs – Argus Filch, who is a figure of ridicule and derision, tinged with pity, and Arabella Figg, a woman who is a member of the Order of the Phoenix and treated dismissively by her contemporaries, as seen by the way she is spoken to in 'Order of the Phoenix' when rescuing Harry and Dudley from the Dementors after Mundungus Fletcher abandoned his post of watching over Harry. It appears, from the text, that Squibs can see magical beings, such as ghosts and thestrals, but are unable to see Dementors. No reason for this is really given, though I hypothesise that the intent of the author in this instance is to indicate that the fact Squibs have little to no magical ability means that the Dementors are unable to suck the joy from their souls or care to. Does this then mean that within her own text, J. K. Rowling has contradicted herself as regards bigotry and blood status, insofar as her treatment of Squibs? This is purely a hypothetical question, but it is one that is worthy of consideration.

The word 'Squib' comes from the English 'firework that refuses to ignite properly.' Essentially, this means that Squibs, if we take this definition, are wizards and witches that are duds, unable to work properly within their society. It is sad that a group of people who are just as valid members of a society are treated little better than the House Elves for whom Hermione launches her campaign of liberation – after all, Squibs are fellow human beings and the continued oppression of them, the dehumanising of them and the lack of voice for their equality shows a far deeper sense of bigotry than the pure-blood versus half-blood bigotry presented in the text.

There has been suggestion that the numerous cats that follow the Squibs in the text are equivalent to guide dogs, functioning for the Squibs much the way that a guide dog functions for the blind.

Another point for the argument that says there is bigotry towards those who are born as Squibs is the fact that Neville Longbottom's family was initially worried that he would be a Squib, (emphasis mine.) The HP Lexicon backs up this statement with the following quote:

 

Neville is the son of Frank and Alice Longbottom, famous and well-liked Aurors, born in 1980. He attends Hogwarts. For some years, it was wondered if he might be a Squib, but fortunately this wasn't the case. (Emphasis mine.) [3]

Life as a Squib within a society that places the value of people on what their magical strength and prowess is would be difficult indeed. The invention of the Kwikspell Course that Filch subscribes to in order to try to make him a real wizard, is proof that there is demand enough within those who are born as Squibs to try to change themselves in order to be more accepted within their society. The fact that Filch is taking the Kwikspell course is the subject of much ridicule within the Gryffindor House, particularly the mirth of the Weasley twins, Ron and Harry. This derision from the students goes further along to prove the unequal place of Squibs within the Wizarding World.

The newly released information from J. K. Rowling regarding the Black family and the family tree has shed further insight onto the nature of acceptance or lack thereof of Squibs. The Blacks are a highly respected, pure blooded wizarding family, with a long and proud line. While Sirius Black takes great delight in rebelling against that line, it appears that with few exceptions, he is in the minority. On the Black family tree, is the following information that suggests the treatment of Squibs within the Wizarding World has been an ongoing thing for centuries and thus is so deeply engrained within their society it is not considered – by the Wizards – to be anything out of the ordinary.

 

Marius Black (disowned, dates unknown)
Son of Cygnus and Violetta (Bulstrode) Black.
3 siblings: 1 older brother Pollux, older sister Cassiopeia (1915-1992), and younger sister Dorea (1920-1977).
Disowned for being 'a squib' represented by a burn hole in the Black Family Tree. [4]

In looking at the wonderfully detailed timeline provided by the HP Lexicon, one can see that Squibs in Wizarding society have dated back (at least) to the seventeenth century. In 1632, Thaddeus Thurkell was born. His claim to fame is that he fathered seven Squib sons and turned them all into hedgehogs in disgust, as written on the Famous Wizards collector cards. This is the only mention in the timeline of Squibs at all, so it is fair to say that they do not play any role that is perceived as useful or wanted within the Wizarding World.

Neville Longbottom is represented within the text as being one who was feared to be a Squib by his family. As he is Harry's friend, and the books are from Harry's point of view, there is less derision and contempt levelled at Neville, although there is a fair amount of pity, condescension and concession given to Neville, for example, the idea that one shouldn't mind Neville, he's not that bright, he's almost a Squib. (Paraphrasing mine.) In the text, the quote that shows that Neville himself is indoctrinated into the idea that being a Squib is something to be highly ashamed of reads as follows.

 

'They went for Filch first,' Neville said, his round face fearful, 'and everyone knows I'm almost a Squib.' [5]

In her essay, 'Imagi(c)nation in Harry Potter and the Philospher's Stone,' Connie Ann Kirk writes of Neville's early life:

 

(He was raised by his Gran,) watched him with great anticipation for signs of magical ability, which he claims did not manifest until he was eight. At that time, he bounced when Great-uncle Algie accidentally dropped him from a window, and Gran cried tears of joy. [6]

And in the essay 'That Had to Hurt…or Did it?' by Steve Van Der Ark:

 

Neville's family thought he might be a Squib. In order to test him, his great-uncle tried to surprise the little fellow by nearly killing him. He pushed him off a pier into the ocean, for example (PS7). Apparently, the magic-ness in him, if there is any, will manifest itself in a surprise of that kind. Then he got dropped from an upper story window and he bounced! This built-in protection indicated to his family that he was in fact magical. In the Muggle world, this great-uncle would be up on child endangerment charges. In the Wizarding World, there's a celebration. [7]

Wizards can be born as Squibs, but as early childhood development seems not to have the emphasis placed upon it in the Wizarding World that it does in our society, this can take a few years to manifest. Whether or not this is due to different standards of early childhood development and knowledge is not demonstrated within any of the texts or within interviews with J. K. Rowling and so therefore is not something upon which I can discuss with any material to support my argument. It is noted that all children who are not Squibs are sent an invitation to attend Hogwarts.

From Neville Longbottom, we move to the family of Gaunt. Within the text, the Gaunt family is an ancient pure blood line, but they have degenerated from proud and powerful to almost Squib level, from years of inbreeding. We only have Dumbledore's collection of memories from various sources that can be viewed in a pensieve to examine the Gaunt family, so some bias is to be expected.

Merope Gaunt, the mother of Tom Riddle, is described in the text by her father as being akin to a Squib; her father is abusive to her and uses the term with great derision and scorn, Harry notes that she looks utterly defeated. Her story is tragic: she falls in love with the handsome Muggle, Tom Riddle senior, and after her father and brother were sent to Azkaban, she used a potion to make him fall in love with her and conceived a child – Tom Riddle who became Voldemort. Merope stopped using the potion on her husband and after it wore off, he cast her out of his house and she ended up in London, sick and destitute, having to give birth in a shelter during the late 1920's.

There is little further evidence of the treatment of Squibs within the Wizarding World in the text. The only other individual who could be considered to be a Squib were it not for his talent with the Obliviate charm is Gilderoy Lockhart. Despite his penchant for having an ego larger than China, he is a subject of great scorn from the boys, great admiration from the girls, and great disgust from the professors until his own Obliviate backfires and lands him in St. Mungo's.

In all these instances, from those we know to be Squibs like Argus Filch and Arabella Figg, to those we are told could almost be Squibs like Neville Longbottom, the Gaunt Family and Gilderoy Lockhart, there is a constant thread of scorn directed at those who are suffering the misfortune of being born without or with minimal magical ability through no fault of their own. I am reminded a little of Apartheid in South Africa in the 1980's, but that is my own observation.

[Note: I have bolded the word 'akin' in relation to Merope being refered to as a Squib by her father for clarity.]

______________________________
[1] 'The Writing on the Wall,' chapter nine, 'Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.' J. K. Rowling, Bloomsbury Press, 1998.
[2] Interview with J. K. Rowling, Entertainment Weekly, 7th September 2000
[3] Neville Longbottom, HP Lexicon, http://www.hp-lexicon.org/wizards/neville.html, 2006
[4] The Black Family Tree, The Black Family Tree (BFT)
created by Rowling for the International Book Aid charity auction, Feb 21 2006
[5] 'The Duelling Club,' chapter eleven, 'Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets,' J. K. Rowling, Bloomsbury Press, 1998.
[6] 'Imagi(c)nation in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone,' Connie Ann Kirk, http://www.hp-lexicon.org/essays/essay-imagicnation.html, 2003
[7] 'That Had to Hurt…or did it?,' Steve Van Der Ark, http://www.hp-lexicon.org/essays/essay-that-had-to-hurt.html, 2002.


References:

HP Lexicon, 'Neville Longbottom,' http://www.hp-lexicon.org/wizards/neville.html, 2006.
HP Lexicon, 'The Gaunt Family,' http://www.hp-lexicon.org/wizards/gauntfamily.html, 2006.
HP Lexicon, 'Timelines and Calenders,' http://www.hp-lexicon.org/timeline.html, 2006.
HP Lexicon, 'Wizards Young and Old,' http://www.hp-lexicon.org/wizworld/wizard-life.html, 2006.
Inman, Lisa, 'Magical Ability and Magic Wands,' http://www.hp-lexicon.org/essays/essay-magical-ability.html, 2001.
Kirk, Connie Ann, 'Imagi(c)nation in Harry Potter and the Philospher's Stone, http://www.hp-lexicon.org/essays/essay-imagicnation.html, 2003.
Rowling, J. K, 'Harry Potter and the Philospher's Stone,' Bloomsbury Press, 1997.
Rowling, J. K, 'Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets,' Bloomsbury Press, 1998.
Rowling, J. K, Interview, Entertaiment Weekly, 7th September, 2000.
Rowling, J. K, 'Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix,' Bloomsbury Press, 2002.
Rowling, J. K, 'Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince,' Bloomsbury Press, 2005.
Rowling, J. K, 'The Black Family Tree,' International Book Aid Charities, 2006.
Van Der Ark, Steve, 'That Had to Hurt…or Did it?,' http://www.hp-lexicon.org/essays/essay-that-had-to-hurt.html, 2002.