Harry Potter Cursed Child Controversy

Harry Potter is no stranger to controversy, heated debates, and a twitter savvy Author. Only just last year, 2016, the boy who lived and his friends were coming to the stage in a theatrical adaptation of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child creating more controversy with one particular casting – Hermione. In the past, the controversy merely spread by word of mouth and through news reports as many religious followers denounced the book as potentially being satanic in nature due to its themes of witches and wizardry. The uproar only boosted sales. In the time of social media, controversy and opposition have evolved with the technology and platforms that allow people to come together. In the case of Rowling’s stage play the controversy occurred when Noma Dumezweni, award winning black actor, was cast in the role of adult Hermione Grainger.
The books had been previously immortalized on the silver screen with young Emma Watson playing the role of the intellectual frizzy-haired witch Hermione Grainger. The character, as described in the books, never mentioned the ethnicity of the young witch. This small fact leaves the casting of the role open to varying possibilities for casting directors. It also escapes many long-time fans turned critics when their outrage exploded onto various social media platforms who felt betrayed, appalled, and even angry that a black woman was cast in the role. The most common argument centered around a

The references to minor descriptions from the books themselves, the covers, and the films are used to support their argument that Hermione is and should continue to be portrayed as a white character. Rowling’s post is often shared in tandem with those remarks as Ethos and Logos to establish the counter arguments. While Logos is the heavy favorite, there is still an underlying of Pathos in relation to the sentiment and emotional connection held by the commenters as was the case on