Ambiguity in Star Wars and Harry Potter: A (Post)Structuralist Reading of Two Popular Myths (Cultural and Media Studies)

The study combines theories of myth, popular culture, structuralism and poststructuralism to explain the enormous appeal of »Star Wars« and »Harry Potter«. Although much research already exists on both stories individually, this book is the first to explicitly bring them together in order to explore their set-up and the ways in which their structures help produce ideologies on gender and ethnicity. Hereby, the comparison yields central insights into the workings of modern myth and uncovers structure as integral to the success of the popular genre. It addresses academic audiences and all those wishing to approach the tales from a fresh angle. Contents Acknowledgements 1. Introduction: Structural Ambiguity 2. Myth: Its Functions, Structure, and Workings in Society and (Contemporary Popular) Culture 2.1 Functions of Myth 2.2 The Structure of Myth (As a Reflection of Human Consciousness) 2.3 The Limitations of Structures and Mythical Ambiguity 2.4 Myth as Ideology 2.5 Myth and Popular Culture 3. The Superstructures of Star Wars and Harry Potter 3.1 A Structural ‘Star Wars’ 3.2 Dichotomised Frames: Harry Potter 4. The Mythical Ambiguity of Star Wars and Harry Potter 4.1 Star Wars’s Equivocal Messages 4.2 Harry Potter’s Ambiguous Intent 5. Evil Deconstruction 5.1 Questioning Dichotomies: The Emperor 5.2 ‘Play With Security’: Voldemort 6. Villainous Heroes and Heroic Villains 6.1 ‘Star-Cross’d’ Choice-Maker: Anakin Skywalker / Darth Vader 6.2 Villain-Type and Silent Hero: Severus Snape 7. Ideal Individuals 7.1 Unity in Duality / Duality in Unity: Harry Potter 7.2 Type and Individual: Luke Skywalker 8. Imperfect Ideals: The Women’s Question 8.1 Ambiguous Developments: Female Characters in Star Wars 8.2 Stasis and Play: Women in Harry Potter 9. Individuals, Helpers, and Structural Necessities 9.1 Good Nature Versus Evil Technology: Humanoid Characters in Star Wars 9.2 Structures and Formulas Promoting Social Equality (?): Humanoids in Harry Potter 10. Structural Displacement: Ethnic Diversity in Star Wars and Harry Potter 10.1 Token-Blacks and Evil Aliens: Star Wars 10.2 19th-Century Conflicts and Social Awareness: Ambiguous Otherness in Harry Potter 11. The End(ings): Conclusion 12. Works Cited Primary Sources Secondary Sources Internet Sources 13. Appendices Appendix 1 Appendix 2 Appendix 3 Appendix 4 The study combines theories of myth, popular culture, structuralism and poststructuralism to explain the enormous appeal of »Star Wars« and »Harry Potter«. Although much research already exists on both stories individually, this book is the first to explicitly bring them together in order to explore their set-up and the ways in which their structures help produce ideologies on gender and ethnicity. Hereby, the comparison yields central insights into the workings of modern myth and uncovers structure as integral to the success of the popular genre. It addresses academic audiences and all those wishing to approach the tales from a fresh angle. Myth,Popular Culture,Structuralism,Ideology,Star Wars,Harry Potter,Film,Literature,British Studies,American Studies,Cultural Studies The study combines theories of myth, popular culture, structuralism and poststructuralism to explain the enormous appeal of Star Wars and Harry Potter. Although much research already exists on both stories individually, this book is the first to explicitly bring them together in order to explore their set-up and the ways in which their structures help produce ideologies on gender and ethnicity. Hereby, the comparison yields central insights into the workings of modern myth and uncovers structure as integral to the success of the popular genre. It addresses academic audiences and all those wishing to approach the tales from a fresh angle. -- Publisher's description Biographical note: Christina Flotmann teaches English Literary and Cultural Studies at the University of Paderborn. Her research interests include contemporary popular culture and the Victorian era