The 'Scrupulous Choices': Exploring the Function of Human Values in J.K. Rowling's The Tales of Beedle the Bard

Abstract

1. K. Rowling is a British novelist and philanthropist best known for her seven-volume children's fantasy series Harry Potter (1997-2007). She published a collection of fairytales from the wizarding world titled The Tales of Beedle the Bard for the general public on 4 December 2008. The final book in the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows refers to the same book.

Fairytales have a didactic purpose and uphold moral principles for their audience. Through the plot, setting and characterisation, the fairytales serve as an example to instil excellent morals in the readers. Characters in these stories are placed in precarious situations where they must make decisions. The readers can assess whether the decision made was better or worse for the individual and society based on its results. Furthermore, decision-making is greatly influenced by human values.

Human values are those values that benefit humanity and contribute to the development of a peaceful and improved society. Value-driven judgements are better and more fruitful than those motivated by self-gain. It is vividly demonstrated in the selected text. The fate of the characters bespeaks how decisions made for the good of others can lessen any form of pain, while those made without regard for others' feelings can make the sufferings worse. The research work tries to explore the function of human values behind the decisions made by the characters in the selected text.