The Glass Ceiling in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter The portrayal of female characters in British literature has often reflected society's broader perception of women during the period of a publication of the work. In this regard, the hugely popular Harry Potter series written by author JK Rowling is certainly no exception. The situation of women in late 20th century Britain has improved and in many ways is approaching parity with men, but it still remains a significant barrier to success. Rowling captures this gender dynamic throughout the Harry Potter series by including a diverse cast of resilient female characters who are not allowed to take on the same male-dominated leadership roles at Hogwarts, the Ministry of Magic, quidditch, and the Triwizards. tournament. The novels also focus on an important theme of maternal love which Rowling uses to explore the sacrifices women must make to raise their children well. Such issues have been present in British literature for over a century, with each generation seeing strides towards equality, both for fictional characters and for women of a given time period. The Harry Potter series, therefore, constitutes a reflection of the status of women in modern Britain which has progressed, but remains perpetually flawed. Rowling describes a lack of mobility for women at the highest levels of society through the absence of real female leadership roles, despite the apparent equality that a magical education is supposed to give women. Throughout the series, Rowling demonstrates that magic gives males and females equal power in theory, but that in practice positions of authority remain occupied by men. Magic alone is unable to discriminate between the sexes, being... at the heart of the paper... Two theories." BBC News. BBC, 21 October 2005. Web. May 2014. Rowling, JK. Harry Potter and the philosopher's stone. New York: Scholastic, 1997. Print. Rowling, JK Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets: New York: Scholastic, 1998. Print. Rowling, JK: Scholastic, 1999. Rowling, JK the Goblet of Fire: New York: Scholastic, 2000. Print.Rowling, JK. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince : Scholastic, 2007. Print.Rowling, JK “Welcome Message from the Sorting Hat of Ravenclaw. ." Pottermore: a unique HarryPotter experience online from JK Rowling. JK Rowling, 2014. Web. May 2014.