The Purpose of Binary Opposition

    Binary opposition is defined as a pair of related terms or concepts that are opposite in meaning. In literature, authors use binary opposites to explore the differences between groups, and often the boundaries between them. Binary opposition creates conflict because there are some people who don't fit into either group and fall into what is called the “grey area”. Authors such as J.K. Rowling in the Harry Potter series, and Anthony Doerr In All the Light We Cannot See, use binary opposition to show that dividing individuals into groups and categorizing them within society can cause problems. The issues that arise are not just seen in literature, but also in society today. 

     The magic community and non-magic community in Harry Potter would be considered binary opposites. Conflict is created because some individuals don't fall into either category, and instead fall into the “grey area”. Those of which are the muggle born and the half-blood. Hermione is a muggle born and Harry is a half-blood. These individuals are targeted by Lorde Voldemort because he believes that those who aren’t pure blood are a threat to the magic community, and therefore tries to kill them all. They are also despised by families like the Malfoys who believe in the superiority of pure-bloods. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xpj3krxJtNU 1:43-2:30--draco calling Hermione a Mudblood and thinking he is superior because he is pure-blood). The binary opposition is the underlying conflict throughout all the books and movies. The author, J.K. Rowling, uses it to show that danger arises when individuals within a society are categorized and placed into groups.

      The usage of binary opposites in All the light we cannot see has a similar purpose to harry potter. The novel is set during world war two when the Nazi party is trying to control the majority of Europe and is trying to weed out those who don't fit in the ideal image of the Aryan race. The binary opposites include the Nazi party, and then basically the rest of Europe as they don't fit the requirements of Aryan race. The Main characters, a blind French girl and a young German boy, are on opposite sides and fall into different categories. However, the boy did not believe in the Nazi youth and all the teachings of Hitler, and therefore fell into the “grey area”. The boy not fitting fully into one category and trying to save the blind girl led him to getting killed. Although it is only a book, it is historical fiction so the baseline of the book is true. There were many people during the war who were like the boy and died because they didn't believe in what Hitler was doing and tried to help those being persecuted.  The novel being historical fiction shows how the categorization of people into groups is not just dangerous in literature, but can also cause problems in real societies.

    The purpose of authors using binary opposition to show the danger of categorizing individuals doesn't just apply to fiction. It is an actual issue in the real world. In the case of genders, people are categorized as male or female. However, the problem with that is not everyone falls into either of these groupings. There are individuals that don't define themselves as either of those categories or don't meet all the ‘requirements” to be in either group. There are people who consider themselves, non-binary, gender fluid, transgender, along with other things. These people don't fit into the categories defined by society, which causes problems. These individuals are judged by others, can't do normal things like use a public restroom, play sports, and join the army without opposition from others. This is an ongoing battle because people were split into two categories without the consideration of people who don't fit the stereotypical standards of female and male.

     Authors use binary opposition for many reasons, one of which is to illustrate through their works that dividing individuals within a society based on characteristics and certain guidelines can be dangerous and cause problems. In Harry Potter and All the Light We Cannot See, the binary opposites of the magic world and non magic world and the Nazi party and the majority of Europeans Illustrate this problem in society. The characters in the stories don't all fall into the categories the societies are divided into which creates problems that mimic those that occur in the real world when individuals are categorized within societies.