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Blood status and prejudice History MACUSA Muggles

Bartholomew Barebone

Bartholomew Barebone was a No-Maj whose discovery of the American wizarding community (thanks to Dorcus Twelvetrees giving him vital information) led to the instatement of Rappaport’s Law in the United States, completely segregating the magical and non-magical communities. Barebone was the descendant of Scourers, convinced to the reality of magic in society and devoted to destroying it (Pm).

Bartholomew Barebone
Gender Male
Species / Race Muggle
Blood Status Muggle
Family Groups Barebone Family
First Introduced Pm: Pottermore

Commentary

Etymology

"Barebone" hints at the Puritan Sourer legacy Bartholomew and his family carry on; first, it alludes to the austerity of Puritan sensibilities; second, Praise-God Barebone was an English Puritan of the Commonwealth/Interregnum (the period of English history between the English Civil War and the Restoration of the monarchy, when Puritans basically controlled the government and instituted reforms related to their religious and moral beliefs) who belonged to a sect particularly concerned with Judgement Day and whose name is used in reference to the appointed parliament which immediately preceded Oliver Cromwell being made Lord Protector (Barebone's parliament) (Sources: Wikipedia 1, 2, 3, 4, 5).

The name is also similar to that of Abraham "Brom Bones" Van Brunt from Washington Irving's short story "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow." In that story (which is set in 1790 - just one year after Barebone exposed the magical world), Brom Bones secures the hand of a young woman by exploiting the superstitious beliefs of his rival, Ichabod Crane, and scaring him away (source: "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow").

Pensieve (Comments)

Tags: discoveries persecution witch hunt

Editors: , and

Sources