Introduction
The wolf in sheep’s clothing is a traditional trope born from the same-named fable that teaches that appearances can be deceiving. The fable tells the story of a wolf wearing a sheep’s skin to blend with the rest of the sheep and lure an innocent lamb to make a meal out of it. It illustrates that some people will try to put on an innocent or appealing façade to masquerade as someone else to gain trust for personal gain.
Discussion
An example of a wolf in sheep’s clothing trope that can be traced in both movies and books is Dolores Umbridge from Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. At first glance, Mrs. Umbridge appears prim, she is dressed in traditional-style, predominantly pink clothing, has a proper accent, and seems obsessed with following the rules.
As the viewers and readers get to know Dolores closer, it becomes clear to them that she is only masquerading to be a nice person. Despite her pastel-colored outfit, she turns out to be one of the biggest villains and worst people in the Wizarding World. In The Order of the Phoenix, Umbridge assaults the children of Hogwarts, and later in the story, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, she is one of the minions of the Minister of Magic illegally appointed by the villainous regime of Voldemort (Kwan Chan, 2019).
Conclusion
Thus, to deceive the audience and other characters, Dolores Umbridge puts on a seemingly innocent façade, including her clothing, similar to what the wolf does in the fable. This allows for present herself as harmless and often naïve despite plotting something heinous against other characters of the story.
Reference
Kwan Chan, A. Y. (2019). Surveillance in Hogwarts: Dumbledore’s balancing act between managerialism and anarchism. Children’s Literature in Education, 50, 417-430.