A character that plays a somewhat minute role in Harry Potter and the Order of the

Phoenix yet also demonstrates one of the most admirable and thoughtful examples of resistance

is none other than Firenze, the centaur Divination teacher. This character is introduced in the first

novel and practically disappears from the text until the fifth installment. However, the scant time

spent with Firenze only further emphasizes the gravity of his actions, which are already prone to

being overlooked.

In the fifth novel, resistance is often scrutinized and observed from the main characters,

but Firenze’s actions illuminate a rare type of rebellion. For instance, Firenze not only rebels

because he disagrees with those known to want to subdue and control him—wizards—but he

also rebels against his brethren. Firenze admits that his fellow centaurs see his taking the

Divination job “as a betrayal of [their] kind” but when he is questioned by his class he quickly

comments on the students’ ignorance concerning if Hagrid breeds the centaurs: “[c]entaurs are

not the servants or plaything of humans” (602). Firenze’s stance on both ideas reveals that he is

unafraid to rebuke both sides and instead of choosing one side, he rebels by supporting Hogwarts

and the centaurs. In addition to this middle-ground he creates, Firenze shows an awareness for

whom he resists and complies because he recognizes that within the wizarding and centaur

communities, there is a range of people and values. After Firenze’s first lesson, Harry describes

how unusual and unbiased the lesson is:

He [seems] perfectly unconcerned that not one of them [can] see any of the signs he

[describes], telling them that humans [are] hardly ever good at this, that it [takes] centaurs

years and years to become competent, and [finishes] by telling them it [is] foolish to put

too much faith in such things anyway, because even centaurs sometimes read them

wrongly. (604)
This thought reveals that while Firenze repeatedly remarks about centaurs’ superior wisdom, he

still views those that have oppressed him objectively. He proves that true rebellion does not need

to necessarily be a rejection of a group, but rather a rejection of restrictive thoughts. Moreover,

when studying the other centaurs’ rebellion, namely Bane’s, it is evident that while Firenze is

loyal to his brethren, he is more loyal to his own beliefs. His concern for Hagrid—a person who

“has since [earns] [his] respect for the care he shows all living creatures”—reveals this because

he goes out of his way to warn Hagrid of the dangers of the forest. Firenze’s actions display that

he goes against his brethren not because he disagrees with them, but because he respects

Hagrid’s values. In short, the effectiveness of Firenze’s resistance lies with his determination to

act with integrity and obey his own moral code.

Throughout the fifth book, resistance is shown in many ways and against many people,

like Voldemort, the Ministry of Magic, and Dolores Umbridge. Although, Firenze’s resistance is

interesting because he rejects the very core of each of these opponents. Voldemort thrives on

isolating people, as he does to Harry; the Ministry of Magic typecasts people and refuses to see

people are complex; and Umbridge shows little to no concern for any other moral compass than

that of her own. While Firenze is not the central character of the novel, his actions reveal that

resistance is not solely reserved for those in the limelight.