MacNair

[machenback at hotmail.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 6967

--- In HPforGrownups at egroups.com, "Rita Winston" <catlady at w...> wrote:
> -- In HPforGrownups at egroups.com, "Simon" <simon.branford at h...> 
wrote:
> 
> > "Walden Macnair - Disposal of Dangerous Creatures"
> 
> Why was a dishonest sadist/bully like Macnair given the 
> good-connotation name of Walden?

I take it that the "good-connotation" is the word's connection with 
Thoreau? If so, then I think the answer is that "Walden" would have 
no such association for the majority of UK readers at least and 
possibly that JKR chose it out of her collection of interesting 
sounding words without wanting to make any wider reference.The only 
time I've ever seen Walden mentioned on the UK is in passing 
references in the Doonesbury comic strip.I wouldn't call Thoreau a 
widely recognised figure over here either.