7 Deadly Sins: Anger

[Peg Kerr]

No: HPFGUIDX 2545

I think about writing about anger in relation to Rowling's work, and the
prospect is almost overwhelming.  I mean, think about it--EVERYONE gets
angry in this series at one time or another, heroes and villains both.
Dumbledore, Voldemort, McGonnagall, Snape (of course), Harry, Ron,
Hermione, Sirius, Lupin, Draco (of course), Lucius Malfoy, Cornelius
Fudge, Amos Diggory, Madame Pomfrey, Madame Hooch--and the list goes on
and on.  Heck, just about everyone gets the chance to flail themselves
into a good tantrum or two.  (As a writer, I understand this.  Tantrums
can be a lot of fun to write.)

So, rather than evaluating every individual hissy fit, which would run
on ad infinitum (until everyone would get bored and delete the email
without reading all the way until the end) I want to take a look at
anger in general--what functions does it serve?

Well, anger splinters relationships, causing division and conflict
between allies--and conflict, of course, is the engine of plot.  Think
of the fight between Hermione and Ron over Crookshanks and the
Firebolt.  Think of how Snape's anger over the trick Sirius played on
him affected the events in the Shrieking Shack in PoA--he wasn't willing
to listen to Lupin and Sirius because he was still nursing that old
grudge--look at all the consequences that followed.  Remember how
Dumbledore chided Snape and Sirius to put their anger aside so that the
group as a whole can fight Voldemort.

Anger tests judgment.  If you know the difference between right and
wrong, the test of whether you will stick to your principles often comes
when you are really, really angry.  Will you do the right thing even
when you've lost your temper?  Think of all the times Ron slugs Draco
because Draco has really pissed him off, even though, logically, he
knows Draco's just yanking his chain.  Remember how Harry's rage at Aunt
Marge made him lose control of himself and break the rules governing
minors' use of magic.  Think of Snape baiting Harry, threatening him
with the Veritaserum, and how hard Harry works to control his anger in
this scene, knowing that if he loses his temper here, he'll blow
everything, getting Hermione and Dobby into trouble.  A more serious
example is how Sirius is tempted by his anger to murder Pettigrew out of
cold blood, rather than turn him over to the proper authorities.

Anger can be exploited by the enemy.  One quick example: Lucius Malfoy
used the confusion resulting after he baited Arthur Weasley's anger
(getting Arthur to explode) to plant Tom Riddle's diary on Ginny.

Anger comes when you're backed up against the wall, when you have to
decide what's really important to you, what side you stand on when the
chips are down.  (Remember Harry's anger when he declared to Ron and
Hermione, "I'm going through that trap door tonight and nothing you can
say is going to stop me!  Voldemort killed my parents, remember?")

Anger when channeled correctly, gives power and determination, helps
strengthen wavering courage in times of danger (think of Dumbledore's
anger when confronting the false Mad-Eye Moody, or Hermione resolving to
uncover how Rita Skeeter is spying on them, simply because she is so
angry over the Daily Prophet stories).

Okay, that's what I come up with off the top of my head.  Other comments
re: functions that anger serves in Rowling's books?

Peg