Crouch Jr. Insane?

[raolin.rm]

No: HPFGUIDX 31214

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "jennyandraul" <meboriqua at a...> wrote:
> I also think that there is always the mental health factor that may 
> result in what we perceive as evil behavior.  Barty Crouch Jr is 
> specifically described as having as "insane" smile after he 
recounts 
> the terrible things he did to his father and with Voldemort in 
GoF.  
> It bothers me that he is described that way, as it implies to me 
that 
> he wasn't *really* responsible for his actions, but in reality, 
there 
> are some crazy people out there who do some terrible things.


Hmmm...  Although I did notice that wording, I didn't certainly get 
the impression that he was not responsible for his actions.  Rather, 
given Crouch Jr.'s history, I think it likely that the "insane" look 
is more nearly identified with "wild-eyed fanaticism" which, while 
having many of the same hallmarks of certain types of insanity.  
Perhaps his "insanity" is a product of the choices he made rather 
than the other way around.  Psychological profilers will tell you 
that otherwise perfectly sane individuals can become so calloused or 
inured to death/torture/unpleasantness that they literally begin to 
function differently than they did.

Joshua Dyal