Can we believe in Dumbledore?

[keith.fraser at st-annes.ox.ac.uk]

No: HPFGUIDX 11612

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., bob.mornington at w... wrote:
> I've been having some doubts recently about Dumbledore, and I 
wondered 
> what you all feel about this:
> 
> It's just that I don't believe that Dumbledore is an entirely 
credible 
> character.
> Are we to believe that he is the father, the son and the holy ghost 
> all rolled up into one benevolent grandfather figure dispensing 
> incessant pearls of wisdom to who so ever is willing to listen?
> 
> Let me put it to you that if Dumbledore had a bit more depth to his 
> character and was seen to exercise just a little choice about being 
> good and moral, he'd be that much more believable.
> What about if he were involved in allegations about sharing an 
> improper cigar with one of his interns? Or if he were accused of 
> harbouring an excessive fondness for the young boys in his care? Or 
if 
> some unexplained bank movements were discovered in his account from 
a 
> muggle bank in an offshore tax haven. Of course, he'd shake off all 
> the accusations and come out of it entirely vindicated, but never 
the 
> less, that would have left us with just a trace of a thought that 
he 
> might just have been capable of doing those things but chose not to.
> 
> Wouldn't that make him more believable? 
> Don't you think that only a credible Dumbledore who has weaknesses 
and 
> overcomes them would be capable of helping Harry to become street 
> wise? 
> Because Harry's going to have to develop into a pretty shrewd 
> character to bring about the final downfall of Voledemort and his 
> cronies, and believing in a Dumbledore-Father Christmas just isn't 
> going to help him.
> 
> Bob

That's a very valid point, however we have seen (in GoF) that Harry 
can survive without Dumbeldore's help, though he did get it in books 
1 and 2 and Dumbledore suggested the use of the Time-Turner in bk 3.

Remember that Harry Potter is very much a mythic archetypes story at 
heart, rather like Star Wars in that respect. Dumbledore is a kind of 
Obi-Wan Kenobi figure. We may see Harry become more independent in 
later books, and also we may find out more about Dumbledore's past.

Keith