[HPforGrownups] Hagrid the Hale and Hearty - character summary

[Amanda Lewanski]

No: HPFGUIDX 12658

Michelle Apostolides wrote:

> 1 ) What makes Hagrid the right person for Dumbledore to send him as the
> envoy from the wizarding world to tell harry of his Heritage ? Why not
> professor McGonagall or the great man himself ?

Well, Hagrid's big enough to intimidate the Dursleys without recourse to magic, and I imagine that Dumbledore was savvy enough to realize they probably would have a few objections
to Harry's attending Hogwarts. Dumbledore wouldn't want magic used in front of Muggles if he could help it, I'm thinking.

> 2 ) Given how people feel about Giants, do you think that JKR uses him
> as a way of making a comment about racism.

That seems obvious. Well, not racism precisely--stereotyping, classification, that sort of thing. Prejudice. Which is not exactly the same thing as racism.

> 3 ) We see how Hagrid reacts to protect Dumbledore, alarmingly so in the
> case of his threat to Karkaroff in GOF.  Is he a loose cannon ?

To a degree. But his "looseness" is predictable--you can generally tell what'll set him off. Slandering Dumbledore's right up there.

> 4 ) Hagrid and Drink - is this going to prove to be another part in his
> downfall ?

Why do we think he'll have a downfall? Am I not remembering something? I think it's a flaw in his character, but that's about it at the moment.

> 5 ) What do you think the relationship between Dumbledore and Hagrid has
> been ? Hagrid always appears respectful, but Dumbledore has stuck up for
> him on more than one occasion. What do you think Dumbledore sees in
> Hagrid ?

Dumbledore is, I think, a father figure. Not one that was adopted because the father was inadequate, but one that was adopted because a very adequate, beloved father died. So
there's been some transference to Dumbledore on Hagrid's part, subsequently built upon by years of association and trust.

Dumbledore sees Hagrid's wisdom and unique perspective on things. He sees someone who needed protection (shielding his parentage from general knowledge). He sees a potential asset
for the good side. Dumbledore is an organic person, in that he prefers to let things be, unfiddled-with, as much as possible, and sits back to appreciate the pattern of how events
turn out. [I think D. is capable of loads of effective fiddling when the need arises, but it just now has.] So Dumbledore sees Hagrid in Hagrid, and appreciates him for what he is.
And because what he is is a gentle, generous, straightforward soul, he loves him.

> 6 ) Is Hagrid a really powerful Wizard whose esteem has been lowered by
> wrongful expulsion from Hogwarts ?

I think this is irrelevant. Hagrid's not the type to exploit being a really powerful wizard, even if he is (or realizes he is). He's content with who he is.

--Amanda