Why Peter Turned Traitor (was PoA Chap Summary 18-20)

[sprsun at yahoo.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 21923

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "Indigo" <indigo at i...> wrote:

> > I understand your points, but I still can't work up more than the 
> > tiniest iota of sympathy for Peter.  
> 
> Nor can I. 
> 
> > My take on it is that he had 
> > some deep resentments of the other three because he wasn't as 
> > powerful or as bright as they.  
> 
> 
> Yes, this is true. So did Snape resent the Marauders, but *he* got 
> his act together and became one of the Good Guys.   
> 
> Pettigrew is too spineless to do even that.  

To do *even* that?! It takes incredible courage and personal
integrity to do what Snape has done, and I admire him for it!

I guess I feel sorry for Peter because I just don't expect ordinary
people to be noble and courageous. I find it very telling that even
Prof. McGonagall couldn't bring herself to say Voldemort's name at
first. A lot of people are weak and get frightened easily.

BTW, it's the same reason that makes me dislike Sirius' claim ""You 
should have died. Died rather than betray your friends, as we would 
have done for you." He's asking Peter to be a hero, and that seems to
me a really high standard for the majority of people. Like Devika, I
feel sad that there's circumstance that made him do the things he did.

Hui