Death Eaters

[naama_gat at hotmail.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 13460

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "Marvin Long, Jr." <msl at f...> wrote:
> Catlady <catlady at w...> said:
> 
> >Marvin wrote:
> >> After all, the only reason to follow Voldemort is because he
> >> offers a quick avenue to power, and V's supporters are too
> >> shrewd not to understand that V considers them his tools.
> >> To keep their pride they regard V as their tool in turn and,
> >> I'm sure, all would be happy to betray V for the sake of
> >> their own advancement,
> 
> > That describes Lucius Malfoy and perhaps Nott Sr who spoke in 
such a
> > manipulative voice, but isn't it more likely that the reason 
Crabbe Sr
> > and Goyle Sr joined the Death Eaters is because Lucius told them 
to, and
> > that what they enjoy about it is not power, but simply the 
opportunity
> > to hurt/kill people?
> >
> > Mrs  Lestrange, Crouch Jr, and perhaps others in Azkaban or who 
died
> > resisting arrest are passionately loyal to Voldemort, perhaps 
because
> > they expect him to give them something 'better' than power 
(perhaps
> > immortality for themselves).
> > Probably some people joined the Death Eaters out of sincere
> > anti-Mudblood feelings.
> 
> Ok, I'll rescind my earlier generalization and say that yes, people 
would
> have joined Voldemort's gang for a variety of motives--avenue to 
power,
> Voldemort as Messiah, chances to kill people, fear the mudbloods 
are
> lowering property values, etc.
> 
> But I want to ask another question:  what are the motives of the 
people
> who return to Voldemort's side in GoF?  One gets the feeling that
> Karkaroff and Snape are the only holdouts, and everybody else is
> demonstrably someone more interested in saving his own skin than in
> making a statement on Voldy's behalf by going to prison.
> 
> Fear and curiosity are part of it, I'm sure.  Possibly Crabbe Sr. & 
Goyle
> Sr. are as easily led as their sons and do whatever Malfoy tells 
them so
> long as it involves blood.  But I cannot believe, at this point, 
that any
> of them can be as sincere as they were 15 years ago or so.  In the
> intervening time they must have enjoyed a chance to say to 
themselves,
> "Thank [whoever] that's over; I nearly got myself sent to (*$&*! 
Azkaban!"
> 
> On the other hand, perhaps some will be so impressed by Voldy's
> resurrection that their faith will be redoubled.  Well, except for 
Harry
> out-dueling him, of course.  


Its an interesting question. I think the problem arises for us 
because Voldemort and his supporters are supposed to be totally evil. 
That makes it contradictory for them to have any attribute that we 
think of as good - loyalty, courage, perseverance. So we naturally 
look for ulterior motives - they are not really loyal to Voldemort, 
they want to get something out of serving him. After all, if a person 
supports total evil, how can we say of her that she is sincere? For 
one, we can't understand it (I hope), and secondly, sincerity is a 
good quality so an evil person can't be sincere. 
I don't think we should disbelieve the Death Eaters' sincerity in 
their support of Voldemort (obviously some may have ulterior motives 
too). I personally prefer (in fiction!) the darker and more 
incomprehensible motivation - attraction to evil. People who are not 
strong enough to be evil by themselves join Voldemort because he 
makes it possible for them (because he is powerful). Think of fan 
letters that serial killers get. These "fans" couldn't possibly think 
they will "get something" from him, when he's in jail for the rest of 
his life! So they must be sincere in their - admiration? - for him, 
probably because he stands for something inside them. I think its the 
same thing for the Death Eaters and Voldemort.

Naama