Fudge: Ever-so-Evil or Bumbling Fool?

[erisedstraeh2002]

No: HPFGUIDX 42873

Jodel wrote:

>Er, it IS obvious to everyone whose pocket Fudge is in, isn't it?

Now me:

At the risk of sounding like an idiot, I *don't* think it's obvious 
that Fudge is ever-so-evil.  I think JKR is intentionally trying to 
make us vascillate between Fudge as ever-so-evil and Fudge as 
bumbling fool.

The first time we're introduced to Fudge, he's described as "wearing 
a strange mixture of clothes: a pinstriped suit, a scarlet tie, a 
long black cloak, and pointed purple boots.  Under his arm he carried 
a lime-green bowler" (CoS, US paperback ed., pgs. 260-261).  Sounds 
like a cross between a vampire and a clown to me!  The "pinstriped 
suit" suggests a proper businessperson; the "scarlet tie" - perhaps 
suggesting a scarlet A?; the long black cloak - often used in a 
negative context to describe Snape, which other listies have 
suggested supports the <Snape as vampire> theory; the "pointed purple 
boots" and "lime-green bowler" sound clown-like (IMHO).

And then his actions - in CoS, he sends Hagrid to Azkaban with no 
compelling evidence, but in the beginning of PoA, he seems genuinely 
concerned about Harry's safety after he runs away from the Dursley's 
and also smooths over the Aunt Marge inflation incident.  But then at 
the end of GoF, he defends the Death Eaters that Harry names and uses 
a Dementor to suck out Fake!Moody's soul so he can't give evidence to 
the Ministry.

I think the contradictions in both Fudge's manner of dress and in his 
actions are a deliberate attempt on JKR's part to make us unsure of 
his intentions.  And I, for one, have completely fallen for it!  I 
think it's equally likely that Fudge is "blinded by the love of the 
office he holds" and isn't accepting the fact that Voldemort is back 
because it's creating "disruption in his comfortable and ordered 
world" or that Fudge is actually in Voldemort's pocket.  I rate the 
odds at 50/50 that Fudge will turn out ever-so-evil.

Of course, I would love to hear what others have to say!

~Phyllis
the risk of sounding like an idiot has never stopped me from 
expressing my opinions