Seeking: Is it meant to be a good thing?

[pippin_999 <foxmoth@qnet.com>]

No: HPFGUIDX 48216

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Melody 
<Malady579 at h...>" <Malady579 at h...> wrote:

> This view of Quirrell's statement is held up later with the
> introduction of Crouch Sr.  He sought after power and wanted 
to achieve greatness.  He is presented to the reader as 
someone whodesired a bit too much and brought on his own 
downfall because of it.  Not that the power he was desiring to 
achieve was wrong, but the fact he *sought* it.  Oh his mind was 
bent on it.  It consumed him.  It drove his to focus on little else, 
and yet it is presented that if he was truly the one for the job, he 
should of just performed his job
> honorably and waited for the public to recognize whether he is 
worthy for the job.  That he is the one to have such power 
bestowed on him.
> 
> But, Crouch Sr. desired the privilege to be MoM.  He deeply 
wanted tobe so revered.  He wanted it so much that he sought 
after the title.He did all he could to show the public that *he* was 
worthy of that job.  That seems to be the definition of HP 
"seeking."  That it is presented to be wrong in this series by JKR.
<<

I think the difference is not in seeking power, but in seeking 
power because one sees submission  as the  inescapable 
consequence of weakness. Crouch let himself believe that  the 
WW had no options besides fighting violence with violence or 
letting Voldemort win. 

Harry has more faith than that. He goes through the fire after 
'Snape'  though he recognizes he's no match for him. He stands 
against Voldemort  in the graveyard though he knows of nothing 
that could possibly save him.

 It's not that Harry believes a miracle is going to happen (though 
it does) but that he believes  he mustn't give up, that  he must 
stand against evil even if it seems it will only allow evil to
prevail. To believe otherwise,  to say that  goodness doesn't 
matter because there is no good choice, is to stop believing in 
goodness itself.

There is a biblical parallel in the story of Lot's daughters. After 
the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, they think that they and 
their father are the only humans left on earth. Rather than face 
extinction, they get their father drunk so he will impregnate them. 
Their motives are noble enough, but like Crouch, they have no 
faith outside what they can see for themselves, and like him, they 
end up corrupting their family in their effort to save it.

Pippin