What's bad about evil? - Baby blues? - Hands off

[Amy Z]

No: HPFGUIDX 35012

Margaret wrote:

>I remember the line as something more on the order of, "If you're
>going to write about evil, you really do have an obligation to
>show what that means."  I take that to mean, "Yes, there IS such
>a thing as evil, folks, it isn't just all some kind of a mistake,
>or that these guys had unhappy childhoods or are just Terribly
>Misunderstood.  Evil does exist, and this is what it looks like."

That could be a part of it, and JKR could certainly believe that.  However, 
the issue in the interview seems to be less the origin of evil (devil spawn 
or unhappy childhood?) and more the results of it--the scary things parents 
might not want their kids to read.  Here's the quote in context:

		In an exclusive interview with the BBC, she
              said the subject matter of the books may be
              uncomfortable for six-year-olds.

              She told BBC Radio
              Gloucestershire's Nigel
              Ballard: "I do think that,
              on occasion, the
              material is not suitable
              for six-year-olds. But
              you can't stop them
              reading it.

              "I read things when I was very young that
              disturbed me but I don't think that was a
              terribly bad thing.

              "My parents never censored what I read so I
              wouldn't say don't read them to a six-year-old,
              just be aware some of it does get
              uncomfortable."

              Harry is young wizard who finds he has magical
              powers after his parents are killed by a "dark
              wizard" called Voldemort.

              She added: "I am dealing with evil - I am trying
              to examine what happens to this community
              when a maniac tries to take over".

              'Moral obligation'

              Her books also deal with the "reality of how
              evil it is to take a human life".

              She said: "If you are going to write about
              those kinds of things you have a moral
              obligation to show what that involves, not to
              prettify it or to minimise it."

(from 
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/entertainment/newsid_944000/944728.stm)

BTW, *the* place for searching JKR interviews is 
www.geocities.com/aberforths_goat.  Motto:  The Goat Knows.

Catlady wrote of Lupin's eyes:

>(I say they're blue, canon doesn't specify)

Leaving us each to muse in perfect freedom.  (I usually see gray.  Maybe 
light brown.)

CMC wrote:

 > A Lord I Can't Name (filk)

Pettigrew begs, "Please, no, no more hand jokes!"  HPfGUers beg, "Keep 'em 
coming, Caius!"

ROTFL,
Amy Z

--------------------------------------------------
   The snake jerked its head toward Uncle Vernon
and Dudley, then raised its eyes to the ceiling.
It gave Harry a look that said quite plainly:
   "=I get that all the time.="
                -HP and the Philosopher's Stone
--------------------------------------------------

_________________________________________________________________
MSN Photos is the easiest way to share and print your photos: 
http://photos.msn.com/support/worldwide.aspx