More Flaws, More Popular?

[jchutney]

No: HPFGUIDX 34059

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "cindysphynx" <cindysphynx at h...> wrote:
> In fact, each of these four characters has committed errors serious 
> enough that someone could have been killed or very badly injured.
> Nevertheless, I suspect that if you took a poll, one of those four 
> characters (Lupin, Snape, Black and Hagrid) would be the favorite 
> adult character of a great percentage of members of this list.
> 
> There are, however, characters who haven't made any big mistakes 
that 
> we know of.  One is McGonagall; another is Dumbledore.  Neither of 
> these characters is among my favorites.  They have been in all four 
> books, and they have had a lot of interaction with Harry.  So why 
is 
> it that wise Dumbledore and competent McGonagall seem to stir less 
> passion for me and possibly for others?> 

This reminds me of Henry James' famous edict about the relationship of 
plot to character (they are the same thing).  Minerva and Dumbledore 
are great but if everyone were like them, we'd have no story! LOL!  
It seems to me that the "whiter" or "blacker" a character the less 
interesting.  It's the "grey" like Sirius and Snape that provoke 
discussion (so, is he good OR bad?) and of course, "greys" keep 
readers guessing.  We have no idea what Snape will do next.  The one 
time we all went crazy for Dumbledore was in analyzing his "grey" 
moment (gleam of triumph).  Could Dumbledore actually be NOT all 
good?  Stop the presses!