Pettigrew's deserts (was Nel #10)

[davewitley]

No: HPFGUIDX 41652

Elkins originally wrote:
> 
> > Pettigrew was the real culprit -- and the narrative voice rather 
> gives us the impression that the author believes that he really 
> *does* "deserve to die."

and I asked:

> I'd like to hear a bit more of the canon support for this view.  I 
> would say that there is the possibility of conscious author 
> manipulation in the Shrieking Shack scene - we are supposed to feel 
> he deserves to die, to prepare the ground for Harry's mercy.

now trying to answer my own question:

It occurs to me that Elkins' comments about JKR's values may solve 
something that has always been a puzzle to me: that Lupin is so 
willing to join in with Sirius in killing Pettigrew.  It's as if he 
assumes that is the only reasonable course of action.  And Ron and 
Hermione aren't really interested in sticking up for Pettigrew, 
either.

You see, to me as a reader, it's *obvious* that it's wrong for them 
to kill Pettigrew, simply because killing is wrong.  Whatever we 
believe about Sirius' state of mind, I would, without the evidence to 
the contrary, just *assume* that alarm bells would be ringing in 
Lupin's and the children's minds at the thought of carrying out 
Sirius' wishes.

One can make out a sort of case for Ron being overwhelmed by horror 
at Scabbers' true identity, but Lupin and Hermione's behaviour does 
undermine the credibility of that scene for me in a way that is quite 
different from the effect of mere plot holes.

Of course there are theories such as evil!Lupin that purport to 
partially explain this, and we may indeed find out that there was 
more going on than appears on the surface.

If Pettigrew *does* deserve to die, then Harry's act of clemency, 
while correct from the point of view of due process, loses some of 
its moral force since, in thematic terms, he is permitting a 
miscarriage of justice in order for JKR to give him a life-credit 
from Pettigrew for plot purposes.

Thoughts?  Does the text imply Pettigrew deserves to die?

David