Pettigrew's deserts (was Nel #10)

[nplyon]

No: HPFGUIDX 41659

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "davewitley" <dfrankiswork at n...> wrote:
[snip Elkins' excellent comments]
> 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.
> 
[big snip]
> 
> Thoughts?  Does the text imply Pettigrew deserves to die?
> 
> David

While I completely understand what you and Elkins are saying about 
this issue, I look at this scene from a different perspective when I 
read the book.  I really don't think that this has anything to do 
with JKR's values.  It seems to me that she is making a lot of effort 
to point out how wrong it is to torture or kill someone.  Let's face 
it, it's the evilest-wizard-ever's favorite past time and I don't 
think JKR is trying to make us think that *any* of his past times are 
good pursuits for moral people.

First of all, with regards to Sirius, there are many canonical 
references to the horrors of Azkaban.  So far, Sirius has not 
manifested any hugely obvious mental side effects from his years 
spent there but staying in a place like that has to really have an 
adverse effect on someone.  Sirius is pretty much fresh out of 
Azkaban when he confronts Pettigrew so I would think he is not 
exactly of sound mind at that point.  I think his rather rough 
treatment of poor Ron and his broken leg is evidence of that.  

Secondly, if you put yourself in Lupin's and Sirius's shoes, I think 
it's understandable why they are ready to just go ahead and kill 
Pettigrew.  I love my best friend like a sister.  If I found out that 
one of her friends had betrayed her to a homicidal maniac resulting 
in her death, the death of her husband, and an attack on her child, I 
would be beyond outraged.  If I were later faced with that person, 
even if they had previously been a friend of mine, I would probably 
be so enraged that I too would feel like I wanted to kill them.  I 
don't think that this makes anyone bad, I just think it's human 
weakness to feel this way.  I think killing is very, very wrong but I 
can see why a person might feel some homicidal tendencies when faced 
with the person who brought about the horrible murders of someone 
very dear to them.

I think that the fact that Harry steps in and spares Pettigrew's life 
says a lot about him.  This is the man whose betrayal led to the 
deaths of his parents.  I think it takes great presence of mind to be 
able to put aside feelings of extreme rage and pain in favor of 
sticking to one's moral code.  Lupin and Sirius are so overcome with 
rage that they are about to act on impulse.  That Harry is able to 
put aside his first impulse in favor of sparing Pettigrew just shows 
what a very good, strong person he is.  I guarantee that everyone on 
this list has acted on impulse and done something really bad, so 
everyone understands how hard it can be to resist your impulses at 
times, especially in a situation as emotionally charged as the 
confrontation is.

As for Ron and Hermione, what can they say?  Ron is already stunned 
to find that his pet rat is actually a detestable, cowardly wizard, 
who is running for his life, not to mention that he's sitting there 
with a broken leg.  I would think that he's in so much pain and in 
such a state of shock that he doesn't quite know how to react.  What 
can either of them say about this anyway?  Harry is their friend and 
they care deeply about him, as evidenced by their willingness to put 
themselves in dangerous situations to help him.  How can they 
possibly try to reason with him when he is faced with the man who is 
directly responsible for the betrayal of his parents?  All this 
aside, it is natural for someone to be at the scene of a crime or a 
potential crime to freeze in fear or shock, which may also explain 
their behavior.  This is why most human beings are poor witnesses; 
they are too emotionally traumatized to take in the details of what 
is happening right in front of them.

I guess what this all boils down to is my belief that the reactions 
of Sirius and Lupin do not mean that they are morally bankrupt, just 
that they are human.  Pain and rage can make human beings do some 
pretty terrible things.

~ Nicole, who is very anxiously awaiting the revelation of what 
actors have been chosen to play Sirius and Remus in the future-film-
that-must-not-be-named as she confesses to having a huge crush on 
both of them.  Hubba hubba!