Hagrid the Betrayer/ Hagrid, the one who can't handle his job

[cindysphynx]

No: HPFGUIDX 40139

Jenny wrote:

> --jenny from ravenclaw, wondering where her fellow Hagird-basher, 
> Cindy is right now - grrrr *************

Fear not!

I could never let a Hagrid thread go by without hopping on for a 
little ride.  ;-)


*****************

Jenny wrote:

>What I meant was that Hagrid's character is written as someone who 
>more like a child than an adult.  His character is quite well 
>developed, but his maturity within his characterization is not.  If 
>Hagrid was a real person, I would see him as a man who is acts like 
>a boy.

<heavy sigh>

Hagrid bashers are so *misunderstood*!  See, it's not that we 
*detest* Hagrid necessarily.  It's not that simple.  I mean, it's 
not like he's *Evil* or anything.  

<glances at Eloise>

The problem is that Hagrid is being asked to fill a function that he 
shouldn't be asked to fill.  He is being asked to be a guardian of 
Harry, someone who is preparing Harry to do whatever it is that he 
is so clearly destined to do.  If Hagrid were just the groundskeeper 
(the way Filch is just the caretaker), there wouldn't be a problem.  
Hagrid could be child-like, the loveable oaf, and I would be *fine* 
with that.

But instead, I'm asked to accept Hagrid as an authority figure in 
Harry's life (one who breaks rules as a matter of convenience and 
one who routinely exercises the most consistently poor judgment of 
any adult character in the books), first as Dumbledore's 
representative and then as a full-fledged *teacher.*  I'm asked to 
believe that Dumbledore thinks Hagrid's weaknesses are to be 
tolerated.  I'm asked to believe the other teachers get on with 
Hagrid and consider him a legitimate colleague (I cannot *imagine* 
why Snape doesn't hound Hagrid the way Snape hounds Neville).

It's just a stretch.  A poor fit between character and function.  A 
wobbly idea from start to finish, IMHO.  

Jenny:

> Hagrid's strongest moments IMO are the ones when he defends the 
>people he cares about.  

Ah, but even Hagrid's moments of fierce loyalty are also moments of 
misguided loyalty.  Don't get me started on the pig tail thing 
again.  No, don't even *go* there.  

And I didn't think much of Hagrid, the far bigger and stronger man, 
slamming Karkaroff against a tree.  Can't Dumbledore fight his own 
battles just a little bit?  I saw that scene as another example of 
Hagrid using violence on a far weaker individual without good cause.

Jenny:

>He's a weak link.  

Yes, I'm afraid he is.  And I guess every team needs a weak link or 
the game would never end, huh?  ;-)

Cindy (feeling a bout of Lockhart bashing coming on)