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

[naamagatus]

No: HPFGUIDX 40172

Cindy:

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.


Me:

But, Cindy, where is it said or implied that Hagrid is Harry's 
guardian, or that he is supposed to prepare him to his destiny? If 
one person can be said to have that role, it's Dumbledore. 
Hagrid only twice is given sole responsibility over Harry. When he 
brings him, as a baby, to Privet Drive, and when he brings Harry from 
the island to Diagon Alley. But that doesn't make him a guardian. 
That makes him the archetypal Doorkeeper (of the WW). Once Harry is 
within the WW, it is clearly Dumbledore who functions as his mentor 
and guardian.  

Cindy:

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.* 


Naama:

Well, again, I don't see him as an authority figure in Harry's life. 
I'm not even sure why you do - because he gets Harry from the 
Dursleys? In what sense is he an authority figure at that point? 

I have to say, also, that Harry doesn't perceive Hagrid as an 
authority figure. Maybe that's really the central point here. *Harry* 
isn't disappointed in him, is he? Harry doesn't seem to expect Hagrid 
to mentor him. Hagrid is a friend, as far as Harry is concerned. What 
he does expect from him is friendship, warmth, loyalty - all of which 
Hagrid gives in abundance. (I see Hagrid, I guess, like having a big 
brother on the playing ground - someone who looks out for you, whose 
presence gives you confidence, but who isn't an authority figure.) 
That's why I don't have any problem with people describing Hagrid as 
childish. So he's childish in some ways. So what? What's wrong with 
that? It's one of the reasons Harry, Ron and Hermione find him so 
easy to talk to and trust. There are a lot of upsides to childishness 
- frankness, single minded loyalty, spontanaeity, openness. Since I 
don't see Hagrid as an authority figure, but as a good friend - well, 
as these are the qualities I like my friends to have, I think Hagrid 
is just perfect for the job. 

Cindy:

I'm asked to believe that Dumbledore thinks Hagrid's weaknesses are 
to be tolerated. 

<snip>

Me:

If Dumbledore can be imagined to tolerate Snape's bullying of his 
students, then I don't see why it's impossible to imagine him 
tolerating Hagrid's flaws. 

Anti-Hagrids are often bothered by the Buckbeak incident, but what 
really happened was that Draco received a flesh wound that was healed 
within a few minutes. The incident was blown out of proportions 
because Draco malingered - lying in order to to get Hagrid fired. 
In Hogwarts, it is the norm for studnets to deal with dangerous 
creatures and substances. Students are forever getting hurt in 
lessons (especially in potions, BTW. Does that mean that Snape is 
*incompetent*?!  ;-P) Hagrid gave the students the proper warning as 
to how to approach and deal with Hyppogriffs. It's not his fault that 
Draco did not heed that warning. Would you blame Prof Sprout if a 
student had blacked out for several hours  because s/he had removed 
the earmuffs while re-potting the Mandrakes ? After she had 
explicitly told them the consequences of that? And what about 
Neville's flight accident? Why is nobody accusing Hooch of 
"oafishness"? Now, that was really a life threatening situation, 
right? If Neville had gone just a bit higher he might easily have 
died. Apparantely, then, a certain level of risk is the norm at 
Hogwarts. 

<cri de coeur> So why pick on Hagrid?! 


Naama