One-dimensional evil characters

[uilnslcoap]

No: HPFGUIDX 38352

Before I write a 10-page paper this evening, I thought I'd waste some 
time by putting something down that I've thought for a long time.

I agree that up to now, we've been given very few (maybe no) examples 
of a "bad" character doing something good.  Voldy, Lucius, Draco, 
etc. seem to be pretty nasty all the way around with no redeeming 
characteristics at all.  But, I don't think this is a permanent state 
of affairs.

We've often talked about on this list how these books have really 
developed a more complicated moral outlook as time goes on.  Snape 
has always been kind of a gray guy, but in GoF, it became much more 
apparent how completely Dumbledore trusts Snape.  I'm sorry I don't 
remember who said it, but yes, PoA really shows HRH becoming aware 
that the world does not revolve around them, that there is a big 
scary world outside that they are going to have to find their place 
in, etc.  With these moral developments, I don't think Rowling will 
leave us in the lurch when we want "evil" characters that do good 
things (or at least have some amount of depth).

I think come either the next book or the one after, the question of 
good vs. evil is going to become even more a point of focus, and I 
believe Rowling is going to show us that "evil" characters can have 
more to them than pure evil (I can even imagine some very minor human 
showing on Voldemort's part, though I kinda doubt it).  Certainly 
Peter, via his debt and such, will do something interesting and maybe 
"good."  Draco has time for depth to be added (Rowling had better get 
going soon, though).

In other words, I think the jury is in too soon.  It's all these 
problems with having canon incomplete.  I think Rowling is aware of 
the one-dimensionalness of her current evil characters, but one must 
remember, Harry is only 14, and he's already had to take kind of a 
lot in.  I think his POV probably does restrict his take to "that 
guy's good, that guy's evil."  Especially before PoA, and really, 
Harry may have to deal with the fact that Sirius isn't a perfect 
person (and James and Lily weren't perfect people) at some point.  By 
GoF, he seems to have come a little more to terms with the fact that 
there's more to Snape than he almost cares to admit, and within three 
years time, he will probably come to see that there is more 
complexity in moral-labelling (for both those labelled "good" and 
"bad") than he has been able to process thus far.  Harry has allowed 
gray (with Snape) to enter into his chromatic scale of good and evil 
which was pretty much black and white before.  I don't think that's 
the end of his adjustment on that scale, and I think the fleshing out 
of "evil" characters will probably occur very soon (canonically 
speaking, though I wish it were true in real life as well, I want 
OotP so badly!).

Okay, I do have to write that paper at some point tonight, and I also 
have an oral exam in Spanish tomorrow, so I'd better go now.  See you 
all later.

Devin