Lead Us Not Into Temptation: A Question About MAGIC DISHWASHER

[bluesqueak]

No: HPFGUIDX 47401

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "lucky_kari" <lucky_kari at y...> wrote:
<Snip>
> Anyway, Pip, a question about MAGIC DISHWASHER. You lay great 
> stress on the fact that DISHWASHER Dumbledore relies on Harry 
> making the right choice in the Shack, thus he's not coercing Harry.
> 
> However, I've always found this one of the more disturbing facets 
> of the whole DISHWASHER theory, and I was never able to put my 
>finger on it till today. This is it. What if Harry hadn't made the 
> right choice?
> I'm reminded of the line from the Lord's Prayer. "And lead us not 
>into temptation, but deliver us from all evil." I don't know how I 
>feel about a Dumbledore who would lead Harry into temptation, give a
> thirteen year old boy, who hasn't exactly had the best moral
> formation, the chance to do something he would regret for the rest 
>of his life. 
> 
> Any thoughts on this?
> 
> Eileen

Only brief ones. Before I gallop off to work, that is.

>From the moment Harry's parents are betrayed, he is in a position 
(given the idea often quoted on the list of the WWs 'Warrior 
Culture') of being in temptation. The Wizarding World appears to 
think very highly of revenge. Lupin, who is presented throughout PoA 
in a sympathetic manner, is quite prepared to kill Pettigrew [PoA 
ch.19 p.273 UK hardback ]without benefit of a legal trial.

So Harry may well be in a position that his culture was always going 
to *expect* him to revenge himself on both Voldemort and his 
parent's betrayer. Certainly Mr Weasley wants Harry to promise not 
to take action.

Secondly, Harry in PoA is 13. This is probably not a coincidence - 
13 in some cultures is the age when you become a man before God. You 
are considered capable of making your own moral decisions, and 
responsible for them. 

So he's being asked to make a moral decision at an age he should be 
capable of it, after nearly three years at Hogwarts where Dumbledore 
has had a pretty good opportunity both to direct Harry's moral 
formation, and to judge what state it's in.

Also, Harry gets a lovely object lesson in how nasty, vicious and 
unpleasant the desire for revenge can be - from Snape. Who probably 
quite genuinely wanted some of his own back on Black and Lupin and 
had no objection whatsoever to showing that.

Pip
(who will be away from the internet until Sunday)