Werewolves/ Lupin etc.

[mitchbailey82]

No: HPFGUIDX 43949

> --- In HPforGrownups at y..., "kiricat2001" <Zarleycat at a...> wrote:
> 
> Marianne wrote:
> If your reading of the line is correct, and Remus was a year or two 
> older, would that matter to the plot? I can't think of anything off 
> the top of my head that would make an age difference significant 
> between Remus and J/S/P. If there's no real significance, then I 
> don't know why JKR would bother setting that up.
 
 Now me?
 Aha a challenge:
 
 It makes a difference not only if my first theory (message no.43907) 
is true. But also age is an essential part of the character (people 
re curious as Dumbledore's actual age after all?), it makes a 
difference as it could help us understand the character better.
 Don't underestimate what effect character depth has on the plot - a 
 single detail not only changes the way we the reader views him, but 
also how the other characters in the book view him and this can make 
a difference.
 
Assuming that Lupin is older?
I don't view being years older as the people in your year being a 
SMALL detail to many kids this would be a HUGE deal and whilst it 
might not be such a big detail now I probably was back then. Being 
kept back a year (this happens extremely - extremely rarely in 
England, but from American tv shows I get the impression that this 
is more common in the USA) is a big deal. It sort of implies that 
your  dumber than the rest (maybe for some this is the case but not 
for Lupin) however children will still take a difference (no matter 
why this is) as a means to tease/ antagonise. 
If it were true that Lupin was older this we give us another reason 
as to why he's so unhappy about what he is. Not only do people shun 
him etc, but he had to wait longer to go to Hogwarts (I've also 
always had a feeling that Lupin has never quite accepted what he is 
(werewolf) ? but that's another issue?)(only with acceptance can we 
truly move on).
In terms of the character and understanding the character his age 
when he entered Hogwarts does make a difference.
It's an assumption that has been made that James, Sirius, Peter and 
Lupin are all the same age - but are we right to make this 
assumption?
However also if he's kept this from everyone we've got another 
example of how untrusting? (Maybe cautious is a better word?) He is 
(he didn't tell James, Sirius and Peter what that he was a werewolf 
they figured that out themselves).
  
In short don't underestimate the importance of a small detail.
 
Michelle ~ who feels she has gone on and on for long enough