We can't trust anyone...

[feetmadeofclay]

No: HPFGUIDX 78012

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "doliesl" <doliesl at y...> wrote:
> ==================================
> 
> So I believe that line "if we *CAN'T TRUST DUMBLEDORE, WE CAN'T 
TRUST 
> ANYONE."* is another thing the author wants to tell us. Now you can 
> read it more than one way. I tend to read that, even if Dumbledore 
> will disappoint reader by the end of the book that he's not 
> infallible afterall, he is still the one to trust. And Hermione 
will 
> stand by him. Plus, I think the game of "Ha! I played you! Now all 
> you readers can't trust anyone anymore ha-ha!' is such a cheat, 
total 
> cheap shot of the writer. 


GOLLY: Why should constant wondering about the alliances of the 
characters be a cheap shot.  I grant you I'm not questioning DD's 
allegances.  And it might be problematic with the HP series...

But there are plenty of writers that keep you guessing about the 
characters and who is good and who is bad - and of course there are 
the grey characters  

Diana Wynne Jones is great at that.  You can never fully trust your 
impressions but they aren't entirely wrong either.  You grow into 
your understanding of the characters as you get more information. The 
books are like puzzles and until you have all the peices you can't 
really trust yourself.  Because most of the characters are so fully 
human they have human weaknesses. Her books are full of Snapes.  Some 
turn out to be better than one suspected in a crisis - others turn 
out to be more horrid than you could have imagined.  

It depends on how it is written.  DWJ is a master at this.  She never 
lets you settled to comfortably into your opinion  - so you never 
feel cheated.

Rowling has simply made DD too good to allow us to belive he'd be 
evil.  But he could make a fatal mistake. He already has - he let 
Harry participate in the TWT. That ended in Cedric's death. If I had 
his job I would never have allowed the Tournament to continue.  I 
would have sent everyone home rather than let Harry participate. It 
was a bad omen from the start.

Golly.