Denial, euphemisms, tolerance(Re: HP and the democratic equilibrium )

[iris_ft]

No: HPFGUIDX 87046

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "sophierom" <sophierom at y...> 
wrote:
> I think both Iris and Geoff's points about Umbridge and 
> the "respectable" WW vs. LV and the DE are excellent.  I wanted to 
> add, though, that I think the euphemisms "You Know Who," "He Who 
> Must Not Be Named" and "Lord Thingy" (my favorite from Fudge in 
OOTP)
> are more a sign of fear and denial than tolerance.  Even if we 
> understand tolerance by its most basic definition - to tolerate - 
> and not its most common usage today - to accept, even include, 
> welcome -even then the euphemisms suggest that the WW would rather 
> pretend that LV is a devil, a bogyman, a "thingy," not a real 
person 
> who was once a child, once had feelings ... basically, the WW has 
to 
> pretend that he's not a product of the same world that the "good" 
> people helped to make.  
> 
> I think this is one of the reasons why Dumbledore not only refuses 
> to use euphemisms but also insists on using LV's boyhood name ... 
> Tom.  In OOTP, when they are fighting, DD continually refers to LV 
> as Tom, which at first I thought was a really clever slight (you 
> think you're so great, do you? Well, I remember when you were just 
a 
> snot-nosed kid in my class!).  But it's also an admission of LV's 
> humanity ... and perhaps a reminder to DD himself that whatever LV 
> has become, he developed in the same culture that helped produce 
> the "good" guys like Harry, James, and even DD himself.  
> 
> Sophierom

Denial, humanity: that's it! And that's why euphemisms are so 
dangerous. Every time they deny that Voldemort can be human, every 
time they consider that he is "something or someone else", the 
wizards deny that they could become what he is. They deny the beast 
every human being potentially conceals, and that they have to 
master. If you fail, you become Voldemort. It's what happens when 
Crouch Sr rejects his own son. It's what happens when Hogwarts 
become dangerous to its own students. Is there a better example of 
humanity than a school, a cultural and educative place? But if you 
open the Chamber of Secrets (you know, that place that according to 
everybody was nothing but a legend), or if you open the door to 
Dolores Umbridge, then it is dangerous to everyone, because the 
Beast it hides (Old Slytherin fear of loosing the wizarding 
identity, "personified" by a Basilisk, or an excessive 
interpretation of rules) takes 
over.                                                                
Denial and tolerance are not incompatible from this viewpoint: they 
generate one another.
Wizards deny that they can be like Voldemort because, admitting the 
contrary, they would have to face their defects and weaknesses, and 
to admit that they have to improve (morally, socially
) But they are 
so pleased with themselves
 They like their weaknesses (their 
tradition of elves- enslavement, their prejudice towards Muggles
), 
they tolerate them, because it's easier to pretend that they are 
important. However, they don't tolerate the amplified version of 
themselves that is called Voldemort. It's unbearable, so the 
solution is denial, euphemisms and even tolerance for what shouldn't 
be tolerated (for example the use of terms such as "mudblood"). So 
they can tolerate better their own weaknesses.  That's human, so 
human
(we could parallel it with our world, but it would be OT. 
Moreover, I feel that if I go on philosophising that way, I will end 
up with a headache ).
And yes, you're completely right in your analyze of Dumbledore 
calling Voldemort by his boyhood name as an admission of the Dark 
Lord's humanity. Voldemort wouldn't be Voldemort if he wasn't human. 
And Dumbledore wouldn't understand him so well if he didn't admit 
previously that he hosts the Beast himself. The difference is that 
he accepts his weakness, that he masters it, so his situation is 
completely different. Tom changed his name into "Voldemort" because 
he probably didn't know how to deal with his human weakness, with 
the Beast he had inside. Dumbledore faced his own humanity, with all 
that it implies, and managed to deal with it to become what he is. 
He doesn't deny Voldemort, and even maybe he tolerates him, because 
he's conscious of sharing with him the same human weakness. But he 
doesn't tolerate what this human weakness has become in Tom's case: 
that's what JKR tells us at the very beginning of the series when 
she makes Mac Gonagall declare that Dumbledore has the same powers 
than Voldemort but is too noble to use them. In other words: 
Dumbledore hosts the same Beast than Voldemort, but he refuses to 
let it take over.
Now the question is: will Harry be able to do the same? Will he be 
able to admit that Voldemort is like himself? Will he be able to 
face the mirror, to face the scar?
I would bet that yes: he's the hero of the series, after all!   

Amicalement,

Iris (apologizing for that rather confused message)