Characters you Love/hate and some other stuff

[Scott <snorth@ucla.edu>]

No: HPFGUIDX 51341

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, Sunnylove0 at a... wrote:
> The characters you hate thread has been very interesting (I agree 
> wholeheartedly with the nomination for Lockhart, the other 
characters I can 
> take or leave, depending on the situation)
> 
> But how about the flip side of the coin? Which HP character do you 
like most 
> and why?
> 


Wow, there were a lot of great posts today while I was at work;  I 
wanted to respond to a lot of them, but I decided that I would just 
be better off playing Sim City 4 before I drove back to my hometown 
from my Apartment.  (and man, I suck at it; I'm just not a micro-
manager)

So I'll start off by responding to this post, and then mention any 
random thing that happens to pop into my head.  *grins*

So, what characters do I love?  Well, of course, Harry has to top the 
list.  To be honest, these recent posts of people professing their 
undying hatred of Harry scare the hell out of me.  I hope to never 
meet these people in real life, for fear of what they'd do to me... ;)

I really relate with Harry, which is probably why I enjoy the series 
so much in the first place (well, it's a very fun read, too).  I 
think I've read other literature that was just more profound, more 
adult, with worlds more intricately built-- but I usually just don't 
connect with the protagonist.  Harry just really reminds me of myself 
in high school.  Not the 'savior' aspect, but just the regular teen 
stuff that Harry goes through.  (I say myself in high school, because 
I'd like to think that I've matured a great deal over the last 
several years; of course, I'm sure plenty of people would tell me I 
still have a ways to go.  They wouldn't be wrong.  *grins*)

Also, I like Harry because he sees what needs to be done, and he does 
it.  Some people tend to view this as a flaw; I don't know why.

And of course, I love Dumbledore- he plays the Gandalf-esque role as 
both an omnipotent guardian, and benevolent grandfatherly type.  
Except, where as Gandalf seemed more like some kind of divine avatar 
out to save the world, Dumbledore has proven that he is human; he is 
not infallible.  (I still think people blow the end of PS/SS out of 
proportion, but I  respect that some people may think that Dumbledore 
is guilty of horrible injustice; personally, I always just counted it 
as Dumbledore being overly enthusiastic in his praise of the Trio's 
(and Neville's) successes)

And of course,  I love Hermione.  (the only real reasons I tend to 
SHIP H/Hr [hey, no SHIPping posts recently!] is because a) I relate 
to Harry, and b) the brainy, assertive girls are the sexiest.)


I also find Snape to be a profoundly interesting character, even if I 
don't particularly like him.  

A possibility regarding Snape's past occurred to me.  I know Snape's 
defenders always point out that he chose the side of good, and put 
himself at risk by choosing good over evil.  I wonder if it was that 
simple.  Perhaps, while still on the side of Voldemort, Snape 
revelled in his evil; he tortured, he murdered, and he thought it was 
great fun.  But what if he went too far?  What if his actions lead to 
the death of someone he really cared about (not necessarily Lily!  
Though I'm not adverse to LOLLIPOPS or whatever you guys call that 
theory).  What if this tragedy is why he risked his own life for the 
side of good- atonement.  I know this probably is not a new idea (Far 
from it, undoubtedly)-- but something tells me that Snape did not 
choose the side of good simply because it was 'the right thing to do.'

As for characters I hate: none, really.  I find Draco profoundly 
annoying.  However, you do NOT know what it's like to hate characters 
until you read all 10 books in The Wheel of Time series.  I swear, I 
hate multiple characters from that series with the fury of a thousand 
suns.  Er, so anyway- Draco: I could hold with people's arguments 
that he's just a kid who's been beaten into submission by his father- 
horrid upbringing and all that.  However, if that's the case, then 
why is Harry not an arrogant bully who revels in pushing people 
around?  Just something to think about.  (I'm shooting myself in the 
foot, but I would assume the natural argument to this is that Harry 
loathes the Dursleys; Draco looks up to his father.  Still, I don't 
think that accounts for everything.)

Re: the Train Stomp!

I don't see what the fuss is.  It was mentioned that no real harm was 
done- and I still think Draco got off lightly.  When he rejoiced in 
Cedric's death (Cedric, JKR's Galahad, for the love of jeebus), and 
threatens the trio, he crosses the line from arrogant bully to actual 
evil.  Who knows; that could have been his first step down the path 
of darkness (I feel like Yoda saying that).  

There's been some discussion about the evils of vengeance; that 
seeking vengeance is some sort of dark character aspect.  I find the 
modern view of vengeance interesting, when one looks at vengeange in 
the eyes of the Greeks.  To the Greeks, vengeance was a noble 
pursuit; it was upholding one's honor, and whole wars were started 
out of a desire for retribution (both Persian Wars, actually, were 
wars of vengeance).  Vengeance was something that 'Real Men' sought 
at all costs.  I don't necessarily hold with this view.  I don't 
necessarily hold with Ghandi's "An Eye for an Eye blinds the world," 
either.

Re: Eileen and Slytherin

Eileen, I almost didn't think it was possible, but I do feel some 
empathy for Slytherin after reading your post, even though every 
Slytherin we know of is a jerk.  I really do hope that JKR introduces 
us to Slytherins who aren't reprobates.

However, that brings up questions.  We all know the Sorting Hat 
thought Harry would have made a good Slytherin.  So it wouldn't be a 
stretch to say there are decent Slytherins.  The only problem I see 
there- is this because Harry really would have made a good Slytherin, 
or because of his relation with Voldemort; if Harry did receive his 
ability to speak Parseltongue from Voldemort, isn't it possible the 
Hat senses some of Voldie's residue on Harry?

Harry does show Slytherin traits; he is resourceful, and he seems to 
see rules as a convenience.

I wonder if this is a defining trait of Slytherins; Harry breaks the 
rules, but he doesn't do it at other peoples' expense.  Sure, he 
often breaks the rules for the sake of fun-- his excursions into 
Hogsmeade being the prime example.  But most of the time, it's for 
some greater good- transporting Norbert, searching for clues, etc.  
It's not for his own personal advancement, and he's not really 
hurting others, per se (sure, he's cursed the moron!trio, and he and 
Ron drugged Crabbengoyle in CoS, but that particular instance was a 
necessary evil to try and solve the Case of the Heir of Slytherin... 
sounds like a Scooby Doo episode).

I think the best example of why Harry is a true Gryffindor, and not a 
misplaced Slytherin comes in GoF.  Having learned about the first 
task, and knowing that Fleur and Krum would know of it, he lets 
Cedric in on it;  I could be wrong, but I doubt that any Slytherin, 
even a "Not Jerk" Slytherin would have done the same thing.  That's 
just not what Slytherin's about.  In the second task, Harry tries to 
save all 4 'hostages.'  Showing off his 'moral fiber.'   I can't say 
for certain that any Slytherin would have done the same (even if they 
took the merpeople's song seriously).  And of course, in the third 
task, he helps Cedric out more than once, and offers to let him take 
the Triwizard Cup.  Then of course, there's the whole issue with the 
winnings.  To me, the defining characteristic of a Slytherin is the 
single minded pursuit of one's goals- and the ends justify the 
means.  So that's not to say that the whole lot is evil, or even 
unpleasant.  To me, it just means that they're not quite as likely to 
be friendly, sociable people. 

And yes, I have to say, I dig Green and Silver far more than Red and 
Yellow, despite seeing myself as a Gryffindor.  My high school colors 
were Green and white/silver.  And it absolutely PAINS me that 
Gryffindor's colors are Red and Yellow.  If I had a time machine, 
first I'd head into the future, make some cash, and buy books 5-7.  
However, after that, I'd search out JKR before she wrote PS/SS and 
beg her to make Gryffindor's colors Blue and Gold; anything but Red 
and Yellow.  I have a Gryffindor scarf, and I can't really wear it on 
campus, for fear of getting beaten to death (and it's like 85 degrees 
in SoCal right now; poor saps on the East coast ;)  For people who 
aren't big on Cali schools, UCLA's colors are Blue and Gold- our 
hated crosstown rivals, the University of Spoiled Children,, 
use "Cardinal," ie red and gold.

Lastly, when I asked if Snape supporters were Wormtongue fans, I was 
honestly curious; I wasn't insuating that people who are Pro-
Snape/Slytherin are creepy people who revel in evil.  Really.  ;)

Okay, that was a lot.  When I signed onto this list, I expected to 
discuss predictions and speculation as to what happens in future 
books- not full blown philosophy discussions.  I'm just a simple Math 
Major, dang it!  Math is so clear cut- you're either right, or wrong, 
and you're not generally judged on either (well, not morally, heh).  
*sighs*

-Scott