Evil Is As Evil Desires

[cantoramy <cantor@vgernet.net>]

No: HPFGUIDX 51606

I am finding this discussion of good and evil quite fascinating.  In 
the Jewish tradition, each person has inside himself/herself 
the "good impulse" and the "bad impulse."  Without the "bad 
impulse," it is taught, people would never be competitive, or would 
never marry and have children.  In the morning prayers, there is a 
request that we be kept away from a "bad friend." (There is lots of 
commentary on this one.)

An example of a "bad friend" is Ron's encouragement of Harry to go 
into Hogsmeade without permission.  Ron is definitely Harry's 
friend, but he is also 13 years old.  If kids at 13 behaved 
perfectly all the time, one would begin to wonder if and when their 
natural independence would show up.  Harry wants to go to Hogsmeade 
like everyone else, and the only way he is able to to this is to 
break the rules.  Is he bad? Yes.  Are he and Ron evil?  No.  If the 
supposed threat from Sirius weren't so serious [sorry!], I'd say 
that they were not bad, but naughty.

Sirius is also a "bad friend" when he tempts Snape into following 
Lupin.  Does he really want to murder Snape?  Then yes, that would 
be evil.  However, again, he is a teenager and cannot see beyond the 
end of his nose.  The consequences of his actions do not occur to 
him at the time.

Choosing between the two impulses is a universal theme.  However, 
until we leave home, we are most influenced by our families.  The 
world that Draco knows is one of elitism.  He has probably been told 
all of his life how special he is because of his bloodline, and that 
this makes him superior.  My question is, does this get re-enforced 
in Slytherin?  Are all Slytherins "pure bloods?"  They've been at 
Hogwarts for 4 years, and so far nobody from Slytherin has overtly 
established himself/herself as encouraging tolerance.

It is Harry's strength of character that allows him to understand 
that the Dursleys' treatment of him is not the proper way families 
behave, and enables him to rise above the situation and choose 
something better for himself.  Otherwise, he would not have felt 
ashamed of his behavior when Lupin confronts him.  He then chooses 
to follow his "good impulse."

cantoramy