OOP: A person is more than the worst thing they have done

[kiricat2001]

No: HPFGUIDX 63833

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "bluesqueak" <pipdowns at e...> 
wrote:
 
> And no, I don't like his behaviour to Kreacher at all. I think 
> Sirius's tendency to feel contempt for other people who he saw 
> as 'his inferiors' was his 'tragic flaw'. Ultimately, it led to the 
> deaths of his best friends (he thought Peter was a good choice as 
> Secret Keeper because he was so 'weak and talentless' that nobody 
> would suspect him) and his own death. 
> 
> What would have happened if he'd shown a little understanding of 
> Kreacher? If instead of snarling at him he'd said something like 'I 
> don't want to see it, but if that [object] means so much to you, 
> then just make sure it stays out of my sight.' Would Kreacher still 
> have betrayed him?

After the revelation of the Pensieve scene, I'm willing to more 
easily accept that Sirius pressured Peter into being the Secret 
Keeper. 

In answer to your second question, yes, I think Kreacher's behavior 
would have remained the same.  He'd been with his beloved Mistress 
for years, and still fully supports her view of her son as the vilest 
type of blood traitor, etc.  If Sirius gave Kreacher every bauble, 
goblet, and his father's entire wardrobe, I can't see Kreacher's 
behavior changing.  His allegiance was to Mrs. Black.  Period.  He 
parroted her rantings, and wanted nothing to do with Hermione, who 
showed the most concern for him. He was equally as rude to her as 
anyone else. I can't see him changing his long-held beliefs.


> Another disturbing instance is Sirius's contempt of his younger 
> brother, who died when he wanted out of the DE's. This kid made 
> basically the same choice as Sirius, except that *his* choice was 
> made when he was in too deeply to be able to run somewhere safe. 
And 
> Sirius talks of him with contempt.

Sirius is also doing this while standing in the middle of the place 
that was probably second only to Azkaban on his list of horrible 
dwellings, surrounded with all the accourtrements of his family's 
heritage. His brother was held up as the good son, the perfect 
example, what the family wanted in a son...and what they didn't want 
was Sirius.  I don't find it unnatural that there is still some long-
term anger or bitterness in Sirius' feelings towards his brother. 

Should he have gotten over it? Sometimes family never gets over stuff 
like this, even when times are good, and not when brothers are 
fighting on opposite sides in a war.


> Don't get me wrong - Sirius is much, much more than this character 
> flaw of his. He's brave, he's loyal, he's prepared to fight to the 
> death, he clearly loves Harry and he picked 'right' over 'family'. 
> But he's a natural bully. And there is no evidence that he ever 
> really understood that this character trait was wrong and something 
> that needed to be overcome.

Well, we all have our bad characteristics.  And Sirius paid for his 
with his life. 

Marianne