Something I'd like to see in the Books

[augustinapeach]

No: HPFGUIDX 83092

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "junediamanti" 
<june.diamanti at b...> wrote:
. . . .there's a central tenet in the Earthsea stories that I 
personally feel is understated in the HP books and could possibly do 
with being touched on.

Responsibility and magical power.
(snip)
However, there seems to be little taught to the budding wizards at 
Hogwarts the very central idea that with great power comes great
reponsibility.
> 
> Is it me or is everyone just wand happy? 

AP:

It's always bothered me a little that Harry and friends left Draco 
and friends incapacitated by a variety of hexes and jinxes at the 
end of both GoF and OoP.  Sure, Draco is an insufferable jerk (who 
meant to do Harry harm), but does he really deserve (as a human 
being) to be left in a luggage rack resembling [a]"giagantic slug 
squeezed into [a] Hogwarts uniform" (p. 864, OoP)?  And all the joke 
merchandise that Fred and George are producing could be used all in 
fun (if the "victim" knows about the results in advance) or could be 
used on some unsuspecting person (as when Hermione stops them from 
doing their market testing on first years - p. 254, OoP).

I think Rowling put a lot of the "moralizing" of her story in the 
mouths (or minds) of the characters. And that is a lot more 
effective, IMO, than overt moralizing.  I do see Harry as an ethical 
person (won't elaborate with examples because I don't want to spend 
that much time on the computer!) who has a highly-developed ability 
to empathize with others.  If we as readers identify with Harry, we 
will see the situation through his eyes and thus understand it 
through his ethic (a good example is Harry's struggle over not being 
chosen prefect).  Harry even comes to understand the hated Snape a 
little better by viewing the scene in the pensieve (although at this 
point it doesn't seem to affect their interaction that much). But 
Harry has his blind spots too, and in the case of Draco, there's not 
a moderating viewpoint.  Wonder if that is to come in future books?

I agree with you that the WW seems more reactive than proactive when 
it comes to teaching responsibility.  Dumbledore is the most overtly 
ethical of the adult characters (Mr. Weasley would come next, I 
guess).  I've wondered what happens if Dumbledore dies(as has been 
predicted several times on this site).  Who will step in to fill 
that void in ethical leadership?  Who will pick up his fight to give 
rights to all magical creatures?  Or will the "good side" win the 
battle to get rid of Voldemort but ultimately lose the war because 
there's no one to fight the prejudice that seems to make up the 
status quo in the WW?

Sorry if I wandered too far off your original line of thought!