Pensieves objectivity AND: Dumbledore's integrity

[jwcpgh]

No: HPFGUIDX 79606

 In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "kiricat2001" <Zarleycat at a...> 
> wrote:
> > If keeping Sirius locked up in that house was Dumbledore's idea 
of 
> a 
> > great way for Sirius to be able to live, really live, then 
> > Dumbledore's not being either Macchiavellian or fatherly - he's 
> being 
> > sadistic.  The only way to give Sirius a chance to live was to 
> find 
> > Pettigrew and bring him to justice.  We heard not a peep about 
> that 
> > in OoP because everyone was so busy with the prophecy stuff. 
> > 
> >  "Wanda Sherratt" <wsherratt3338 at r...> wrote:

> I understand that people who didn't want Sirius to die might think 
> that Dumbledore has the broadest shoulders so he should carry the 
> heaviest blame, but I just don't see it.  "Sadistic" is a pretty 
> extreme word.  Umbridge is sadistic; I don't see how any reasonable 
> person can class Dumbledore with her.  I don't even see exactly why 
> he was being so apologetic at the end of OotP.  I wouldn't have 
> been, especially not to a loud-mouthed, self-righteous brat like 
> Harry.  For every suggestion that Dumbledore should have done this, 
> or should have done that, there is at least a very good objection 
> that such a course of action would have led to disaster.  I don't 
> think he did anything without good reason, and it's strange to hear 
> people dismiss his actions as if the right course was so plain and 
> easy to see, that he must have been stupid or evil to have done 
> anything else.  I think his plan was a perfectly good one, and it's 
> not exactly his fault that Harry and Sirius thought they knew 
better 
> and tried something else.  Their plans didn't work out any better 
> than his, so why is he the only one apologizing at the end?  Maybe 
> because he's the only one with the guts to admit that he isn't 
> always right and always perfect; it would be refreshing to hear 
> something remotely similar coming from Harry for a change.
> 
> Wanda

Laura:

The thing that's disappointing about DD in OoP is his utter lack of 
understanding of human psychology.  That's where he fails, and that's 
what leads to Harry's rescue mission and Sirius's death.  DD has 
always been shown before as someone with a great deal of empathy.  
His unstinting support of Snape is a good example-he understands the 
conflicts Snape faces and the choices he's made, and he shows it.  He 
is very clear on what motivates people like Lucius and Fudge and he 
knows how to deal with them.  But when it comes to Harry and Sirius 
in book 5, it all falls apart.  He makes exactly the same mistake 
with both of them-as Harry says, people don't like to be locked up.  
The cage Harry is in is a virual one-it's the ignorance of the 
situation that DD has forced on him.  And as for Sirius, well, we all 
know how he felt about Grimmauld Place.  Maybe DD had sound reasoning 
behind his decisions about how to treat H&S.  But once he put his 
theory into practice he had to see how destructive and counter-
productive it was.  The fault is his-not Harry's, not Sirius's.