Character Arcs (was: Trusting characters)

[pippin_999]

No: HPFGUIDX 118990


--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Smythe, Boyd T 
{FLNA}" <boyd.t.smythe at f...> wrote:

> *Lupin is a werewolf, but that little character flaw has already 
put Harry in danger in the endgame of one book, so I think we're 
done with that. My feeling is that when in human form, he is a 
truly good guy who'll help DD/Harry in whatever way they want in 
the endgame. Seems to fit her theme of not judging a book by its 
cover. And I'm not sure how much we'll see of Lupin in the final 
two books anyway. He's not necessary to the plot anymore 
unless Jo weaves him back in somehow.

<snip>
> So what does it all mean? Well, instead of worrying about 
whether Lupin will turn out to be ESE, if we look at possible 
betrayal scenarios like this, we read the other clues that JKR left 
for us. No one else need be ESE. They just have to follow their 
established character arcs for us to see their futures, and 
perhaps Harry's. This is why I think a Weasley will die, both
Fudge and Neville will play significant roles, and the friendship 
with Hagrid's beasts will be important. Oh, and DD will die in 
HBP (sorry!),whereupon Harry will have to depend on Snape, 
whom he will finally see as a good (but flawed) guy.
> 
> Does that advance things any?

Pippin:


So far none of us have been all that great at guessing what JKR 
is going to do with her characters,not that it's ever stopped me.  I 
was amused that Kneasy put Pettigrew at 50/50 but Lupin at 
90/10 -- surely these two should affect one another? If Pettigrew 
is going to choose good after all, then another Marauder needs 
to choose bad. James and Sirius are out of the running, pace 
Kneasy, as neither of them is available to be fed to the 
dementors. If Peter escapes, then I'm afraid Lupin is doomed.

As you say, if  Lupin isn't evil, then JKR has run out of things to 
do with him, and I don't think she has. That detachment of his 
has to be trouble. "Indifference and neglect often do much more 
damage than outright dislike..." said Dumbledore. That has to 
play out.

I've assumed that Lupin would have to  hate his former friends to 
turn against them. But what if he only had to become detached?  
We've certainly seen lots of examples of that in canon. All those 
times he speaks "lightly" or "evenly" about things which ought to 
be very upsetting,  we've taken it that he's concealing his 
feelings. But what if he isn't? What if he's detaching himself?

Pippin