Character Arcs (was: Trusting characters)

[pippin_999]

No: HPFGUIDX 119046



> > 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.
> 
> 
> Renee:
> I fail to see the logic in this. Even if Peter is redeemed in the 
end - and I actually hope he will be - he still went bad in the 
first Voldemort war. But more to the point, it's no law that one of 
the four Marauders has to end up irredeemably evil at the end of 
the  series, or that if another character will be fed to the 
Dementors,  it has to be a remaining Marauder.       <

Pippin:

It's the logic of Nemesis. The dementor's kiss is  "the fate that 
awaits Sirius Black." --PoA ch 12  Harry thought  that the one who
betrayed his parents deserved it. He was  willing to hand Peter 
over to them, thinking that Peter was the archtraitor. Peter has 
escaped--but that's temporary. This is the equivalent of Chekov's 
duelling pistols -- they've been hung on the wall in Book Three 
and they're bound to be used in Book Seven.


The dementors have not faded into the background of the story 
like the acromantulas or the basilisk. JKR must have 
some purpose in keeping their horror before the readers minds, 
though Harry has already fought off the whole pack of them. 

>
> Pippin:
> > 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.
> 
> Renee:
> Very well possible. Lupin certainly seems capable of messing 
up  things (again) by an act of omission. But JKR could also 
have him  overcome his flaws instead and turn him into a better 
werewolf.  And maybe he'll take over Snape's Occlumency 
lessons :)     

Pippin:

That would be very nice if the books were titled Remus Lupin 
and...but they're not. Lupin's detachment has to put Harry in 
jeopardy, just as the flaws of all the other characters do  -- 
otherwise why should we care about it?  

> Renee:
> Detachment seems more in character for Lupin than fierce 
hatred. But as he doesn't always succesfully hide his feelings - 
occasionally,  Harry registers something - we can assume he's 
not really devoid of  emotions.<


Pippin:
No, indeed. Voldemort is incapable of love, but Lupin isn't -- he 
chooses to be detached, because otherwise he would have to 
put himself at risk, and he's too cowardly, IMO, to do it. 

Pippin