OKAY, let's all just take a chill pill

[delwynmarch]

No: HPFGUIDX 120186


Lupinlore wrote: 
"1) There is a difference between fiction and real life;"

Del replies:
Yep. Good thing too : there are enough powerful wackos out there, I'm
sure GLAD there isn't also an evil powerful wizard out to kill us all
Muggles! 

I mean, he doesn't REALLY exist, does he?

Oh, and I'm also glad my future doesn't depend on the choices of one
single boy ;-)

Lupinlore wrote:
"2) Those who find certain abusive/evil/etc. characters interesting in
 fiction are in no way advocating or defending their actions and would
 not be allies of them in RL.  (I, for example, find Sauron in LOTR a
 fascinating figure, but I wouldn't want to play cards with him.)"

Del replies:
In RL, the Dursleys would highly irritate and shock me, and I wouldn't
take their treatment of Harry lightly.
In RL, I probably wouldn't approach Snape within a 100 feet.
In RL, Sirius would probably make me horribly edgy and nervous because
of his moodiness and unpredictability. On the other hand, I might also
develop a desire to help him heal emotionally.
In RL, I couldn't care less about Ron.
In RL, I would probably want to slap Hermione half the time, and
worship her the other half of the time.
And so on.
But the Potterverse is not the RL.

Lupinlore wrote:
"ON THE OTHER HAND:
 
1) There ARE real issues with some of the themes brought up in the HP
 books, in OOTP in particular, where there sometimes seems to be a 
subtle and not so subtle message that abuse is OK in a good cause and
 that emotional health is not important as long as the job gets done;"

Del replies :
Agreed. I happen to be particularly sensitive to mental and emotional
health problems, and I'm often appalled at the level of insensitivity
many Potterverse characters show for people going through such
problems, including themselves and their friends. Expecting such
people as Sirius and Snape, for example, who have clearly
*demonstrated* that they just can NOT get over their problems on their
own, to just pick themselves up and snap out of their negative
reasonings and reactions, is, to put it very mildly, silly. I can cut
a lot of slack to DD, but forcing Snape to teach Harry Occlumency was
completely stupid IMO, and so was expecting Sirius to stay put and
inactive.

Lupinlore wrote: 
"2)  Those who find these themes disturbing, problematic, and 
pernicious are not being silly, deluded, hysterical, over-the-top, or
 ignorant of the definition of fiction."

Del replies:
Agreed. Though I'm the first to admit that I might not be considerate
enough of other people's feelings sometimes.

Lupinlore wrote:
"I personally think a lot of this arises from the fact that JKR 
assumes we know what she means when in fact what she means is often 
very unclear"

Del replies:
In fact, I'm not even sure we should assume that JKR assumes we know
what she means. She IS the Mistress of Mislead after all.

Del