Theoretical boundaries

[dungrollin]

No: HPFGUIDX 120358


Lupinlore wrote:

So we *will* continue to 
> excoriate the Dursleys, and to argue about why Dumbledore allows 
> Snape to be abusive, and to decry any pernicious/morally 
outrageous 
> themes we see.  You are more than welcome to participate in the 
> threads or sail right past them, just as we will likely sail past 
> threads trying to view the Dursleys as a plot element, or arguing 
> about Snape's place in the narrative arc, or relating the 
> moral/ethical structure of Hogwarts to the practices of the 
Edwardian 
> public school.


But we *don't* just sail right past them, do we?  Someone trying to 
clinically examine Snape's role in the story from the perspective of 
narrative structure will inevitably be accused of defending abusive 
behaviour, no matter *how* many times they try to explain that 
they're not making value judgements about the characters.  Elegantly 
demonstrated by at least one current thread.  

We leap gleefully into the fray not realising that we're wearing the 
wrong hat for the discussion (occasionally not even checking), and 
because we *have* to have the last word (even when it's clear that 
we're coming at the argument from completely different angles - 
or 'planets', as we say on my world) discussions become arguments 
and they run and run and run.  

Dungrollin