Hermione In Trouble?

[cubfanbudwoman]

No: HPFGUIDX 120675


Now Cory:
> On a more serious note, in expressing some reservations about JKR's 
> message, I don't want to imply that I disagree with her.  My 
> objection to the message is more along the lines of its 
> applicability to real life.  I agree with the principle that rules 
> are not absolute, and should be broken when the greater good 
> requires it -- particularly when, as in OotP, the rules themselves 
> exist for the purpose of oppressing a particular group or achieving 
> some other evil purpose.
> 
> My point is simply that, in the real world, that is rarely an easy 
> ethical determination to make, because very few things or causes 
> are purely "good" or "evil."  
<snip> 
> In short, I agree with JKR, but only because good and evil are so 
> clearly delineated in the Potterverse.  In real life, I usually do 
> not buy into "ends justify the means" arguments.


SSSusan:
Thanks for the clarification, Cory.  I understand what you are 
saying, and of course I agree that there is little in our world which 
is so clearly B/W in terms of good or evil.  It's funny, perhaps, 
that I do still think JKR is trying to teach us about "gray"... but I 
think it works because of the B/W endpoints; that is, if things were 
too gray with the good vs. evil, then we have a real dilemma for much 
of the readership, I think.  

In *my* mind, the Hermione behaviors pointed to in this thread are 
waaaaay towards "the white end of the gray" and so therefore her rule-
breaking is all right.  But if things weren't so clearly separated 
between good & evil in the Order/Trio vs. Voldy/DEs or the Order/Trio 
vs. Umbridge, then Hermione's actions wouldn't necessarily be okay.  

Which is perhaps why, of the examples discussed, I'm most distressed 
by the Marietta situation, over the Rita Skeeter or DJU in the forest 
or stealing Snape's supplies situations.  Does that make any sense?  
Perhaps the Marietta thing really *was* just as much protection for 
DD/The Order/The Greater Good as the other two examples... but it 
just seems in that one case perhaps there would have been a less 
excessive way to catch the snitch??

Siriusly Snapey Susan