PoA Question (foreshadowing books 6 & 7)

[drliss at comcast.net]

No: HPFGUIDX 105902

Casey:
"Interesting theories! The thing I found most bizarrely non-textual 
in the POA movie was the huge proliferation of menhirs (the oblong 
stones standing/balanced straight up - I think that's the term) in 
Harry's woods-walk sceen with Lupin. The bridge was also a rather 
romantic back-drop for a male to male scene as well, discussion of 
Lilly notwithstanding (- and is a romantic back drop really 
appropriate to that context Harry's mother either?)"

I hadn't noticed the non-textual references, but that's interesting.  I'm still meaning to go see the movie again (hopefully I can get past Lupin's cheesy mustache this time!), so I'll keep an eye out for it!  I also do remember thinking the bridge a bit strange, but I was so distracted by Lupin going on and on about Lily (which annoyed me, partly because of the Lupin/Sirius theory, but mainly because one of Lupin's main functions in PoA is to be the first strong link Harry has to his father, and the relationship between James and Lupin is utterly neglected) that I didn't pay attention to the bridge.

 Casey:

"Perhaps, however Cuaron is not really being so non-textual after-
all, given the "old married couple" reference you provide. I'd  
assumed JKR's focus on Harry's various father figures beginning 
(esp.) in book three had to do with lending some verisimilitude to 
her portrayal of male adolescent angst, as well as furthering her 
identity theme. I think some amount of homoeroticism is inherent in 
that process, but maybe she really is going somewhat further with it?

Adding to it the overall theme of "normality" as an anti-value lends 
a really interesting perspective. Thanks."

On the one hand, consider some of Cuaron's other movies: homosexuality and homoeroticism are not topics this man will shy away from.  (I get a kick out of picturing the arguments that may have occurred between Steve Kloves, who seemed quite convinced that Lupin loved Lily, and Cuaron, whom I'm imagining (for no concrete reason) supported the Sirius/Lupin theory.)

Although JKR doesn't really focus on it, I've noticed something interesting about her: she's very inclusive of different cultures in her books.  I don't think she does it to be PC or make a point- I think she does it because it's the way society actually is.  A lot of different races are represented at Hogwarts: Cho is Asian, Pavrati and Padma are Indian, Dean is black, etc.  She doesn't really go out of her way to point this out, but she does represent more than just Harry's walk of life.  She's also played with different economic status (statuses?  stati?), the impact of disabilities (Neville's parents), different family structures (single parent families, extended families, other non-traditional families), etc., so it wouldn't shock me if she made one (or two) of her characters homosexual.  (I mean, heck, Aberforth "practiced inappropriate charms on a goat"... lol)

Although the Harry Potter books have been marketed at children, the books were not written for children.  So... why not?  Especially since Sirius, well, he's dead.  Lupin and Sirius wouldn't be present as an active, obvious couple, and the focus would be on the emotional side of their relationship at this point, rather than the sexual.  But I can see where Harry would be terribly upset, at least at first.  (And regardless of the relationship between Sirius and Lupin, I definitely think Harry hasn't given much thought to Lupin's feelings about the matter, and I could really see them rubbing each other the wrong way eventually.)

I think the foundation is there, if she choses to go that way.  She's laid enough ambiguous hints that it wouldn't be a total shocker, but said hints HAVE been abiguous enough that it wouldn't be a shocker if I'm wrong about them, either.  I wouldn't put either one past her!

Lissa

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