What's subversive was Re: Reader response (was: Who is the adult)

[pippin_999]

No: HPFGUIDX 100999

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "davewitley" 
<dfrankiswork at n...> wrote:
> 
> I understand there is a distinction between a subversive theory 
> (such as ESE!Lupin) and disliking a generally well-loved 
character  such as Harry without hanging any particular theory on 
that  dislike.  However, I think the two phenomena are related.  
Often  dislike (or like of a generally disliked character) is based 
> 


Pippin:
David, my dear, you can't leave us hanging. Based on what? Or 
was that a misspelling of biased? Oh dear, now I'm reading 
*posts* subversively. 

Which brings me to my main point. David gives me far too much 
credit. I did not invent the ambiguities surrounding the character 
of Remus Lupin. JKR did that. All I did was catalogue them -- 
and suggest a possible explanation. It seems to me that in 
Lupin's case the subversive reading is to deny that the 
ambiguities exist or to claim that they are accidental. <veg>

The desire to see any group of characters as simply good or 
simply evil is thwarted by the books themselves, it seems to me. 
There is no litmus test for Voldemortism, except Voldemortism 
itself.  Yes, it was dreadful that the Slytherins let Draco shun 
Hermione, and  that they were willing to accept help from 
someone whom they knew might be allied with Voldemort just to 
get new brooms for the Quidditch team--but then JKR showed 
that  the Gryffindors were willing to let Harry and Ron do the 
same thing for the sake of a Firebolt. Heaven knows what they 
would have done for seven!

It may be a subversive reading not to assume that Slytherin 
prejudice is inherently more culpable because it is racist.  But 
then again JKR was careful to choose qualities for the other 
Houses that have also  been associated with campaigns  of 
extermination against the Other. The Inquisition was carried out 
in the name of chivalry, the Nazis tried to exterminate the 
mentally inferior even before they went after the Jews, and the 
original Reign of Terror was conducted in the name of liberty, 
equality and brotherhood.

Have we been shown members of  Gryffindor, Ravenclaw or 
Hufflepuff who might respond to  a gospel of hate? We have.  As 
for the Chamber of Secrets, the Room of Requirement  is just as 
scary.  Wonder what would happen if you went in there and 
asked for a library of Dark Arts manuals and a monster that 
would obey your commands?

Pippin