JKR Chat "The Crucial and Central Question"

[arrowsmithbt]

No: HPFGUIDX 92238

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "cubfanbudwoman" <susiequsie23 at s...> 
wrote:
> 
> So maybe that IS all semantics over the word "choice"??  For you it 
> seems to mean limited options due to behind-the-scenes orchestrations 
> of a puppetmaster.  For me it comes down to there being a BIT of a 
> choice even in a limited-choice situation.

Yes, basically.
A choice that isn't informed is no choice at all in my opinion.
Harry has never before been told what it's all about. As usual, DD agonises,
sheds crocodile tears, commiserates, expresses sympathy, understanding,
and immediately sets to work getting Harry back on the rails. DD's rails.
DD is determined that Harry will not have a choice. Well, maybe one. Follow
my lead or die. Not nice at all.

In PS/SS he expects to find Snape gloating over the Stone. What would have
happened if it had been DE Snape that he'd met? He'd be dead, that's what.
His Voldy-proofing would have been of no earthly good and he didn't know 
enough magic to give Sevvy acne, let alone stop him. Given what he knew,
or thought he knew, his choice wasn't  'brave' or 'good', it was brainless.
Similarly in CoS. What did he plan to do if he met the Basilisk. Close his
eyes, that's what. Wonderful. Brilliant. That'd save Ginny all right.
Making decisions like that it's no wonder he feels close to Sirius; he didn't
think before acting either.

There was a thread on what constitutes bravery back in the summer. I must
look it up; had some hard fought discussions with Laura, I seem to recall.
But the gist of it was that before the term brave or heroic is used the
true dangers of what you are doing must be appreciated and understood. 
I submit that is rarely the case with Harry, which implies that his decisions
are the result of impetuosity. Attention deficit syndrome! Get the Ritalin!

You point to the 'choices'  that Harry has made in the books so far. Suppose
that  at some point he had said "No. I'm not going into the Chamber or
competing in the TWT or saving the Stone." Would his situation be any 
different now? Not much. His magical skills would not be so good, but that's
about all. He would still be Voldy's target, the prophecy would still read the
same, DD would still have his plan. Harry still wouldn't have a choice.

Sometimes I get the feeling that DD is not just the Puppetmaster but is
working to an actual script. He knows what is going to happen, a pre-ordained,
irrevocable sequence of events that leads to his plan coming to fruition.
We agree that he is behind the scenes pulling the strings in PS/SS. Think
what that means. He knew about Quirrell, he knew about Voldy, he knew 
about the protection Harry had, he knew Quirrell would not use spells to
subdue Harry as any normal wizard would. He knows too damn much.
This bothers me. It smacks of time manipulation and I dislike time loop
tales intensely. They're the ultimate in deus ex machina resolutions and 
are pretty much the ultimate cop-out for poor plotting too. I shall be *so*
disappointed if that's the way this turns out.   

If this is the case it means that Harry hasn't had any decisions to make. 
It was already decided.

Kneasy