Harry Agonistes (was Re: Ever so evil ? was Dumbledore's role in Sirius'

[imamommy at sbcglobal.net]

No: HPFGUIDX 99155

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "pippin_999" <foxmoth at q...> wrote:
>
> Harry instinctively recognizes evil? If this is supposed to be an 
> instinct, it's a pretty weak one. Harry doesn't recognize Quirrell, 
> Tom Riddle, Scabbers, or Fake!Moody as evil. He doesn't even 
> recognize when Voldemort is putting lies into his head.
> 
> Besides, if Harry has the inherent ability to recognize and reject 
> the path of evil, then why should we care  that he chose 
> Gryffindor? He should have gone into Slytherin and led all the 
> other Slythies back to the light. And how can I sympathize with all 
> those poor Potterverse people agonizing over their choices, if all 
> they have to do  is whatever Harry feels is right?
> 
> IMO, the major theme of the books  is that people, including  
> readers,  should  not trust their subjective sense of good and evil 
> very far.  Pace Star Wars,  you really shouldn't trust your 
> feelings--even Dumbledore cannot. To paraphrase OOP, he 
> should have known he was doing the wrong thing because he 
> felt so good about it. 
 Pippin

imamommy:

I think a major theme of these books is Harry learning by his own
experiences to discern good from evil.  No, he does not have a perfect
moral compass, although I think he has a pure, honest heart and good
intentions.  He "recognizes" Malfoy as evil based on two experiences
he's already had; firstly, the encounter in Madame Malikin's, and
secondly, his being befriended by Ron almost instantly.  Personal,
yes.  I think we all learn to make these distinctions at least partly
because of personal experiences, but by the time Malfoy makes this
offer, Harry has already figured him out.  

You're right, Pippin, Harry doesn't recognize a lot of evil.  I think
that is the point.  He, being honest himself, *is* easy to manipulate
at times.  But each experience will help teach him to be wary.  To
quote from Matthew in the Bible, "be ye therefore wise as serpents,
and harmless as doves."  Harry needs to learn to recognize evil, and
that is what he spends a lot of time doing:  learning.

I also happen to agree with Professor Snape (in this instance,
anyway), Harry does need to learn to control his emotions so that he
can make rational decisions.  He *is* an easy target for Voldemort, is
he not, when he is unable to think clearly.  I don't mean he should
ditch the feelings, but he will need to control them in the future.  

I absolutely love that Jo has been able to write Harry as a kid who is
in need of gaining maturity, as opposed to someone who is already
grown up.  I think we see our own journey to      hood (whatever our
age) as we watch him struggle with these issues.

imamommy