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

[nkafkafi]

No: HPFGUIDX 99175

Carolyn wrote:
As I don't agree with your POV, I have been following this thread
with interest. Whilst I don't mind endless discussion culminating in
all parties flopping exhausted on the ground totally unconvinced of
the other party's argument, I do object when broad statements are
made about what 'most readers think'.

Not only is this the weakest debating tactic in the book, but I would
have thought it was *obvious* that nearly 110 000 post later, there
is not a lot of agreement (on this list at least) about anything,
ranging from the trivial to the sublime (and this is pretty much the
same on most such discussion lists). Instead, in time-honoured
fashion, you are simply projecting your own values, wishes and wants
on to the books, no less, no more.

Fortunately, perhaps, the democratic nature of internet groups make
it impossible for anyone to *win* such debates, and I commend to you
a salutary, and very funny post from the archives on the nature of
such discussions:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/77115



Neri:

Thanks for this link. It is very funny and enlightening. It also 
suggests why it is impossible to reach any consensus (which was not 
the objective anyway): The rules and dynamics of the forum 
practically prevent it. If you go to the polls section of the group, 
you'll notice that sometime there is quite a wide agreement on 
subjects that in the forum itself can never be agreed upon (I won't 
give specific examples in order not to start another three or four 
landslides, but you probably know what I mean). But I'll try to avoid 
this tactic next. 

I already gained a lot from this discussion, just because I was 
forced to put in words something that I always knew but never thought 
about. I didn't quite manage it yet, but another three or four rounds 
might do it. Or some forum member will just drop a three-lines post 
that says it better than I'll ever be able to. But if it is 
not "obvious" to you, then I'd like very much to know, do you think 
that Harry is the "good hero" of HP, and if so, what is the key 
quality that makes him so?

Or, to put it in Kneasy's words, did Harry become a Gryphindor and 
not a Slytherin only because, after less than a day of acquaintance, 
he thought he likes Ron better than he likes Draco?

Neri