Good moral core (Re: Dirty Harry/Clean Harry)

[Kelsey Dangelo]

No: HPFGUIDX 117024


Del :
<snip>
Lying : he does it pretty often. <examples of Harry
lying>He might sometimes feel a bit remorseful about
it at the moment he does it, but it usually doesn't
prevent him from sleeping soundly.
Cheating : he copies Hermione's homework. In my book,
that's cheating. And he has no remorse about it.
Stealing : <snip> I do remember that he helped and
supported Hermione when she stole the ingredients for
the Polyjuice potion from Snape's office. He had no
remorse about it.
<snip>

Kelsey:

Ok, here we go into the Kantian vs. Utilitarian
definition of moral goodness.

The crimes you listed above are victimless crimes,
IMO. He doesn't target people or even hurt people at
large (except when he can't see into the future the
consequences of his actions). In other words, he has
the best of intentions.

Why does Harry help steal ingredients? To try to save
the school from the Heir of Slytherin. Why does Harry
copy homework? Because he's concerned and worried
about greater issues in the WW rather than Divination
homework. Why does he lie? Because he doesn't want
to disappoint people (and he does feel guilty about
it, and I think it causes him usually to rectify the
issue). Or he lies to protect himself when he was
doing something for the greater good (i.e. lying to
Umbridge).

So, when it comes to the 'little' things,
Harry's follows a more Utilitarian system of morals
(doing what it takes for the greater good). The reason
he's so stressed and does them is because he is so
concerned about the bigger issues in the world.

Yes, Harry fantasizes cursing people (Snape). But who
doesn't think once in a while (particularly when
they're very angry) about killing or hurting
someone. It's different than acting on those
feelings. I also think that Harry's opinion of Snape
is evolving. For instance, this fantasy occurs before
he learns that Snape is a former Death Eater and a
trusted member of the Order.

But, where it comes to the big things, Harry is
Kantian in his belief that there are things that you
don't do (particularly when they hurt someone). He
never (except with Bellatrix) attacks anyone without
being attacked first. He never (even though he suffers
much abuse from the Muggle world) attacks, hurts, or
defames Muggles as a whole. He doesn't steal, cheat
people, or lie to hurt people or increase his own
ambitions.

There are times when Harry falters and has a 'learn
his lesson' moment. For instance, when he selfishly
goes to Hogsmeade and breaks the rules and receives a
talking-to from Lupin. This is part of an 'evolving
Harry', but his core, if anything, becomes more good
as he goes along. Even when Harry has these "learn his
lesson" moments, they seem pretty harsh for a
teenager, but it's because he's a hero, and so much is
demanded of him, he almost has to act more good and
more moral than other people because of his role as
hero.

I still think that Harry's going to have to destroy
Voldemort, but he's going to feel really horrible
about it. And I don't see him waging a war and
executing DEs. I don't see him becoming an anti-hero
(a dark, villainous character that happens to be on
the side of good). He's just not Barty Crouch, Sr.

Kelsey, who is suddenly grateful for her painful
semester in Philosophy 101

PS. I recently read something I wrote in a journal a
few months ago about the parallels between Voldemort
and Harry (their connection and similarities in
situations, their connection to 'Slytherin
traits'). I saw how much Harry is 'ambiguous' in
some ways as a hero because he is so connected to his
polar opposite (his nemesis Voldemort). But I think
that this also comes back to choice and moral cores.
Although Harry is a lot like Voldemort, he's still
got that ultra-good core that determines his choices
and actions.