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

[nkafkafi]

No: HPFGUIDX 117106


> Del:
> I'm slightly uneasy when I read that. To me, free will is the ability
> to choose between different options. However, one must feel like they
> have a choice before they are able to make that choice, and this is
> where background and environment kick in. If their background doesn't
> let them see that there are alternatives, how free are they really to
> choose ?
> <snip>
> Another example : if a child is taught (by exemple or otherwise) by
> everyone around him to despise and be cruel to some categories of
> people, it is highly unlikely that by the age he is 11 he will think
> otherwise. Not impossible, just unlikely.
> 

Neri:
I guess this is why DD (and apparently JKR) believe in second chances.

> Del:
> I agree that it was his choice. But I wonder how much of a choice it
> felt *to him*. To us, it is obvious that leading a nice life, maybe
> getting married and having children, those were things to look forward
> to. But I don't get the feeling that Tom Riddle *ever* felt that way.
> When I read CoS, I get the feeling that Tom was only concerned about 2
> things : power, and vengeance. <snip>


Neri:

I don't think we have enough information to determine that now, and I
suspect that by the end of Book 7, JKR will make it clear that Tom did
have a choice. I seem to remember her saying that we will meet Tom
Riddle again, though I can't remember the specific interview or chat.


> Del:
> Similarly, I get the feeling that Harry was born to be good, he was
> born to be LV's nemesis. Right from the beginning of PS/SS, we see him
> doing good things, but we're rarely told *why* he makes good choices.
> Even when he befriends Ron, it reads as though he first did what was
> right, and then he discovered that it feels good. Harry systematically
> makes the good choices, but we don't know *why*. We rarely see him
> considering the alternative and then basing his decision on precise
> reasons or beliefs. It always goes back to "this is the right thing to
> do". But why ??


Neri:

Harry is almost by definition the good hero, so yes, I think he has
the talent for making the right choices most of the time. Still, I
find it instructive that the prophecy doesn't say who will win. It
says Harry has THE POWER to vanquish the Dark Lord, but it doesn't
promise us that Harry will use this power. Free will again.

Why did Harry befriend Ron rather than Draco in SS/PS? Well, I thought
when reading it that the choice was pretty obvious. Ron was nice to
him. Draco reminded him of Dudley. Harry also refused to go to
Slytherin, in part, because Hagrid told him that Voldemort was in
Slytherin, and Hafrid was nice to him too. I think that these were
very good reasons for a 11 yrs old, and even for older people. If you
don't have a lot of information, going with the nice people is a
better bet than going with the nasty people (hey, I just realized this
is what JKR said about men ;-) ). If later it turned out you made the
wrong choice, this is why we have second chances.

Neri