The Power that LV Knows Not (was Ch. 30 Grawp)

[Smythe, Boyd T {FLNA}]

No: HPFGUIDX 117228

> Meri wrote:
> Grawp knows what he was raised in: a brutish, violent and uneducated world
where strength rules. Even by the end of Order he was learning a bit. So
maybe there's hope for him. It's that old nature  versus nurture debate, or
as DD puts it, it isn't what we are born but what we grow up to be that
matters. Hagrid was raised around humans, so he's been effectively
civilized. Give Grawp a little time and maybe he could fit in, too. <
<snip>
> Centaurs seem to consider themselves above all other things. They are very
protective of their forest home, though I'm not sure how much of a claim
they have to it, and they are clearly very intellegent. But they aren't
flexible or understanding or willing to work against what they see as fate.
The fact that they are willilng to violently defend the status quo shows
that they may very well prove to be a dangerous enemy for DD, if not an ally
for LV. And I think many of them are prejudiced against humans. They are not
willing to accept the good in the human race and are convinced that all
humans are arrogant and ignorant. <
<

boyd:

OK, to wade back into the fray for a moment, Meri has made some interesting
(and IMO spot on for centaurs) comments about two prominent WW creature
races. Notice that both are different from humans not just in physical
appearance, but also in beliefs, attitudes, and disposition. (And keep
going, a theory lies at the bottom of this.) To whit:

* Giants are strong, largely brutish, emotional and quite wild. In short, a
dim reflection of some of humanity's ancestral traits. Could change in the
final <gasp!> two books, but that's where it is now.

* Centaurs are certainly far more cerebral (or at least some centaurs are).
They are also inflexible, resigned to fate, and prejudiced. Hmmm. Sounds
like a different reflection of man's less-noble nature.

* House elves are highly magical yet the most obsequious of servants.
Through Winky we see that most house elves cannot imagine a life apart from
servitude and absolute obedience. Again, this sounds like another facet of
human nature.

* Goblins, while less developed (so far!) than the rest, appear to be
planners (certainly detail oriented given Gringotts). They may also be
greedy, intent on nothing so much as advancing their own power/wealth.
Sounds like another human failing writ large by JKR.

So what? Asked another way, why does JKR create these near-human creatures
and even have Hermione intent on effecting freedom for one? <And those of
you who know me will see another crazy theory coming....>

JKR has created each of these races as in some way sub-human, because she
intends to not only use them to delineate racism and prejudice in the WW,
but also to demonstrate quite literally that a good person is a collection
of all of these features. They are at times wild, but also thoughtful. They
serve both others and themselves. Humanity is a balance between these
opposing features. And brought together correctly, they are powerful. But
how can she show us that?

What better way than for them to play a key role in the defeat of the most
prejudiced individuals in the WW: LV and the DEs.

But do the races themselves want to come together? On the whole, no. But
there are individuals from each race (except goblins so far) that are
uniquely *human* in their outlook. Hagrid--and now potentially Grawp.
Firenze. Dobby. Each has played an important role. Each is now at Hogwarts.
Each feels protective of and indebted to Harry (that's important). And once
a more human goblin enters the picture, likely in HBP (perhaps FF?), we will
see the emergence of a new force that is unified in a way that the MoM
statue was intended. Strong, smart, magical and cunning.

So when book 7 is released, don't be surprised when a foursome of creatures
makes the difference, perhaps making way for Harry's last act. After all, it
was Harry that brought them all together in the first place!

Apologies to any members who may have said something very close (hopefully
not identical) to this--the posts I have found tend to be oriented toward
single races and do not reach this same conclusion.

One question: what does it mean that the MoM fountain did not include a
giant?

--boyd
hoping this doesn't turn out to be wholly unoriginal