Plot in OotP

[Renee]

No: HPFGUIDX 118155


--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "lupinlore" <bob.oliver at c...> 
wrote:
> 
> sophierom wrote:
> >.... Dumbledore makes the most callous choices because he wants to
> > put wizardingkind above the happiness of one child.  But, as the
> > relationship deepens, Dumbledore begins to love Harry so much 
that 
> his
> > emotions interfere with good decision making.  We're seeing the
> > decline of Dumbledore as we we see the rise of Harry and 
Voldemort.
> > It's kind of sad, really!

Lupinlore: 
 
> Well, I could see this, except for JKR's comment about Dumbledore 
> being "very wise" and "the epitome of goodness."  This type of 
> callous behavior doesn't strike me as very consistent with either.
> And if she has Harry simply forgiving him and saying "It's all 
right 
> that you left me to be abused, I understand," I'm not so sure I 
won't 
> throw the book against the wall.
> 

Renee:
But this is just another example of JKR interpreting her own books 
for us, of telling us about Dumbledore's wisdom and goodness instead 
of letting the text show it. The kind of comment I wish she would 
refrain from, especially as it overrules a perfectly plausible 
interpretation like the one Sophierom gave above. I'm sure JKR 
intends Dumbledore to be very wise and the epitome of goodness, but 
his actions or inactions ought to speak for themselves instead of 
needing the author's comments to be viewed in the proper light. 

As for Dumbledore himself, as I see it he's set up as the 
archetypical old mage found in traditional fairy stories and 
folktales, knowledgeable but detached and not unlike the proverbial 
puppetmaster. But then, as the series moves further away from the 
fairytale, he slowly turns into a fallible and emotionally 
vulnerable human being. Or rather, it's Harry's perception of him 
that changes, evolving from childish concepts about omnipotent 
parental figures or even deities to more realistic and mature views. 
Not quite incidentally, this fits in very well with (just)Carol's 
remark in message #118116 about Harry Potter as a novel about 
growing up.

Renee