Lupin as a metaphor (was: DD and the rat)

[Renee]

No: HPFGUIDX 116056


--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "pippin_999" <foxmoth at q...> 
wrote:
> 
> Pippin:
> Oh, I expect ESE!Lupin will be offered a chance at redemption, 
> but I wouldn't bet on him taking it.

Renee:

Neither do I, because there is no such person as ESE! Lupin :p. But 
even if there was - no, a traitor of such magnitude, who callously 
turned against the first people (after his parents) who accepted him 
for what he was and took great risks to support him, wouldn't have 
the right frame of mind to redeem himself, I think.    

> As for the message,  Lupin 
> resembles an Uncle Tom/Uncle Remus character, created with  
> good intentions to counter a threatening  stereotype. But Uncle 
> Tom/Uncle Remus is now considered to be itself a negative 
> stereotype, because in the  zeal to make him unthreatening, he 
> is also made childlike, powerless and so lacking in resentment 
> as to appear incapable rather than forbearing of anger. 

> The un-canonical Lupin so dear to fandom's heart,  who felt 
> Sirius was innocent all along but couldn't do anything about it, 
> who didn't  lead his friends to become animagi, who couldn't 
> keep in mind that he hadn't taken his potion even after  he was 
> reminded, who was thinking purely of Neville's welfare  when he 
> allowed the boggart to take appear as GrannySnape,   would, 
> IMO, be such a negative stereotype...if he existed. I submit he 
> doesn't.

Renee:

No, he certainly doesn't. But it's a mistake to think that defenders 
of Lupin can only try and prove him a good guy by disregarding 
canon, pulling his teeth and turning him into an Uncle Remus. 
(Assuming that's what you were saying.) If your Lupin is the 
opposite of the caricature above, he strongly resembles mine - 
except for the conclusion you draw that such a person must have 
chosen to follow Voldemort. 

The opposite of childlike, powerless and incapable of being angry 
isn't evil. And the message is not, that if you reject empowerment 
because the one promising it entertains dubious ethics, you 
automatically subject yourself to the prejudices of the opposite 
party, confirm to their standards, and become an Uncle. What I 
reject is the notion that Lupin had no other choice than between 
toothlessness and a deadly bite, and that as canon definitely 
doesn't show him to be toothless he must inevitably have opted for 
deadly.  

If Snape can be cruel and vindictive and still be on Dumbledore's 
side, Lupin can be irresponsible and secretive and still be on 
Dumbledore's side.    

> 
> Renee:
> > Not to mention the fact that it makes Sirius' choice of Peter 
for a 
> Secret Keeper more tragically ironic if he both distrusted the 
> good guy and trusted the bad one. Perhaps it's also my sense of 
> tragic  irony that rebels against ESE!Lupin. <
> 
> Pippin:
> Sirius rejects Peter's plea for mercy and forgives Lupin, who 
> murders him. How ironic is that?
> 

Renee:
It wouldn't even be ironic if it were canon, and not conjecture. 
Whatever Lupin's status, Peter still remains a traitor; the real 
tragedy lies way back. (By the way, Sirius might have had mercy on 
Peter if Peter had asked him forgiveness - which he never does.)

Renee