[HPforGrownups] Re: Character Psych Profiles - Umbridge = Insecure!

[Magda Grantwich]

No: HPFGUIDX 127532


--- Jim Ferer <jferer at yahoo.com> wrote:
> I believe it's the insecurity you speak of that leads people like
> Umbridge to become toadies and sycophants.  People with a stronger
> sense of self wouldn't be as likely to hitch their wagons to
> someone like Fudge the way she has.  They certainly wouldn't have 
> to affirm themselves by her cruelty.


Umbridge is not insecure, she's quite a strong person.  In fact, I
think the character I think she resembles most closely is Lucius
Malfoy.  Both contemptuous of "inferior" beings and those less
intelligent and determined than they are (but rarely pausing to
wonder if someone might have other strengths to consider), both
seeing no other way of winning an encounter than by totally putting
down an opponent, both with a taste for sadism and pain, and both
enjoying manipulating that pathetic waste of oxygen known as
Cornelius Fudge. Between them, Umbridge and Malfoy are running the
MoM the way they want it run and letting Fudge handle the tedious
public duties (speeches, presentations, public appearances) that
Fudge so enjoys and which they know are irrelevant compared to
wielding real power.

Umbridge makes a tactical error by becoming the virtual dictator of
Hogwarts because she really doesn't know how to work a situation
where she's out front rather than manipulating a figurehead like
Fudge.  She overreaches herself and falls rather badly.

And one trusts, permanently.  I doubt if she'll be back in the
series.  She's blown her cover with Fudge (she couldn't even deliver
Marietta's testimony) who'll be gone soon anyway, and Lucius has his
own problems these days.  Nope, Delores is adios.

Magda

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam?  Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around 
http://mail.yahoo.com