[HPforGrownups] Re: James, a paragon of virtue? Was: Why Do You Like Sirius?

[Magda Grantwich]

No: HPFGUIDX 124129


--- horridporrid03 <horridporrid03 at yahoo.com> wrote:
> And then JKR adds in the "mudblood" word.  And, as you point out, 
> Nora, having Snape use that particular 
> word says something about his background and ideology, just as
> James' dislike of that word says something about his.


Magda:

It also tells us something about Snape's tactics.  He's not
addressing Lily, he's talking to James: "...mudblood like *her*." 
He's trying to get James riled up so that he loses his temper (much
like James successfully gets Snape to lose HIS temper) so that James
will get careless and make mistakes.  Doesn't work, but points for
learning from his earlier mistakes and trying to use them against an
opponent.


> Betsy:
> But is JKR really saying, "Don't worry about it folks.  Snape's
> still 
> a baddie, James is still good.  Please ignore everything leading up
> to this point!" ?  It doesn't make sense.  Not when she's worked so
> hard to turn the readers *away* from James and Sirius in the scene 
> setup.  There must be more to it than can simply be judged by who 
> will say "mudblood" and who won't.  And I wonder if JKR is
> suggesting that perhaps there is more to a person than their family
> background.

Magda:

Or more to being a "good guy" than just hanging out with a particular
set of friends.  You've got to walk the walk, not just talk the talk.
 I think James learned this eventually; I doubt Sirius ever really
did.  You've got to act like a good guy even to people who aren't the
ones you like; what's the point of just being a good guy to friends
or strangers who don't bug you?


Slightly off-topic:

Those of you who like to quote multiple posters and insert your
replies for hugely long posts might want to know that Yahoo truncates
them after a certain point.  So people like me (and increasing
numbers of other readers on this list) can only respond to the first
half of long posts.

Just FYI.

Magda

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