Writers Fiat (was: Stockholm Syndrome - was No sympathy for Kreacher)

[lupinlore]

No: HPFGUIDX 124659


<SNIP>
> 
> Charme:
> 
> No, it doesn't work for you, this much I can sense :)  However, I
must say I 
> really do wish (and maybe someone can suggest this to one of the
many HP fan 
> sites we all visit) would actually poll fans to see who believes
what one 
> way or the other on this issue.
> 
> If I base this just on what my other obsessed HP friends and family
locally 
> told me since we last responded to each other,  I get more adults
than kids 
> who believe as you do, Lupinlore. (Insert poll disclaimer here - and
the 
> focus group is now at 21 responses)   None of the kids (8 kids, ages
7-14, a 
> nice healthy mix) thought DD was being "bad" or nasty WRT to putting
Harry 
> with the Dursleys; in fact, they all asked what else he could have
done to 
> protect Harry since he thought the DE's were "out to get him" after
LV's 
> demise. When I tried to play devil's advocate with them, they
reminded me 
> that Petunia's "Harry's" mother's sister - his only family and his 
> protection from the DE's and LV. No prompting from yours truly
either - I'd 
> never asked them what they thought like this and I was surprised at the 
> responses. Interesting, since most of the time the dangerous DE's are 
> sometimes shunted aside by fans in these "grownup" discussions as
one of the 
> reasons why DD had to make the decisions he did. I also asked the
kids if 
> they thought DD should have said something more apologetic like you
stated 
> earlier and my 10 year old nephew (God bless'im) emailed me back
with the 
> exclamation that DD "cried didn't he? He kept Harry alive.
Dumbledore was 
> really really sad."  OTOH, with adults it's a different story.  You
get a 
> 50 - 50 split in my world.
> 
> You use words, Lupinlore, like "vile" and "flawed" in your
observations. 
> While you're wholeheartedly entitled to that, I think it's rather
too soon 
> to come to that conclusion - the series isn't complete yet. As for
me, the 
> jury's out either way, but I certainly did enjoy having the
opportunity to 
> pepper my friends and family about it :)
> 
> Charme

I think you are absolutely right that kids and adults view events in
the series very differently.  I think there are many complex reasons
for that.  Thinking back to when I was ten or twelve, I probably
wouldn't have had a negative reaction to DD, either.  I think we get
much harsher on adults as we grow up and learn more about them, mainly
through becoming one ourselves.

I've seen this basic difference in approach about OOTP in general. 
Kids have tended to like it, or at least find it OK.  Adults often
have trashed it.  Once again, I think its because adults are much
harder on the adults in the book than kids are.  But that could be a
totally mistaken impression.

The poll idea is interesting.  In the two Yahoo groups where I have
seen it done (both fanfic groups)the membership is primarily adult and
the largest single opinion seemed to be that Dumbledore is
well-meaning but out of touch with people who aren't as
wise/powerful/old as him and this has led him to making several bad
decisions starting back in 1981.  The second largest opinion was that
he's a manipulative and ruthless SOB who really doesn't care much who
he damages as long as he attains his goals (which may be in themselves
desirable).  As you say, very unscientific polling.

Lupinlore