Harsh Morality - Combined answers

[horridporrid03]

No: HPFGUIDX 121172



Betsy:
Hey! Back from no-computer-land, and *finally* finished catching up 
with the posted back-log of all I missed.  So now I'm jumping in!

Del, I so completely disagree with the "harsh morality" you lay out 
as the foundation of the series.  One of the big attractions of the 
Harry Potter series for me was the fasinating shades of grey JKR 
manages to paint with the various characters.  Yes, the books boil 
down to a fight between good and evil. But, especially for a 
children's series, JKR does a marvelous job of showing the many 
faceted sides of human nature.  There is no harsh morality in the 
heart of Potterverse.  At least not from JKR's end.  Some of the 
*characters* may have their own harsh morality, but that point of 
view is treated rather dimly by the author.  (See the tragedy that is 
the House of Crouch.)

>>Hickengruendler wrote:
>"I think JKR expects from us, to see beyond Harry's point of view in 
giving us the other characters' motives.<
<snip of JKR interview>
 
>> Del replies:
> I don't think she manages to deliver this message in her books very 
well at all. If she did, there wouldn't be any need for her to 
explain and defend the characters. We would have no need for outside-
the-books comments. IMO, if an author has to clarify something in 
interviews, that means that he/she did not do a good job of 
explaining that thing in his/her book to start with.
> I don't get a feeling that there are so many people here who feel 
sorry for Marrietta or who understand Percy. And chances are that 
there would be even less of us if we hadn't read a defense of those 
characters on this or another similar board...<

Betsy:
I would argue that the proof is indeed in the pudding.  There are 
*tons* of readers who support and love characters the narrator would 
have us think are unworthy.  There are many who truly believe Percy 
is a good person badly treated by his family.  The readers firmly 
behind the idea of a redeemed!Draco are legion.  (And not all of them 
are unduly influenced by Tom Felton. <eg>)  And do I really have to 
bring up Snape supporters?  All of these readers can quote you 
chapter and verse *from* cannon to support their point of view.  They 
are not making stuff up whole cloth.  They like these characters not 
in *spite* of Potterverse, but *because* of what JKR puts in the 
books for them to grab hold of.  Just follow the HP Essay link from 
the HPFGU Portkey and look up the "bad" characters for some great 
examples.

If the characters were as black and white, if the Potterverse was as 
unforgiving, as you're saying it is, I don't think the books would be 
nearly as interesting.  Nor as mysterious.  

Betsy