Harsh Morality - Combined answers

[M.Clifford]

No: HPFGUIDX 121261


> > Carol wrote:
> > "I think we're meant to see the contrast between Harry's (and the
> > narrator's) perspective and "reality" as we, the readers, 
construct it based on our reading."
> > 
> > Del replies:
> > I disagree that we are "meant" to see this contrast, and I'm not 
> even sure JKR hopes we do that. Do you remember her comments about 
Snape and Draco being bad guys that girls shouldn't fall for just 
because the actors playing them are cute? That's not a way to 
encourage people to look at her characters from a different angle, 
IMO.
> 
> Hickengruendler:
> 
 I always read some worries from someone who has made bad 
experiences in this statement,
> >

Valky:
I agree with Hickengruendler, IIRC JKR also said something like, 
been there, done the bad boy crushing, and don't recommend it.
This was definitely JKR talking about her personal experience, and 
not about the characters, only.

OTOH when asked directly about Snapes _character_, in an interview 
JKR replied that we shouldn't like him *too* much, and hinted that a 
*worst* could be brought out in him under certain circumstances. 
If that isn't encouraging the reader to see a big grey patch then, I 
wonder what is?



 
> > Carol wrote:
> > "I'm hoping that those two perspectives (the reader's and the
> > narrator's) will come closer together in the sixth and seventh 
books
> > as Harry starts to look more closely at other people's needs,
> > feelings, and values rather than always thinking about his own 
needs
> > and burdens."
> > 
> > Del replies:
> > I *hope* so too, but what if this never happens? This is what I'm
> > afraid of. Harry will still be a teenager by the end of Book 7, 
so 
> it
> > is very possible that he won't truly start looking outside of 
> himself
> > before the series is over, in which case all we will be left 
with 
> will
> > be his side of the story. It's a real possibility, that would be
> > consistent with the books written so far IMO.
> 
> Hickengruendler:
> 
> I disagree. These books are a coming-of-age story. Therefore 
Harry's 
> development has to be finished by the end of the book. It might 
not 
> be realistic in real life to expect philosophical insights from a 
> seventeen-years old, but since these books tell Harry's story, he 
has 
> to come full term at the end of book 7. Besides, even in real 
life, 
> it's when they are around sixteen and seventeen, that teenagers 
left 
> their most problematic phase behind.
> > 
> > Carol wrote:
> > "And I also think we're meant to see certain characters, notably
> > Sirius Black and Severus Snape, as "gray" rather than "white" or
> > "black" (in the sense of Good and Evil)."
> > 
> > Del replies:
> > And yet OoP leaves us with a Harry who hates Snape more than 
ever 
> and
> > a Sirius turned into a martyred saint because he fell for the 
cause.
> 
> Hickengruendler:
> 
> Order of the Phoenix is not the end of the story. And OotP may 
leave 
> us with Harry hating Snape more than ever, but there is a moment 
> where he admits to himself, that it's easy blaming Snape, since he 
> doesn't have to think of his own guilt this way. Therefore Harry 
has 
> some insight at the end of the book, he just doesn't want to admit 
it 
> to himself. And I don't think Sirius was turned into a martyred 
> Saint. Dumbledore was pretty critical towards him at the end of 
the 
> book.