Thin air/Choices Was re:sex/VanishingCabinet/SoulsEtc/Badger/Ch.2/

[nrenka]

No: HPFGUIDX 139971

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "saraquel_omphale" 
<saraquel_omphale at y...> wrote:

>> Catlady wrote in reply to Aberforth's Goat:
>> So: Harry's choices *reveal* something--they peel the layers off 
>> the onion--they show us the person he actually is. His true 
>> identity, his soul, his platonic essence.
> 
> Saraquel:
> Or is it that we have the potential to be anything, and that 
> through our choices we create a personality and base for what we 
> are.

In the Potterverse, I don't think so.  That's a very existentialist 
perspective, and would be demonstrated through a statement such as 
our choices making us who we are.  But once you say 'show' instead 
of 'make' (as Dumbledore does), the emphasis is put onto illustration 
of qualities, carrying out actions which correspond to qualities--not 
making those qualities in oneself.  Essentialism.

One gets the impression that Rowling thinks of her characters with 
very well-defined character, strong personality traits and qualities 
at the bottom which their actions stem from.  That's not to say that 
change is impossible--but she clearly has a strong idea of innate 
abilities, particularly illustrated if you look at her comments on 
Neville as opposed to Harry.

-Nora is notably nitpicky about getting that quote right