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

[houyhnhnm102]

No: HPFGUIDX 139982

Nora:

> 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.

houyhnhnm:

I think you are right about the quote from CoS.  And the behavior of
the characters seldom deviates from the pattern that has been
established for them.

The following passage has me still thinking of Dumbledore as something
of an existentialist, though.

-----------------------------------------------
(HBP, AE, p. 510)

"If Voldemort had never heard of the prophecy, would it have been
fulfilled?  Would it have meant anything?  Of course not.  Do you
think every prophecy in the Hall of Prophecy has been fulfilled?"

"But," said Harry, bewildered, "but last year, you said one of us
would have to kill the other--"

"Harry, Harry, only because Voldemort made a grave error and acted on
Professor Trelawney's words!  If Voldemort had never murdered your
father, would he have imparted in you a furious desire for revenge? 
Of course not.  If he had not forced your mother to die for you, would
he have given you a magical protection he could not penetrate? Of
course not, Harry!  Don't you see?  Voldemort himself created his own
worst enemy...."

"But--"

"It is essential that you understand this!" said Dumbledore, standing
up and striding about the room, his glittering [!! ] robes swooshing
in his wake; Harry had never seen him so agitated.

-----------------------------------------------
It makes me think of the following words of Kierkegaard:
"He who fights the future has a dangerous enemy.  The future is not;
it borrows its strength from the man himself, and when it has tricked
him out of this, then it appears outside of him as the enemy he must
meet."

Clearly Voldemort created his future by chosing to act on the prophecy
as he did. I guess the question is:  Did Voldemort have a choice WRT
his choice or was he predestined to chose to act the way he did.