Another Gollum Comparison

[pippin_999]

No: HPFGUIDX 151017

Pippin:

A late addition to the recent thread of Gollum comparisons:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/150906

While Snape resembles Gollum in his relentless capacity to hate, and
Wormtail was mentioned for his treachery and general repulsiveness,
both of these characters lack Gollum's most outstanding characteristic--
his divided nature. Neither Snape nor Wormtail seems to be anywhere
as conflicted as Gollum. Neither seems to be in a constant dialogue
with himself. 

It's important to understand that Tolkien does not present Gollum as
wholly evil. We see it most clearly in the moment in the Two Towers
where Gollum finds Frodo and Sam asleep, and for a moment seems
to be filled with doubt and regret. He reaches out to touch Frodo,
almost as if it were a caress. 

Much of the time, though, Gollum's fawning and would-be friendliness
are deceptive and clearly indicated as such. 

But deception in Rowling is handled very differently than deception
in Tolkien.  Although in Sauron and Saruman Tolkien created villains 
who could conceal their evil intentions for centuries on end, the 
reader is always clued in. Rowling, on the other hand, allows the reader
to be misled along with her unsuspecting hero, first by Quirrell,
then by Riddle, and finally by Fake!Moody. 

If Gollum had been a Rowling character, we might expect that Slinker
would do a much better job of keeping Stinker under wraps. We might
hardly know that Stinker existed, though Rowling always carefully
drops a hint that her deceptive characters are liars.

Perhaps some of you are already thinking of a Rowling character who 
reaches out to Harry with an aborted caress. He is starved and miserable 
in appearance, though not so obviously wasted as Gollum is. This 
character also seems to be in  a non-stop argument with himself, 
has tried to kill one of his old friends, and has taken advantage of 
others' sympathy for his miserable plight. 


Like Gollum he has undoubtedly been mistreated by both sides and
like Gollum he is a skillful liar.

In terms of conflict and story arc, perhaps the most Gollum-like
character is Lupin.


Pippin