[HPforGrownups] Dumbledore on the Dursleys in OotP (was:Re: Old, old problem.)

[Magpie]

No: HPFGUIDX 151178

> Betsy Hp:
> Ah, but see it's the control -- the iron control, the multi-times
> mentioned calm -- that tells me Dumbledore is operating on fumes
> here.  Especially with the little moments JKR throws in.  The stiff
> denial of Sirius's death by Phineas; the sunlight cutting into
> Dumbledore's skin, making him look old; his pedantic way of speaking
> (even for him); the moment where he drops his head into his hands;
> and finally the tear.
>
> It's incredibly British.  Possibly old-fashioned, but very, very,
> typical of the type of man Dumbledore is supposed to be.  I'm
> reading "The Charioteer" by Mary Renault, which takes place in
> England during WWII.   There's a scene where the protagonist,
> Laurie, recalls lying on the beach at Dunkirk, his leg shattered.
> Next to him was a man, Reg, whose arm was also shattered, and whose
> eyes were swelled shut by the blast that got his arm.  Reg, afraid
> of being blind, completely looses it and starts screaming for
> someone to shoot him.  Laurie forced his eyes open, and Reg calmed
> down.  A good year or so later, despite all the enforced time
> they've spent together in the hospital, they're both incredibly
> embarrassed about the whole thing.  It's something they purposefully
> avoid talking about, because of how emotional Reg was at the time.

Magpie:
Actually, to be clear, I wasn't referring to Dumbledore's demeanor as being 
calm--that didn't strike me as odd. I was referring to the exposition he 
gives that I had so much trouble with.  He's not coming out and saying he's 
less flawed than anyone else, I'm just reading his words and saying okay, 
yeah, that's a touching "apology" there Dumbledore, but not quite on point 
for me.  Maybe it's the author and not the character, but I think his 
exposition coupled with the apology is hilariously slick in the way it 
presents Dumbledore.

-m