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

[lupinlore]

No: HPFGUIDX 151285

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "dumbledore11214" 
<dumbledore11214 at ...> wrote:
<SNIP>
> 
> Jen argued yesterday that Dumbledore in this scene is shown as at 
> the end of his rope and that he is tired and upset and shocked of 
> almost loosing Harry and accordingly he may not necessarily say the 
> best things to Harry. ( Right, Jen? I am not misinterpreting you?)
> 
> I actually have no problem with such interpretation whatsover, 
> except I don't see hesitant Dumbledore, upset Dumbledore in this 
> scene, even though he tries to be upset.

Yes, I think this is the nub of the issue.  I do think that JKR was 
using DD very obviously as a mouthpiece here.  But more than that, 
she was trying to sell a certain view of DD.  That is, I think she 
was trying to sell the "epitome of goodness" view.  And I think it is 
that selling point that, for whatever reason, has fallen on deaf ears 
with many of us.  He simply comes off as too cold and harsh to 
support such an interpretation.


<SNIP>
 
> I am afraid I don't make much sense, but yes, I did not see much of 
> human Dumbledore in this scene. I saw a lot more of him in HBP 
> though. One line " I am not worried, I am with you" worked wonders 
> on me to show Dumbledore humanity and lots better than his OOP 
> speech.
> 

I don't quite agree here.  I think that a human DD does indeed come 
across here -- but he isn't the human JKR is trying to sell 
throughout the series.  Rather, he's a very cold and unsympathetic 
man, possibly manipulative, extraordinarily off-putting, and 
certainly VERY unlikeable.  And in that sense, JKR's message about 
an "epitome of goodness," or even a kind and caring man, simply 
doesn't come through for some of us -- at least not in this scene.  I 
do agree that a different DD comes across in HBP, along with a 
different Harry (and it is that transition that, IMO, is so very 
unbelievable and poorly done, but that is a somewhat different issue).


Lupinlore