JKR dealing with Moral Issues/Adult guidance/Trainwreck

[lupinlore]

No: HPFGUIDX 162673

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "TK Kenyon" <tigerpatronus at ...> 
wrote:
<SNIP>

> There was so much philosophy and deeper questions in the first 4 
> books, it makes me wonder if she just dug her hole too deep and 
> can't get out in merely 3 more books (2500 pages). 
> 
> TK Kenyon -- TigerPatronus! 
> 


I think this does get at the heart of the problem.  The first four 
books set up an enormous number of questions/issues/problems and 
launched any number of emotional/dramatic arcs.  And then over the 
next two books it all just ... stopped.  Or rather, it  stopped most 
of the time only to lurch forward violently at some points.  First 
there was OOTP, an 800 page book in which one spent about 700 pages 
going 1) what's the point? 2) are these idiotic clueless adults ever 
going to get off their behinds and act responsibly for once? 3) 
what's the point? 4) okay, I've had it with the wheel spinning, 5) 
yeah, yeah, yeah, yadda, yadda, yadda,  6) oh, something might 
actually happen, 7) and once again, what's the point?  Then there was 
HBP, a 650 page book where one spent about 550 pages going 1) okay 
did OOTP actually happen?, 2) what's the point?, 3) okay, but did 
OOTP actually happen?, 4) what's the point?, 5) you mean THAT'S what 
the prophecy/horcruxes/whatever is all about?, 6) Did OOTP actually 
happen?

To add insult to injury, we now have a prophecy that is 1) blatantly 
obvious, 2) evidently not actually a prophecy at all, but rather a 
cosmic fortune cookie that gave Voldy a stomach ache.  We also have 
the introduction, at the eleventh hour, of horcruxes, which are 1) 
time consuming McGuffins, 2) unnecessary McGuffins, and 3) annoying 
McGuffins.

So, heading into the last book we have, at minimum, the following 
with which to deal (taken either from absolute plot necessity or 
JKR's own statements):

1) Finding and destroying four horcruxes;
2) Destroying Voldy;
3) Harry's fate;
4) Ron/Hermione;
5) The conclusion of Snape;
6) The conclusion of Wormtail;
7) The conclusion of Draco;
8) The fate of Bellatrix;
9) The fate of Hogwarts post-Dumbledore;
10) The fate of the Dursleys;
11) An appearance from Umbridge;
12) An appearance from Krum;
13) Explication of the Night at Godric's Hollow;
14) A Weasley Wedding;
15) The fate of Lupin;
16) Seeing Sirius again;
17) Further explication of Hogwarts (Celtic site, etc.)
18) Clearing up the Mystery of the Tower
19) The end of Neville's story arc

In addition, there are the following questions still hanging:

1) The fate of Percy
2) The fate of Regulus Black
3) The Prank
4) Harry/Ginny (does anybody REALLY think it's over)?
5) The future of Hagrid
6) House elves
7) The Hogwarts House System
8) Hermione and Marietta
9) Dumbledore's policy about allowing Harry to be abused
10) Harry's temper
11) The exact agreement between DD and Petunia
12) The Twins
13) Muggle relations

And any number of others.  So, it is no surprise that JKR herself has 
indicated that the last book was getting longer as she worked at it.  
It is also no surprise that we've yet to hear hide nor hair of a 
release date (although I would think we will get something on that 
soon, Amazon has already started an email notification list).

And it will be no surprise that many of the moral issues of the 
series, which are after all the most complicated and difficult ones 
(but also probably the most important ones) will get short shrift.  A 
nod here and a nod there is about all one can expect on most of 
this.  JKR has spent about 1250 pages accomplishing almost nothing.  
Now, in the eleventh hour, what can one hope for?

Let us take one of the issues that have cropped up lately -- adult 
guidance.  Okay, I can go with that.  But where is this guidance 
supposed to come from?  And why, on Earth, should it appear now, with 
time waning rapidly and the trio already adults under wizarding law?  
Where was it during those 1250 pages of wheel spinning, not to 
mention through all of the first four books?  How could any adult 
(pick your favorite) step forward as a guide and mentor now without 
setting up massive contradictions and issues very similar to those 
set up by HBP!Dumbledore at the Dursleys?  I.E. many people object to 
that scene on the basis of timing.  DD waits fifteen years, until 
Harry is on the point of adulthood, and NOW he decides he wants to 
get things off his chest?  Where was he when such intervention might 
actually have done some good, especially if backed up by promises of 
time as a mushroom?  

Similarly, if Remus/Arthur/Snape/Portrait!Dumbledore/Whoever decides 
to provide guidance to the trio, that raises an important question -- 
where the everloving wandsplinters were you when it counted?  Why 
didn't you decide to intervene during Harry's 
first/second/third/fourth/fifth/sixth years?  And oh (from Harry), by 
the way I do have these scars on my hand that all you loving adults 
have seen fit to ignore, you know? And oh (from Hermione) where were 
all you loving adults when Umbridge needed to be restrained?  And oh, 
(from Ron),.... <baffled look and longing glance at Quidditch pitch>.

Such are the holes JKR has dug, largely, I think, without intention. 
But the blood spatter patterns are likely to be lovely. 


Lupinlore