Remus, Sirius and Harry's desires for revenge--A hope about Lupin

Lia newbrigid at yahoo.com
Fri Jan 20 18:02:56 UTC 2006


No: HPFGUIDX 146766


susanbones2003 wrote: 
 Pippin,
 This is a reverse question but some previous posters seem to think 
 that Lupin can not be the spy because JKR has gone out of her way to 
 portray his problems with sympathy. And that somehow it would betray 
 her stance by indeed making the "messed-up" guy the villain. I am 
 condensing this argument but I think I have the gist of it. Isn't it 
 a condescension on our part if we say that the guy with 
 the "disability" can't be the bad guy? JKR's handiest tool is 
 misdirection and in the paragraphs above you navigate in a chilling 
 way through the reasoning necessary to see that indeed, Lupin is 
 capable of killing. It seems somehow we have to reconcile the Lupin 
 that we want to care for because of all his difficulties with the 
 Lupin you reveal to us by simply reading the text with a clear eye.
 Jen D.
 
 
 Lia says:
   
 I haven't joined in the Lupin debate at all.  I do have just one little thought on the topic, though.
 I hope to God that Lupin is not, in fact, evil and/or a supporter of Voldemort. 
   
 First of all, it would break my heart if he were; I like him tremendously as a character.  
   
 Aside from that, though, and more importantly:  if he were, then that would give credence to all the twisted philosophies and ideas of the likes of Dolores Umbridge, various and sundry Death Eaters, and Voldemort himself.  
   
 True, Greyback is awful, and lives up to stereotype...but there's bound to be a bad apple in every bunch, of course.  JKR, by setting up "half-breed" or "tainted" characters that go AGAINST the alleged grain of their natures--e.g. Lupin, Hagrid & Madame Maxime, Firenze, etc.--shows that true savagery lies in having cold prejudice and (oft-unfounded) hatred.  
   
 Hence, therefore, ergo, I fervently wish that the sympathy I feel for Lupin, brought on in part by how JKR has portrayed his problems, is well-founded.  To me, it might mean that the truly bad guys are right otherwise.
   
 Lia, who can't bring herself to believe in an ESE! Lupin
      

  







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