[HPforGrownups] Was muggle baiting Now Hermionne and Marietta

[Barb Roberts]

No: HPFGUIDX 155371

Barbara (Ivogun):

As far as the spots, I think it's a clever plot device. I don't think 
that JKR means for us to focus a lot of attention on whether Hermione 
did the right thing, but rather she was setting up a situation that 
shows what happens to traitors or collaborators during a war.  If the 
Death Eaters can be compared to the Nazis, then Marietta can be 
compared to a Nazi collaborator in France.  After the war, suspected 
collaborators had to face all sorts of humiliation and ostracization. 
(See http://fcit.usf.edu/holocaust/gallery2/81857.HTM )

Considering the what would happen to the members of DA if they were 
turned in (expulsion, lack of employable credentials), just having 
spots--spots that could be covered up--isn't so bad.  Actually I'm not 
sure that threatening with spots is an effective deterrent. Leave it to 
a teenage girl to make Acme a horrible punishment.  Too much.  And of 
course, Hermione didn't force Marietta to sign it. Marietta made the 
oath, knowing there was some repercussions for breaking it.


> > Betsy Hp:
> ...I don't  like  what Hermione did to Marietta, not because Marietta 
> is good or
>  > innocent or anything other than a snitch, but because what
>  Hermione  did was cruel.

> Alla:
>
> ... Where do you find vengeance in what Hermione did? I see protection
>  of DA members from horrible fate as the only reason for Hermione's
>  actions....
>
>  She did not set the hex after the fact, to go after Marietta after
>  she did the deed, she set the hex **in case** treachery happens.
>
>  I don't see vengeance here at all. Sorry.


As far as the spots, I think it was clever plot device. I don't think 
that JKR means for us to focus a lot of attention on whether Hermione 
did the right thing, but rather she was setting up a situation that 
shows what happens to traitors or collaborators during a war.  If the 
Death Eaters can be compared to the Nazis, then Marietta can be 
compared to a Nazi collaborator in France.  After the war, suspected 
collaborators had to face all sorts of humiliation and ostracization. 
(See http://fcit.usf.edu/holocaust/gallery2/81857.HTM )

Considering the what would happen to the members of DA who were turned 
in (expulsion, lack of employable credentials) just having spots--spots 
that could be covered up-- isn't so bad.  Actually I thought the spots 
weren't really an effective deterrent. Leave it to a teenage girl to 
think that Acme is horrible punishment.  Too much.  And then too,  
Marietta made the oath, knowing that there was some repercussions for 
breaking it.  Hermione did not force her to sign it.  Oaths are not to 
be taken lightly...ever.  This is why we take oaths in courts.  Not a 
bad lesson to learn.

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