[HPforGrownups] Dumbledore's actions again. WAS: Re: Snape and the "Chosen One" /JKR listening

[rebecca]

No: HPFGUIDX 153859

>Lupinlore:
> Well, and once again we are to the point of JKR putting her foot in
> her mouth.  The "epitome of goodness" statement comes back to bite
> again and again.
>
Rebecca:

I understand what you're saying, Lupinlore.  Philosophically to me however, 
one (no matter magical or not) can be the epitome of goodness and still make 
mistakes in fiction of this nature.  In other words, one can have the best 
of intentions for the greater good but in advertently end up on the road to 
hell, which we all wish would have a roadmap and street signs so we could 
avoid that particular path. :)

> Lupinlore:

> I am reminded of a Howard Cosell/Don Meredith exchange from the
> great days of Monday Night Football.  When Cosell severely
> criticized a receiver, Meredith defended him saying "All receivers
> make mistakes," to which Cosell replied "Not all receivers are
> constantly spoken of as potential MVPs.  When somebody is talked
> about as MVP, I expect him to do better than that."  Meredith
> said, "But you couldn't do better."  Cosell said, "I'm not a
> potential MVP, never have been."

> Same thing.  For a foolish old man without magical powers, DD's
> actions might be understandable.  For the "epitome of goodness" who
> is "very wise" and "the greatest wizard in the world," they are, I
> think, a major contradiction of character and a gaping plot hole.
> And once again, I think the idea that "It had to be that way for the
> story to go forward/Harry to have challenges, etc." is no excuse
> whatsoever.

Rebecca:

Ah, Howard Cosell, the great one.  The same man who unfortunately committed 
some faux paux of his own  and had sharp criticisms about the very genre he 
was famous for reporting (sports) in the later years of his career. Even the 
legends among us have their own inconsistency of character, whether they are 
perceived as "real" or not by some of us. :)

I actually, in my head, liken the Harry/Dumbledore relationship to that of 
Frodo/Gandalf in LoTR. While on the surface there might be the age 
difference between Frodo and Harry (although, Frodo is a young hobbit having 
come of age at 33 instead of the 17 years of age understanding within the 
WW), Gandalf plays somewhat of the very same role. He puts Frodo in the 
position of his eventual unhappiness when returning to the Shire before 
finally sailing off into the sunset at the end of the books to regain his 
happiness and salvation from the trials and tribulations as the Ringbearer. 
Frodo too, like Harry, makes mistakes along his journey, but learns and 
matures to value honesty, bravery, loyalty,  truth, friendship and (not be 
overdramatic in any sense) love. Do I agree with Gandalf putting Frodo in 
those spots? Nope, but I don't have the epic I enjoy reading, either. Such 
is the way of this type of fiction, and by no means am I making "excuses" 
for JKR - I'm only giving my perception from what I believe based on 
enjoying similiar literary genre comparable to Harry Potter.

Since we don't know the ending to the septology yet, I'm afraid we're going 
to have to agree to disagree about Dumbledore's character as JKR has written 
him thus far.  I do believe that the by the end of Book 7, this and other 
assorted mysteries that plague us will be answered.

Rebecca