Choice and Essentialism/Understanding Snape)

[a_svirn]

No: HPFGUIDX 153987

> Pippin:
> 
> > Yeah, I think you're on to something here. Rowling is 
> > essentialist,but her position is that everyone is 
> > essentially good, ie  that there is something uniquely 
> > and infinitely valuable in everyone. That is what makes 
> > murder the greatest evil: not because death itself terrible, 
> > but because murder denies the existence of that essential, 
> > irreplaceable good. So while no character is essentially 
> > evil, even Voldemort, some are morally evil because they 
> > deny the goodness of others. [snip the rest because I couldn't 
> > edit it and do it justice]
> 
> houyhnhnm:
> 
> I agree with nearly everything you said except for the first 
clause in 
> the second sentence.
> 
> In the Mugglenet/Leaky cauldron interview last July, Rowling 
said "... 
> I think there's a line there between the moment in Chamber of 
Secrets 
> when Dumbledore says so famously, "It's our choices that define 
us, 
> not our abilities," straight through to Dumbledore sitting in his 
> office, saying to Harry, "The prophecy is significant only because 
you 
> and Voldemort choose to make it so. If you both chose to walk 
away, 
> you could both live!"
> 
> She goes on to say, " It's the "Macbeth" idea. I absolutely adore 
> "Macbeth." It is possibly my favorite Shakespeare play. And that's 
the 
> question isn't it? If Macbeth hadn't met the witches, would he 
have 
> killed Duncan? Would any of it have happened? Is it fated or did 
he 
> make it happen? I believe he made it happen."
> 
> That is clearly an existentialist position. 

a_svirn:
Now there we do it again. Existentialist or essentialist? Because 
essentialist position would have been something quite the opposite – 
that Macbeth would have turned out a murderer no matter what – 
because it is in his nature. Also I think that Voldemort *is* 
essentially evil. I mean, really, what about that phrase that he 
never loved anyone? Unlike Snape who did and therefore more 
culpable? It sort of suggests that Voldemort can't be even hold 
accountable for his actions. He's just inherently evil – the bad 
blood of the Gaunts, no doubt. He simply can't help it. This is a 
kind of contrary to the main message of the series, but apparently 
necessary for the plot purposes.