Choice and Essentialism/Understanding Snape)

[steven1965aaa]

No: HPFGUIDX 154043

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "pippin_999" <foxmoth at ...> 
wrote:
>
> Pippin:
> > And we do have a character who is just such a cold fish, who
> > speaks of love in terms of power rather than feeling, who seems 
to understand the need for emotional support only intellectually, 
and yet is regarded  as a good man, indeed the best of them. Albus 
Dumbledore. 
> > > 
> > Steven1965aaa:
> > 
> > A cold fish?  Sorry Pippin, I don't see where you get that, at 
all.
> 
> Pippin:
[snip]

He did act for love of Harry in OOP but that was after 150 years of 
detachment in which, he says, he never thought he would have someone 
like Harry on his hands.  That Dumbledore was able to feel love at 
last, I think, was because of Harry's extraordinary power -- a 
miracle, if you like.
> 
> Pippin

Steven1965aaa:

I see where you're coming from in theory, but I don't see any 
support for the idea that Dumbledore had "150 years of detachment" 
or that he never felt love before.  I think his comment about never 
expecting to have such a person on his hands just refers to the fact 
that he did not anticipate, when devising his plan, that he would 
feel this way about Harry (which led to his "mistake" in trying to 
protect Harry).  I don't think it means he never felt love before.