Maligning Lupin

[Renee]

No: HPFGUIDX 149679

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "susanbones2003" <rkdas at ...> wrote:
>
> --- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Renee" <R.Vink2@> wrote> >
> > 
> > Renee:
> > 
> > But what you seem to be saying now is that werewolves *are* bad, 
> that
> > the prejudice of the Wizarding World is justified, and that Lupin's
> > tragedy is that he tried to be good, but failed. Failed, because 
> the
> > prejudice is justified and his attempt to be good was futile 
> anyway,
> > werewolves being bad and inevitably disruptive. (Which you ought to
> > know isn't true, because there's such a thing as the Wolfsbane 
> potion.) 
> > 
> > If you're really saying this, I'm afraid you've ceased to make 
> sense
> > to me. If I thought for a moment JKR had introduced the anti-
> werewolf
> > bias merely to justify it in the end, I'd have to conclude I'd been
> > wasting my time on the series. Fortunately for me, I believe the 
> contrary.
> > 
> > Renee


Jen D: 
> Wow,
> You can really talk a good game. I feel bad now!  You really put me 
> in my place! (Didn't you always want to hear someone on this site 
> admit that!) 

Renee:

My secret vice... you've found me out :)

Jen D:
> I don't know if I can work out all the ends and outs 
> of "what the series means" on my own but I think Lupin might turn 
> out to be bad not because he's a werewolf (because he has tried to 
> control his problem) or because he's got character flaws. 

Renee:
If character flaws automatically made someone evil, there would be no
good people at all, so I agree they wouldn't explain Lupin turning
bad. But I thought one of the reasons behind the ESE!Lupin theory was,
that it would show how prejudice could get the better of a potentially
decent person who gave in to resentment and hatred of the society that
rejected him. Without the lycanthropy, we're left with a character who
goes bad because... You tell me, for I can't think of a reason that
has a basis in canon, as we're shown Lupin's flaws are ultimately
related to his being a werewolf.             

Jen D:
I do know 
> about wolfsbane but the werewolves Lupin is hanging with right now, 
> they don't seem to be so keen on that. That kind of werewolf, well 
> they are definitely bad. Don't you agree? The wolfsbane kind, they 
> are like Lupin perhaps and are trying to pass in "society." They 
> know they have a problem and are doing their best to control it. But 
> how would you work the non-wolfsbane type into your society? I know 
> you don't want Lupin to be bad because it would violate something 
> you hold dear, but contemplating it can't hurt you!
> Jen D.
> >

Renee:
The Wolfsbane potion appears to be a rare commodity. We know it's
difficult to make. From what he says in HBP we can deduce that Lupin
only had it at his disposal while he was teaching at Hogwarts, because
Snape brewed it for him. So it doesn't seem too much of a stretch to
assume it's expensive - and finding a paid job is notoriously
difficult for werewolves, especially after Umbridge issued her laws
(for which Lupin bears part of the blame; he's certainly no saint).

So if werewolves don't take the potion, it's probably because they
can't afford it, not because they don't want it (Greyback and possibly
a few of his likes excepted). Yet without it, they're dangerous. The
obvious thing to do for the Wizarding World would be to provide it for
free and help werewolves of good will to function (more or less)
normally in wizarding society, which would be to the benefit of
everyone involved. And once they do, this might begin to work against
the prejudice - a prejudice that ultimately is only counterproductive.  

This hasn't happened yet: as long as Greyback and those of his ilk are
running free and wreaking havoc, the WW has an excuse to sit back,
pretend that werewolves are irredeemably bad and refuse to spend their
money and efforts on them. A werewolf shown to have actually served
the good of the community by fighting against Voldemort could have a
positive effect. That's why I think a good Lupin is so important. 

Jen D.:
>I know 
> you don't want Lupin to be bad because it would violate something 
> you hold dear, but contemplating it can't hurt you!

Renee:
Ultimately, the ESE!Lupin theory bugs me because it's defeatist and
goes against the grain of the books. It's as if JKR message is that
someone who is basically willing to do his best is automatically
doomed to fail when society is against them. To me this feels like a
denial of human responsibility, human dignity and human freedom. 

But I'll try to calm down now :)

Renee