Sympathy to the characters WAS: Respecting the Dursleys

[Renee]

No: HPFGUIDX 159669


> > >>Pippin:
> > > Exactly.  When have our sympathies ever been a reliable guide to
> > > the nature of a Potterverse character?
> > > <snip>

> 
> Betsy Hp:
> I think part of the issue is that JKR takes an odd direction when 
> she tries to build either sympathy or revulsion.  So odd, IMO, that 
> it leaves me not entirely sure of how she's wanting things to come 
> across. <snip>
> 
>(Of course, I can feel however I please, but I  kind of like to have
>an idea of where the author is trying to take me.)
> 
><snip>
>
> > >>Jen R.:
> > Well, I'm willing to bet my sympathy for Harry is right on the    
> > money. That my feeling of compassion for the beleagured Order     
> > members, despite their flaws, will not turn out to be a 'gotcha'   
> > by JKR. That believing in the Weasley family will not steer me    
> > wrong. That agonizing with and cheering for the Trio will not end 
> > up in a surprising twist. I've already confirmed to my own        
> > satisfaction that Dumbledore was meant to be essentially good      
> > after HBP.
> > <snip>
> 
> Betsy Hp:
> I do for the most part agree.  <snip>
> But Hermione worries me.  Since HBP she worries me a lot.  But am I 
> supposed to be worried?  And I think there's something rotten within 
> the Weasley clan.  But am I supposed to think that?
> 
> It's those issues that throw me for a loop.  And I'm honestly not 
> sure if it's because JKR and I differ on some things, or if she's 
> actually putting in stuff to trigger these sort of reactions.

Renee:
This is an interesting issue! Is JKR deliberately challenging us, or
are we dealing with a difference in ethics? Or both? 

Many readers of the HP series probably don't have exactly the same set
of ethics that JKR has; there are bound to be differences. I bet some
of our reactions are not at all what JKR intended. (Disliking &
condemning Dumbledore would be a good example, I think, given her
`epitome of goodness' comment.) 

Other reactions are. We are meant to question Harry's POV, given the
number of mistakes he makes - suspecting Snape, trusting Diary!Riddle,
etc. Arthur's reaction to the Ton-tongue-toffee and Ron's remark about
the twins selling Peruvian Darkness powder to Draco seem good
indications that she wants us to be critical of the twins. Her
interviews also contain indications of her intentions, whether you
like her comments or not. 

But sometimes, there's just no way we can be sure until we've got Book
7. Did Marietta deserve what she got in OotP, or not? If we don't hear
anything more about it in the last book (which, frankly, wouldn't
really surprise me), I think all those people who condemn Hermione for
cursing the parchment, may have an ethical issue with JKR. Just like
people who want Snape to apologise to Harry, if that doesn't happen.

Renée