Draco and Dumbledore

[dumbledore11214]

No: HPFGUIDX 160132

> Renee:
> This is the question that bugs me: did JKR intend DD to look that 
way,
> or did she just give priority to her plot, not realising or not 
caring
> people might think less of him as a result? 

Alla:

Yes, I think she prioritised the plot over character, yes. 



Renee:
<SNIP>
> Are we dealing with a Dumbledore who has to choose repeatedly 
between
> two evils, instead of between what's right and what's easy? If 
this is
> the case, the series would actually gain depth for me, because in
> reality, choices aren't always between what's right and what's 
easy,
> and suggesting they are has always struck me as a bit simplistic. 
It
> also saves Dumbledore's character for me, because he realises he 
takes
> guilt upon himself, one way or another, but is prepared to do so 
for
> the greater good. Also, I can retain more respect for JKR as a 
writer
> than if she made him choose the way he did because of plot demands.


Alla:

I guess the question I am left with again is whether this is that 
kind of series, you know?

Would JKR indeed want to stress that the choice is often made 
between two evils? I mean would she want to **grey** the issues that 
much?

Are you thinking in terms of JKR indeed writing the series with main 
idea " there is no good or evil, only power"? ( or as somebody 
joked " there is no good or evil, only Snape" Hehe.)

I thought it was clearly stressed as Voldemort's slogan and not the 
one that Dumbledore would accept, IMO.

It is not even a question of showing  that choices in life are 
sometimes had to be made between two evils, it is a question of how 
one would continue to keep right mindset, if that makes any sense.

Okay, Dumbledore is choosing between two evils, over and over and 
over again, let's say. He would keep telling himself that he does it 
for the greater good - defeating Voldemort, right? That is why he 
has to make those choices - in the context we were discussing it to 
choose between safety of many students and his agent ( which may 
really be a traitor, but let's forget about it for the sake of the 
argument), but when push comes to shover eventually and Voldemort 
has been done away with, how does that Dumbledore, who keeps 
choosing between two evils is different from Voldemort?

How do his choices distinguish him from Voldemort then?

Does it make sense to you? I just think that whether in fictional 
reality or even in RL the leader, the politician who has supposedly 
**right** or **light** objectives in mind, should at least enter the 
fight **trying** to choose what is right, not between two evils.

There would be plenty of times when life will force to make tough 
choices, but I guess what I am trying to say is that Dumbledore who 
makes those choices has to still remember that they are **wrong**, 
even if both of those choices are wrong.

Heeee, I guess it goes back to what you said that maybe that is what 
Dumbledore indeed was saying in the cave, that he was wrong.

LOL, here I was rambling to come back to your point full circle.

I just had a thought - I seem to remember that in one of the 
interviews JKR said that she is writing about degrees of evil or 
something like that. Interesting, I have to sit on this.

JMO,

Alla