Emtional satisfaction and traitors was Re: ACID POPS and Tee

[Sydney]

No: HPFGUIDX 157812


Sydney (me, some time ago):

> > > > Actually, I do think Pippin is wasting her time with ESE Lupin,
> > > > because I think there's a reason so few people hold that theory.
> > > > Because it's not emotionally satisfying.  If it WAS emotionally
> > > > satisfying, there would be a lot more people on that bandwagon.

wynnleaf:

> What exactly do you mean by emotionally satisfying?
> 
> My impression, having read people's thoughts here and also
introduced the 
> theory on the Lexicon Forum, is that people like Lupin so much that the 
> reaction is basically, "oh no!  It *can't* be!"  


Sydney:

Hi Wynn, sorry, I just realized I never replied to this... plus, this
is my Procrastination Weekend so I'm talking myself into wasting as
much time here as I can (*sigh*).

By 'emotionally satisfying' I don't mean so much in terms of the
reader's relationship with Lupin.  I mean, is Lupin-the-traitor a good
emotional vector to pay off in the last book?  This is sort of hard to
 express... by 'emotional satisfaction' with a story, there's a sense
that all the stuff that's out of balance at the start of the story 
resolves or comes to rest into a harmonious whole, and we nod and go,
'yep.  It's done.  Sad, isn't it?' or 'Great, isn't it?' or whatever
but it's the feeling of doneness.  Is there some sort of unresolved
impetus going on with Lupin that seems to need a resolution?  The
short answer for me is no, though it's a hard thing to 'prove' on a
forum on the text level, which was my point to Neri about why I didn't
get into the arguement in the first place.

If Harry had more a thing going with Lupin I'd feel differently.  If
Harry was leaning on Lupin in any way, I'd be the first to say, 'hey,
knock that prop out from under Harry!-- it feels shaky!'  But Harry
doesn't seem to think of Lupin as someone he's going to be leaning on,
so a betrayal doesn't have for me that ..*gestures vaguely*.. 
physical sensation of a force resolving.  Harry certainly *likes*
Lupin, but that's about it.

The revalation of Lupin's original weakness and betrayal in PoA
reinforces the fact that he's not... reinforced.  His weakness is a
known factor and can go on to be a consistent undercurrent in dealings
with him to the end of the book and beyond into people's imaginative
life for him, as Mr. Micawber will always be a few bob short.  JKR
uses it as gag (in a manner of speaking) at the end of HBP, in the way
she resolved his 'love story'.  I mean, *of course* Lupin would only
wind up in relationship because he got embarassed into it in a public
scene!  But it's a consistent, steady wobble, not a stressy one that
you keep an eye on because you expect it to blow.

No one expects a betrayal from Ron or Hermionie, becuase although
Harry's leaning on them, there isn't any undercurrent of... crap, I
tend to think in images for this sort of thing, but, you know,
trembling or stressing in their support.  They've been tested and
proven and are rock-solid. So that relationship doesn't exhibit
tension or potential for change.

Again, if this was an Agatha Chritie book, in being primarily a
mystery, I'd say the lack of tension could be cunning plan to conceal
the aha! factor.  Because in a mystery you want to use the audience's
instinctive understanding of story against them.  I don't think in the
long run this is *mainly* what JKR is doing though, and though the end
of a book may be surprising in some way it's not going to be
surprising in an 'anti-story' way.  Does that make any sense?

So, that's what I mean by, most people don't see a Lupin betrayal
because it's not emotionally satisfying.  I don't mean, because most
of us like Lupin (I confess I do, so it might be a point against my
argument!) and would be unhappy if he turned out 'bad'.  I mean
because, most people's 'story instinct' isn't feeling a stress there
than needs to pay off.  I don't have any huge canon reason except a
general feeling, though, so I don't see anything I can really reply to
in the ESE!Lupin threads.

However, if I'm wrong I'll be the first to take my hat off to Pippin!


Sydney