In defense of DD WAS musings on Dumbledore - Even Longer

[julie]

No: HPFGUIDX 158685


> 
> Magpie:
> I would have thought people were explaining in great detail why it 
wasn't so 
> obvious to them.  As you say, you can't have it both ways.  Either 
he's the 
> epitome of goodness or he's a man who makes mistakes.  If he makes 
mistakes 
> we can analyze them and hold the character reponsible for them. 
> Dumbledore's actions bring up a lot of ethical questions. Ones that 
get 
> worse to many of us when they're defended as good.  JKR's idea of 
what the 
> epitome of goodness acts like might not jibe with everyone else's.
> 

Julie:
I don't quite understand why Dumbledore can't be "the epitome of 
goodness" *and* a man who makes mistakes. Even though JKR gave 
Dumbledore that appellation, I don't recall her ever implying he 
wasn't a human being capable of error. In fact she's gone out of her 
way to say that he is VERY capable of error. In her own words then, 
he is a "*human* epitome of goodness," i.e., his heart is in the 
right place and he acts out of kindness, compassion, and in what he 
believes to be the best interests of those around him. While his 
intentions may be the best he is still humanly capable of 
misunderstanding, miscalculation, and even arrogance when putting 
those best of intentions into action. 

Julie, who doesn't think all Dumbledore's actions have had *good* 
results, but believes they were carried out with *good* intentions.