Theme of HP (was Notes on Literary uses of magic)

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 168070

---  puduhepa98 at ... wrote:
>
> >Betsy Hp:
> <snip> 
> > They all (and I'm including both  Order members and 
> > Harry's group of friends here) have an intrinsic 
> > loyalty  to Dumbledore that they use to define 
> > themselves. That loyalty does get  transferred to 
> > Harry, ...
> 
> 
> .>Betsy Hp:
> >I agree. Really, Harry and friends weren't going up
> against the MoM *because* it was the MoM. They opposed
> it because  it first opposed Dumbledore. They follow 
> Dumbledore's "rules", and they  understand that 
> Dumbledore's authority trumps the authority of the 
> MoM. ...
> 
> Nikkalmati
>  
> This post touches on what appear IMHO to be the main 
> theme of the series - loyalty and of course its opposite
> - treachery.  
> ...
>  
> I expect in some way it will be a more personal form of
> love, and one based on loyalty, that is used to destroy 
> LV in  DH. That means to me that the bonds between the 
> Trio (and perhaps Ginny)  will play a bigger role than, 
> say, Lily's love for Harry.
>  
> Nikkalmati

bboyminn:

Absolutely a great series of insightful comments by all.
I however am going back to my previous comment about
what is morally right vs what is legally right, and how
sometimes those two conflict.

Let us as /why/ Harry is loyal to Dumbledore? Is it blind
loyalty or are there very real underlying factor to 
justify that loyalty?

I think there is a reason why Dumbledore doesn't want a
government job, especially the role of Minister of Magic.
I think it is because Dumbledore understands how political
office corrupts everyone it touches. If you care enough 
to want the office, then you care enough to do what is
necessary to get it and keep it, and that means engaging
in some form of moral, legal, or ethical corruption when
it serves your best interests. 

Dumbledore conveniently insulates himself from that 
corruption by choosing to serve at the school, a job
that doesn't care the potential demand for self-serving
corruption. True a headmaster can be corrupt, but it is
usually in much smaller and more localized ways than
that of the top office in the land.

So, Harry and everyone else side with Dumbledore because
Dumbledore, while a flawed human being, still has the 
luxury and the will to choose the moral high ground.
Fudge and other members of government are in much more
self-serving positions, therefore they are more likely
to give the public impression of moral high ground, 
but less likely to have taken it when their actions are
examined at depth.

Now, the various offices of the government have the legal
authority, as we see from Fudge's many changes in the
laws and his Educational Decrees, his word, becomes law
by virtue of the fact that he is the Minister of Magic.

Dumbledore's word is not law, to a more general extent, 
but he does choose what is right over what is easy and
over what is immensely self-serving. So, in choosing
Dumbledore, Harry and friends are choosing what they
know and see in their hearts as the morally right 
choice, even though that morally right choice goes 
against the government and against documented laws.

So, again, I assert that /they/ have chosen Dumbledore
are the object of their loyalty because Dumbledore
deserves that loyalty and the Minister of Magic does 
not. When the new Minister appears, he is different 
that Fudge but we still see he is driven by creating
a false public preception rather than creating 
genuine results. Dumbledore, on the otherhand, seems
to have a 'do what is right and the consequences be
damned' attitude.

My final point is that in choosing Dumbledore, Harry 
is chosing someone who is deserving of his loyalty, 
and in rejecting the Minister, he is rejecting some
one who is corrupt and not deserving of loyalty. 
However, I seriously doubt that this is an indication
that Harry rejects all government. I think in his
idealistic youth, he intends to hold government officials
to a higher moral standard, and he further expects them
to execute the duties of the office they are sworn to
uphold. He expects them to do their job for the greater
good, not for personal gain.

For what it's worth.

Steve/bboyminn