The Message of DH - Moral Superiority

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 174704

---  "Bruce Alan Wilson" <bawilson at ...> wrote:
>
> Steve/bboymin:
> "In the past in discussions of the various House 
> traits, relative to this statement and to courage in 
> Gryffindor, I have frequently asked, where were the 
> other Gryffindors when Harry/Ron/Hermione were off on
> their adventures? The answer is, safe and toasty warm,
> tucked into their beds.
> 
> The /other/ Gryffindors were being the nice obedient 
> moral kids that mothers can be proud of. They weren't
> breaking the rules, they weren't causing trouble, they
> weren't putting themselves at risk. ... But when the 
> castle was overrun by Death Eaters, do you think 
> parents and Pastor Dave were more proud of the ones 
> who fled, or the ones who stayed to fight? ...the 
> ones toasty warm in their beds or the ones bleeding 
> on the battlefield?"

> Bruce:
> 
> Did you read Neville's description of life at Hogwarts
> while Harry, Ron & Hermione were out on their Horcrux 
> hunt?  I wouldn't call that 'safely tucked into their
> beds.'  
> 
> Bruce Alan Wilson

bboyminn:

I was talking about the Trio and the 'other' Gryffindors
across the entire span of the series. And the exception
in book 7 only proves my point. The day is saved by
the Rule Breakers, not by those who quietly obey.

Keep in mind, everything I said was to illustrate the
principle of -

"All that is needed for Evil to flourish is for good
people to do nothing."

And to further make the point that Harry's morality is
in his actions, all of his actions, not a single
isolated event. Extending that even further, morality
is in his action, NOT in moralizing and sermonizing
and preaching to the choir. 

I think the moral courage Harry displays would have 
been greatly diluted if the books had stopped every
20 pages while the narrator breaks the flow to give
a long moralizing sermon on right and wrong. It
is the very fact that such sermons do NOT exits that
makes Harry Potter such an effective morality tale. 

We learn by the example of a flawed but basically good
courageous boy who will not tolerate the forces of
evil winning, and is determined to beat them regardless
of the personal cost. 

Once again, I point out the Revelation is a far better
teacher than Explanation. A deep and real understanding
of a character, and by extension of yourself, is a far 
far better teacher than long droning boring lectures on
moral perfection.

I stand by what I said.

Steve/bboyminn