Seeing gray in a black and white book

[horridporrid03]

No: HPFGUIDX 165071

> >>Amiable Dorsai:
> I must say that I'm truly impressed by the number of people on this
> thread, who, when a split second decision has been thrust upon them,
> have, apparently, never said the wrong thing, never zigged when they
> should have zagged, never hit the brakes when they should have turned
> the wheel and who have always, even when a choice needed to be made in
> the time between "cru" and "io", weighed their options, consulted a
> lawyer, prayed for guidance, and made a cost-benefit analysis before
> acting.
> I congratulate you.

Betsy Hp:
Ahh, this old straw man. <g>  It's a very familiar ploy, and is the 
converse, I think, of this particular straw man, Eggplant raised the 
other day:


http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/165024
> >>Eggplant:
> <snip>
> I don't understand why everybody is supercritical of every little
> thing Harry does but when Snape does things that are absolutely
> outrageous he gets a free pass.

Betsy Hp:
And I think the answer to both Amible Dorsai's need for everyone to see 
that the good guys aren't perfectly white (was anyone trying to make 
that argument?) and Eggplants suggestion that anyone who sees something 
less than total black in a "bad guy" is somehow a "free pass" is 
answered by Geoff here:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/message/165007
> >>Geoff:
> One of the things I always like about the Harry Potter books is that 
> there are many characters who display a variety of attitudes and     
> outlooks and are not stereotyped into `goodies' or `baddies'. Unlike 
> a lot of fiction, it's not the white hats versus the black hats but   
> distinguishing which shade of grey hats the characters are           
> wearing.  :-)
> <snip>

Betsy Hp:
Most of the characters are gray.  Hermione is a "good guy" and on the 
right side of things, but she's not pure as the driven snow.  Draco is 
a "bad guy" and on the wrong side of things, but he's not black as 
deepest coal.  And of course with Snape we can't even be sure what side 
he's actually on!*  He's the very definition of gray. 

Any interpertations of character that insist on making every decision 
Hermione makes absolutely correct are going to founder.  Just as any 
attempts to force Draco into a purely negative mold are going to 
founder.  JKR won't allow it, bless her.

Is Harry perfect?  Thank goodness, he's not.  Which means we can (and 
should, I think) question his decisions and actions.  Not only is it 
fun (for those of us who enjoy this sort of philosophical wrangling) 
but I expect it's what JKR *wants* us to do.

She could easily have written the Weasleys as the most perfect family 
that ever engaged in group hugs; Harry as the golden-ist golden boy who 
ever gleamed; Draco as the most spoiled little coward who ever shivered 
in the corner.  She didn't.

To suggest that questioning Harry is something only sanctimoniuos 
asshats engage in, or that supporting DDM!Snape somehow means carte 
blanche acceptence of all of Snape's behavior is, IMO, an attempt to 
hide the ball.  Or at the very least, stuff JKR's world into a color 
scheme she just hasn't written.

*Um, of course, I *am* quite certain that Snape is DDM. <g>

Betsy Hp