Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!

[sbursztynski]

No: HPFGUIDX 165092

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "justcarol67" <justcarol67 at ...> wrote:
>
> 
> I think it's just an example of Dumbledore's (and JKR's) eccentric
> sense of humor, Dumbledore's literal interpretation of "a few words,"
> all of which happen to be either odd or humorous in themselves. The
> Griffin door (Gryffindor) knocker, the textbook authors (e.g.,
> Libatius Borage, Wilbert Slinkhard), placenames like Diagon Alley and
> Knockturn Alley all reflect that same delight in words, in and of
> themselves.
> 
> It's interesting that Percy answers Harry's question, "Is he--a bit
> mad?" (Harry is reacting to DD's "few words") with "Mad? He's a
> genius! Best wizard in the world! But he is a bit mad, yes" (SS 123).
> So JKR, through Percy, is equating genius and madness, or, at least,
> genius and eccentricity, humorously illustrated through these four
> harmless and oddly whimsical words.
> 
> Carol, wondering whether this eccentric side of Dumbledore is a mask
> he wears for the students or an essential component of his complicated
> essence

Sue:

Nah, I think Dumbledore really is eccentric and delightful. He's a lot like Gandalf - terribly 
serious when the fate of the world is involved and the rest of the time someone you'd be 
happy to have a pint with at the pub, or play a game of darts with. 

I agree with you about JKR's delight in words.