It really annoys me .../ DD again

[dumbledore11214]

No: HPFGUIDX 163884

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "horridporrid03" 
<horridporrid03 at ...> wrote:
> <BIG SNIP>
> But the thing is, that view of Dumbledore is very hard (IMO) to tie 
> in with the Dumbledore who loved Harry soo much he refused to tell 
> Harry that Harry was destined to bring down Voldemort.
> 
> There are two ways to deal with that seeming contradiction (IMO, 
> again <g>).  (1) Assume Dumbledore is lying.  He's a cold-hearted 
> bastard after all, what's one little lie compared to risking 
> children's lives?  (2) JKR screwed up her story-telling a tad.  
> Dumbledore *never* meant for Harry to risk his life.  Not in PS/SS, 
> not in CoS.  And he certainly never meant for an innocent man to go 
> to Azkaban in PoA.  Which means his reason for keeping things from 
> Harry is valid and true to character.  Just, JKR hasn't done all 
that 
> great of a job in showing us Dumbledore's true character.
> 
> I lean towards number (2) myself.  It's annoying that JKR provides 
so 
> little canon support for that version.  (Just one tiny little line 
> where Dumbledore says he never meant for Harry to go through the 
trap 
> door in PS/SS would have done it, IMO.)  And I personally think 
it's 
> a place where her inexperience comes through.  


Alla:

Oh, I agree and unfortunately IMO she provides rather strong canon 
support that DD indeed meant for Harry to do exactly that in PS/SS.

That little speech of Harry's ( he wanted to give me a chance...) 
sounds to me as not what Harry would know or think, but a piece of 
exposition by JKR to explain to us what was happening.

I also think that it is not just where her inexperience comes through 
if you are right and she did not mean to portray DD as coldhearted 
bastard ( and I do think you are right :), but I think there is 
another reason, although related for that.

I am sure somebody speculated about that or maybe I did as well. I 
don't think JKR was sure that other books in the series were 
necessarily going to be published and that is why in the fairy tale 
context of PS/SS that makes IMO total sense for DD to provide that 
little exercise for Harry, or to give him a chance, in order for book 
to stand on its own, sort of.

I mean I am guessing she had a character arc in mind where DD 
supposed omnisience dissappears book by book in front of Harry's eyes 
and readers' eyes, but for the book 1 to be complete, DDD had to be 
wise man, who is in charge, if that makes sense.


Betsy Hp:
> But... In the end it's something that doesn't bother most fans.  
It's 
> something that bugs me only when we try and get a firm handle on 
> Dumbledore's character (what I *think* JKR meant to write versus 
the 
> man actually on paper).  I'm able to shrug it off, personally.  
> Though it can annoy at times.

Alla:

Heee, it is annoying a plenty of times to me including 
Dumbledore's "second chances when he feels like it". IMO of course.

Nice post, Betsy :)