a Lupin Rant

[Renee]

No: HPFGUIDX 173429

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, Sherry Gomes <sherriola at ...> wrote:
>
>
> 
> sherry:
> I was disgusted with Lupin in the scene of the argument with Harry.
 I am a
> disabled person, and Lupin is a metaphor for disabled people.  My
parents
> would have been ashamed of me, if I'd come off with such a self-pitying
> attitude as Lupin in that moment.  My siblings and true friends
would give
> me a figurative kick in the rear if I tried it today.  Lupin had love, a
> baby, respect of people he respected.  He was doing something, fighting
> Voldemort.  Yes, I know what it's like to be unemployed because of a
> disability.  I know how I've had to prove I'm ten times better at a
job than
> a sighted person, in order to get and keep a job.  Yet, I've been
steadily
> employed for 20 years, due to my determination never to give up,
never to
> give in to what the world thinks.  I'm stubborn and was taught that
the only
> thing that could stop me was me.  I was taught to believe in me, a
lesson
> Lupin apparently never learned.  Either that, or he just got too
comfortable
> with everyone enabling him in his self-pity and whining, used to people
> saying things such as, come on, moony, it's gonna be ok.  We all
like you.
> or whatever they said.  I cheered when Harry told him off, because
it was
> about time someone did!  I liked Lupin in every previous book, but I
wanted
> to shake him in DH, and no other supposedly good character came off
looking
> so disgusting to me.  Until the scene at shell Cottage, where he had
> obviously perhaps grown up a little and was finally doing the right
thing.
> We didn't see his death, and I'm confident he died bravely, but I
did not
> like him in the beginning of the book.
> 


Renee:
But one of Lupin's arguments is that he is a social outcast, even more
than in any of the previous books. He already had to get away from the
authorities (Scrimgeour) in one of the earlier chapters of DH, and
that was *before* Voldemort took over the Ministry. His problems run
deeper than being disabled at this stage.

That doesn't mean he isn't wrong in turning his back to his pregnant
wife. That *is* the cowardly way out, and Harry was correct in saying
so, though the way he did it showed little understanding, because of
his own sore spot. But actually I was more shocked by the hex, which
showed that Lupin didn't understand where Harry came from. 

Renee