Snape - a werewolf bigot?? Was: Say it isn't so Lupin!!!

[lizzyben04]

No: HPFGUIDX 170131

> houyhnhnm:
>
> This is exactly what makes me uncomfortable with the
> idea that Lupin represents people with disabilities or
> chronic diseases.  Parents in the real world who do not
> want their children attending school with another child
> who is, say, HIV positive *would* be acting out of pure
> predjudice because there is no rational basis for their
> fear.  But a werewolf is a different matter.  Werewolves
> really are dangerous.  To the argument that Rowling can't
> have Lupin be a traitor because it would send a bad message
> about people with disabilities, I would say it seems to me
> that she has already done that.  There may be anti-werewolf
> *bigotry* in the WW, but Rowling has not shown it to be
> groundless.  On the contrary.

I agree. So, what is the message, if werewolves symbolize people
with disabilities? That these people *are* a potential danger, they
might hurt your children, they might not belong in society? If that
is the analogy, it seems like it's already created a somewhat
bigoted view of disabilities. If JKR wanted to do this, it'd seem
more appropriate to use some transformation that doesn't pose an
immediate threat to others.

> Lupin, in human form, may not relish the thought of
> biting or killing humans (though the fear of doing so
> is not enough to make him cautious), but without
> Wolfsbane, Lupin transformed is, in his own words,
> "a fully fledged monster."
>
> Being HIV positive or having a seizure disorder (to
> name just a couple of conditions that do excite prejudice
> in the real world) do not put other people at risk.
> Being a werewolf puts other people at risk.
>
> If Lupin is supposed to represent people in the real
> world, I'd say he is a little closer to the guy with
> multiple drug resistant TB who insisted on flying half
> way round the world without a mask, than he is to an
> AIDS patient or someone with a physical disability.
>

Great analogy. Especially because Lupin is represented as someone
who doesn't take reasonable measures to control the "side effects" -
running around Hogsmeade, not taking his medicine, etc. The way
things are set up, IMO the WW discrimination against werewolves
could be seen as reasonable, even correct. Having a monster running
around schools or towns is not something most people would support.
So, if JKR's intending to show the wrongness of "prejudice &
discrimination" with Lupin, she's actually potentially doing the
opposite. IMO this is just one of many places where the symbolic
resonance fails because of a shallow approach to the topic.

I just wanted to add a couple questions on ESE!Lupin. Lupin was my
favorite character halfway through POA, but he quickly began to
creep me out. He is extremely manipulative & prone to spinning the
facts in order to create a favorable impression. And there's two
things that Lupin has said that I've never understood; maybe someone
else can explain this? First, he usually refers to Voldemort by
name - and he's the only person who does this in the WW, besides DD
& Harry. And he does it casually, w/o anxiety - while most other
people have to force themselves to even form the word. How did Lupin
get on such familiar terms? It's an anomoly that I've never seen
explained in the text. Maybe he's just that brave, but that doesn't
seem in line w/Lupin's personality. I almost get the impression that
he *knows* Voldemort in some capacity.

Second, in OOTP, Lupin says that Regulas Black was killed days after
leaving the Death Eaters. How does he know this? Even Sirius, his
brother, only has some vague idea that Regulas tried to leave at
some point & was killed by somebody. Lupin knows exactly when
Regulas left, and exactly when he was killed. I don't know how Lupin
could know when Regulas left the Death Eaters - unless he was in
contact w/the Death Eaters as well. These things always made me
wonder about him, though there might be a perfectly reasonable
explanation.


"lizzyben04"