Werewolves and RL equivalents (was:Re: Snape - a werewolf bigot?...)

[lanval1015]

No: HPFGUIDX 170350

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "pippin_999" <foxmoth at ...> 
wrote:
>
> Lanval:
> > 
> > This notion that the Hogwarts students's safety somehow depended 
> > solely on Lupin taking his wolfsbane potion is, IMO, blown a 
good 
> > deal out of proportion.
> >
> 
> Pippin:
> Surprisingly, I agree :)

Lanval:

Ah! I shall enjoy it while it lasts! :)

Pippin:
> According to Draco, Hagrid and Filch, it's at least plausible that 
there
> are werewolves living in the Forbidden Forest. Therefore, anyone 
who
> is on the grounds during full moon is in some danger of a werewolf
> attack, regardless of whether there are werewolf students or 
teachers.
> It is this, I think, which makes the unwillingness to accept Lupin 
as a 
> student or teacher an example of prejudice rather than an 
> overreaction to a real danger. 


Lanval:
Right. Which always has me going tsk, tsk over that detention in 
SS/PS, where Hagrid takes the kids into the forest and then splits 
them up. What was he thinking? And did Professor McGonagall not 
enquire on the nature of the detention that Hagrid planned? 

Sorry, I can't find the book right now and I'm a little hazy on the 
circumstances; I may have forgotten some details here.

But it likely just plays in with Hogwarts in general *not at all, 
not ever* being a safe place, at least according to our RL modern 
standards. That's why I usually shrug at such issues and choose not 
to get too analytical or outraged -- they are such a deeply 
ingrained aspect of the WW, and comparisons with 'our' world will 
*always* be problematic.

>Pippin: 
 
> Where  Lupin was at fault, IMO, is that he knew Snape was
> incapacitated but he didn't do anything to make sure that the 
> three students who were with him were safe  before he transformed. 
> It's true that Sirius was there, but so was Pettigrew, a Death
> Eater blamed for  killing twelve people. It would
> be a bit of a tall order for Sirius to control a werewolf and
> Pettigrew as well, and in fact he couldn't manage it.
>

Lanval:
Precisely. They would have had to come up with some different order 
of exit -- bringing out unconscious Snape and bound Peter one at a 
time? JKR complicates the issue, naturally, by her explanation of 
the moon coming out, yet we are told that Lupin transforms not 
matter what in canon.


> That Lupin may have forgotten his condition would not  excuse 
> him, IMO. We accept that alcoholics have a disease which keeps 
> them from controlling their drinking, but would they be allowed to 
> plead that the pressure they were under made them forget 
> they were alcoholic if their drunkenness causes an accident?
> 
> Pippin

Lanval:
No, it's no excuse, just extenuating circumstances (for all of 
them). I'm not sure I agree with your example, though, because I 
don't think Lupin forgot his condition. 

>Ceridwen:
I don't think lycanthropy is directly parallel to any real life
debilitation. But I think it's closer to mental illness than
physical diseases.

Lanval:
I think you are right in that there's no exact parallel, and that 
mental illness is closer, considering that the problematic 
(read:safety) part of the lycantrophy -- as mentioned by Lupin -- is 
not the physical aspect. Lupin  still transforms into a wolf, but 
keeps his mind. The tranformation, I suspect, is still painful, the 
only difference is that Lupin, being in full possession of his 
mental facilities and devoid of bloodlust, does not inflict harm 
upon himself.


However, JKR stressed that part of the prejudice has to do with 
lycantrophy being contagious, which does not apply to mental 
illnesses in general (with the exception possibly of contagious 
diseases that also affect the mind, such as rabies).

Another difficulty I see is that lycantrophy, unlike mental 
disorders, is not only identifiable by just about anybody and can be 
diagnosed even before the first symptoms appear, but is also so very 
predictable and the medication's effect so straightforward. Meaning 
that the usual RL problems with psychopharmaceuticals don't quite 
apply when it comes to "Lupin forgetting his meds".