The Greatest, the Chosen and the Brightest

[horridporrid03]

No: HPFGUIDX 179491

> >>Laurel Lei:  
> > Unfortunately, it's human nature to see fault... <snip>

Betsy Hp:
More unfortunately, in DH fault is just so darn easy to see. <bg>  I 
*wanted* to like the conclusion to the series, I *wanted* to like 
Dumbledore.  JKR dragged me kicking and screaming to the rather 
distasteful conclusion that DH was an unmitigated mess and Dumbledore 
an unbelievable asshole.

> >>wynnleaf:
> <snip>
> I've been thinking a lot lately about how Dumbledore's revealed 
> faults changed the rest of the books for me.
> While many considered his decisions questionable all the way 
> through, I was able to be comfortable with many of his decisions - 
> especially those that risked the lives of children - because I      
> hoped JKR would reveal that Dumbledore had special ways of knowing 
> that his plans really would work, that children would not die due   
> to the risks he allowed, and so on.  But in fact we did *not* learn 
> that. Instead, we learned that many of Dumbledore's plans were so   
> faulty, that the only reason kids didn't die was because of good    
> luck.  We learned that some of Dumbledore's decisions were probably 
> just dead wrong, and others highly questionable.
> <snip>

Betsy Hp:
It's a great pity isn't it?  I had a whole wonderful theory that 
explained how Dumbledore didn't throw an eleven year-old to the 
wolves to do a "character" check in PS/SS.  And it involved 
Dumbledore being incredibly human and fallible.  Unfortunately, it 
seemed JKR wanted Dumbledore to really be in control of everything.

But for him to be in control of everything, it means he has to have 
little to no care about the suffering of those around him.  Makes it 
kind of hard to be the "good guy".  As was the case with a lot of 
JKR's moral choices, she seemed to want to have her cake and eat it 
too (have it both easy and right, I suppose).  And it ended in 
disaster.

And it ruins the story too.  Because it means that all of these 
characters have to either be incredibly stupid or incredibly self-
serving to fall in behind this idiot.  For example: McGonagall, as 
I'd always pictured her, should have questioned why three first year 
students under her care were put into such danger.  Either she didn't 
question (self-serving) or she questioned and was easily appeased 
(stupid).  Ditto with the TWT for that matter.

Betsy Hp (who has no internet at home ::the horror -- no, I'm 
serious, it totally sucks:: is doing this from work and must now, 
well, work ::again with the horror::  hope this makes sense!)