Villain!Dumbledore (was: re:HatingDH/Dementors/...Draco/.../KeepSlytherin Ho

[montavilla47]

No: HPFGUIDX 177701

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "prep0strus" <prep0strus at ...> wrote:

> I see where Dumbledore comes off as arrogant, and I get that many
> people want Slytherin to actually be an equal group that has different
> challenges, but that's not the way the Harry Potter world is.
> 
> ~Adam (Prep0strus)
>

I agree, Adam.  What I dislike in Dumbledore does seem to be 
when he's expressing the moral viewpoint of the author.  I don't
see why I should like it or him because of that.

I agree that Slytherins as blacks doesn't quite fit.  What I like
about that "mighty white" comparison is not that it equates
the Slytherins to blacks and the Gryffindors to whites.  It's that
easy, breezy assumption that to be one or the other makes
you virtuous, and that the other would--were they capable of
it, naturally want to be just like you.

If the savage could only be civilized, nineteenth century white 
men thought, then he could be happy, too.  And almost like 
us, although, of course, still inferior.  

That's tolerance without respect.

Yes, I'm forced to admit that JKR did intend Slytherin to 
represent all that is warped and evil in the world.  That the
best they can hope for is to be diluted enough in their evil
to remain part of the school.  But I don't have to like it,
or accept it.

Also, while there isn't a direct blacks/whites comparison
between Slytherin and Gryffindor, there is a disturbingly 
strong sense of genetic power running through the 
Potterverse.  Children do seem to be sorted into the Houses
of their parents.  The only cases where we *know* this 
didn't happen was in Sirius and Tonks's case-and we only 
know about Tonks because JKR said so on her website.  
It's not within the canon of the books.

Harry was sorted into his parents' House.  The hesitation
by the Hat was due to the mutation caused by Voldemort.
Tom Riddle's parent probably didn't go to Hogwarts, but
his ancestor was Slytherin.  Blood will out.  All the Weasley
children were sorted into Gryffindor--that seemed to 
a family tradition.  Draco goes into the House of his parents.

Moreover, every time we see a child and parent, they are
described as "resembling" each other, or the child being a
"miniature" of the parent.  In the Potterverse, blood is 
destiny.  Not only does genetics determine if you are
magical, it can strongly influence whether or not you are
"evil."  If that isn't next door to racism, I don't know 
what is.

But, yes, in JKR's story, you do have a choice.  You can
choose not to be evil.  Just make that choice before you're 
twelve.  Otherwise, you're pretty much stuck.

Montavilla47