Lupin's behavior (Was: CHAPDISC: DH11, The Bribe)

[sistermagpie]

No: HPFGUIDX 180670

> > Alla:
> > 
> > Please tell me where exactly I suggested that he CAN change being 
a 
> > werewolf, or being unemployable? I gave you three examples which 
I 
> > suggested he could change or at least try to change, none of them 
> > includes doing anything that is being beyond his control.
> > 
> > And actually, come to think of it - yes, I think he can change 
> being 
> > unemployable, but this is the kind of thing that I would not 
> require 
> > of him - too much change, so I say that I am not saying he could 
> > have done anything to change that. Although him being half blood, 
> > why not to go to Muggle world, eh? Why not to get a job there? 
Not 
> > even a permanent job? But as I said, before you say that I am 
> asking 
> > too much of him, I am NOT. Just pure hypothetical.
> >
> 
> a_svirn:
> But, Alla, none of your examples has anything to do with his 
alleged 
> self-pity. His did *not* whine about losing his job. On the 
contrary, 
> he said that he saw the parents' point – he was indeed too 
dangerous 
> to teach at a boarding school. And though Harry wanted to pursue 
that 
> conversation, Lupin changed the topic, and asked him about his 
> Patronus instead. I don't see why you would call that whining. As 
for 
> spying on werewolves, his bitterness wasn't directed at Dumbledore –
 
> he was bitter because he was what he was – a ready made werewolf. 
> Which he couldn't change. As for Molly, I think that perhaps he 
had. 
> Told her what he thought, that is. When she started her spiel about 
> poor, lonely Tonks at Christmas he said that she was not lonely – 
> that she was with her family. Which effectively closed the 
subject.  
> What's so whiny about it?  

Magpie:
Lupin's situation is handled rather one-sidedly in the book 
(completely one-sidedly). As far as all our pov charactesr are 
concerned, being a werewolf is pretty easy as long as you have the 
right attitude. That's the only "side" to this we ever see.

Because for them, the right attitude is all that matters. "But I 
don't care that you're a werewolf" is how the Trio, Tonks, and 
everyone pretty much feels. Lupin himself compares Harry to James who 
called it his "furry little problem." And it's nice of them to do 
that if you're looking at it the way they are, that they're not going 
to let this define their friend. 

But that's pretty much all they have to do. Be nice guys and be nice 
to Lupin. Forgive him for forgetting his polyjuice that time. Offer 
verbal support when they hear about laws passed keeping him from 
employment. But if we were seeing the series from Lupin's pov I don't 
think it would be so easy. Every time we see him he's getting worse, 
looking shabbier. Easy enough to say "he should work harder to get a 
job"--when we keep hearing how difficult that is (and probably would 
be in the Muggle world too, with a whole new host of problems). 
Presumably he does have a job of some sort. He's supporting himself, 
however meagerly. He's not actually telling everyone his problems 
that we see--he just seems to make people uncomfortable by his 
problems being public. I just don't think of it as exactly whiny if a 
grown man would rather feel like he's doing something positive in the 
world and for his family (even in a roundabout way by fighting 
against Voldemort) rather than being just a danger and a burden and 
painting a bigger target on their backs. Tonks keeps saying these 
things don't matter, but they would understandably matter to him, 
especially as this new regime makes that all the more clear. It's a 
war--what's odd about being separated?

We're in Harry's pov and it's not like I think we needed an insider!
werewolf subplot. But still that means we're never really going to 
see the struggles he's facing--but they are consistent and on-going 
(note when there's a werewolf in St. Mungo's Molly's worried about 
him even sharing a room with Arthur while Lupin goes over to talk to 
the guy, probably the way only werewolves can talk to each other). 
The pov on werewolves we do see belong to everyone else. 
Unfortunately all those people who have no clue what it's like and 
never will and will never have to face anything like the life he 
faces are the ones always giving us what's presumably the author's 
prescription--just marry the girl who wants to marry you! Raise a 
family! Pretend you aren't a werewolf--that's what we do! That's 
seems to be the right attitude to take--and an easy one to take if 
all you have to do is say "But I don't mind that you're a werewolf!" 
Anything Lupin ever starts to say on the matter is overruled as 
wrong. If Tonks is happy Lupin ought to be happy too.

But I don't think any of his concerned are so unreasonable, and his 
offer isn't crazy or purely selfish, since it seems to come from the 
wish not to be a daredevil or a hero but to do something to help 
rather than drag people down. I also think he's been perfectly fine 
towards Harry. It's not so bad for him to have an adult who will help 
him (and Harry knows that) from a polite distance.

-m