Secret Keeper: ... Truth and Choices

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 182786

---  "Jerri/Dan Chase" <danjerri at ...> wrote:
>
> > With regard to JKR's statements, Pippin said:
> > Forex, if you read the secret keeper answer on the web, it
> > says absolutely nothing that is contradicted by later canon.
> >  ...

> Jerri:
> ... After all, it isn't as if this question was sprung on her
> in an interview.  She put the question on her web site ...for
> people to vote on, then had time to consider when it looked 
> like it was going to win.
> 
> ... She either gave an intentionally misleading answer or 
> couldn't keep her ideas straight on this very important issue
> for a year.
> 
> I completely understood how she could change her mind about 
> things mentioned in early interviews, ....  But with the 
> questions on her own web site, she had lots of time to 
> consider both the question and answer.  

bboyminn:

Here's the thing, when JKR speaks or writes, she is not under
absolute solemn oath to tell the truth, the whole truth, and
nothing but the truth. Like all people, when she speaks, she
generalizes and summarizes, and emphasizes what is relevant
to the moment. That's how we all speak and write. No one 
can effectively or functionally go through their lives as if
they were under solemn oath every minute of the day. 

True, she made the question of the Secret Keeper available for
people to vote on, but she also confesses surprise that THAT
was the question people wanted answered. So, at that moment,
not wanting to give away future plot details, she told 
selective truth or partial truth. Everything she said was 
true as far as she took it, but just because she is willing
to give an explanation, does not, by any means, mean she is
compelled to give a complete thorough detailed explanation.

Was it misleading? Yes, but it certainly wasn't wrong or a lie.
It was, as I said, merely selective truth, as was necessary at
the moment.

That fact that she told selective truth tells me that she
considered her answer very carefully. As others have said, she
answered the question regarding 'what happens WHEN the Secret
Keeper dies', but did not feel compelled to tell us 'what
happens AFTER the Secret Keeper dies'. That is a subtle
distinction, but a very real distinction that allows her to
answer truthfully without giving away a future plot point.

Further, you are only 'mislead' because you chose to take
the answer as absolute and complete truth, and as I've already
said many times, people never speak in absolute complete 
truths even when they are under solemn oath.

It's all in how you choose to look at it.

Steve/bboyminn