lupin's motives (was Depression (was Re: DH reread CH 31

[jkoney65]

No: HPFGUIDX 187500

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Sherry Gomes" <sherriola at ...> wrote:
>> 
> Sherry now:
> > But now to Lupin.  I don't think that Lupin was truly considering his child
> at all in DH when he goes to Harry saying he wants to tag along.  I had
> always liked Lupin in the series before, though I wanted to shake him a bit
> for not stepping in and becoming more of a friend or parental figure to
> Harry.  However, after that scene in DH, I despised him and my whole view of
> him as a character was changed forever.  It's affected my reading of him in
> earlier books, even POA, more than DH affects my enjoyment of other
> characters in earlier books, like DD.  Lupin spoke out of cowardice and
> shame.  Instead of accepting who and what he was, and trying to be a good
> husband and father--nobody twisted his arm or used a love potion on him--he
> wants to run away like the chicken he is!  It really pushes my buttons big
> time.  He's always been the series metaphor for disability to me, and as a
> person with a disability myself, I can sympathize with his fear and concern;
> I can sympathize with the problems his disability causes him, but I can't
> sympathize or respect him for wanting to run away from the people who love
> him, and from his responsibilities.  To me, Lupin is another example of bad
> fathering, another JKR dig at fathers in general.  She doesn't pain them too
> well in her series, except for Mr. Weasley.
> 
> Sherry
>
jkoney:
I thought the scene with Lupin was a very realistic one. A father to be with no ability to support his family, an outcast from society panics. What he needed was a friend to talk some sense into him. And in his own way that's what Harry did.

The next time we see him, Lupin is a proud father asking Harry to be the godfather of his child.