Love and Joy vs. Hate and Despair

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 190985



--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, Margaret Fenney <fenneyml at ...> wrote:
>
> I joined this group because I love the Harry Potter series and
> enjoy discussion of it.  I am all for discussion, argument, 
> observation, insight and disagreement. However, the primary 
> theme of the books is that Love conquers Evil.  Much, if not 
> most, of the discussion on this list recently, is an effort to
> redefine the books as a story of Evil, Hatred and Despair
> where the villain is not Lord Voldemort but rather Dumbledore 
> ....
> 
> Long live JKR and Harry Potter!
> 
> Bookcrazzzy
> 


Steve replies:

I think perhaps you misunderstand. First, keep in mind that many of us have been discussing these books for years. Under my current user-name, I've been in this group since April 2004, however, I was in the group prior to that under three other user-names that were shutdown becasue the email address had been hijacked. 

There is no aspect of the books that has not been discussed in deep deep detail. So, after so many discussions, we start to analyze things on a deeper level, looking at very subtle aspects of the story. 

Is Dumbledore evil, perhaps not, but he certainly made his share of mistakes. Is there some underlying, perhaps microscopically, redeeming aspect, or understandable aspect, to Voldemort? Perhaps, perhaps we do see enough of his past and underlying psychology to see how things could have been very very different with only the slightest intervention into his life path. 

There are some who see the Twins as the most evil and vile bulling, unconscionable characters. Yet, most obviously, they are in a minority, but that darkness in the Twins is an aspect worth exploring, simply to create a better personal understanding of the character, even if, at the end  you don't agree with the premise. 

Some see Harry as a very bad character; he breaks the rules, even in some cases the law, he goes out seeking trouble, gets into mischief that no other student manages. And yes, this is a fair aspect of Harry. But, I think most would agree with Thomas Jefferson, when he said that 'the Law is but the tyrants will' and that 'right and rights' trump law every time. Even as he breaks rules and laws, Harry ultimately does what is right. 

There are also two ways of analyzing the books. One from within the books looking at the characters as if we were in that world living it along side the characters. The other is to look at the books from outside the world, from the point of view of the author and the reader.

Things that make no sense within the Wizard World can be easily explained from outside the Wizard World. Inside the world we would have desperately wished for Dumbledore to have revealed more, at least, to Harry. But outside of that world, from the perspective of the author or the reader, the mistakes made by the characters were necessary to produce a story with dramatic tension and excitement. 

So, again, realize that there is not a single subject or aspect that has not been discussed to death. Consequently, it is not inconceivable that we now look for deeper nuance and meaning, and try to explore alternate views on characters. 

The fact that we are still here discussing after 5 or 10 years, should indicate to you our dedication to this series of books.

Also, keep in mind that those who think Dumbledore, or the Twins, or even Harry are trouble making rule breakers, are in a minority. They simply present an alternate view on common characters. They simply present alternate aspects of well known and well liked characters. 

Those alternate opinions far more reflect the attitudes of the poster than the attitudes of the characters. 

In short, don't take it too seriously.

Steve/bboyminn