Occlumency

[sigurd at eclipse.net]

No: HPFGUIDX 191689

Dear Alla

I want to take up one point you made.

Alla says
" Again, I dont care how Harry feels in this situation, honestly, I am describing how I feel. I feel that Dumbledore needs to be shot for what he made of Harry's life, Harry felt that he is one of the bravest men he knew."

My question on this is a concern I have for the ENTIRE book. Does any one besides me feel a certain unease that that Dumbledore, Snape, Hagrid-- the teachers- whoever are using these students as pawns in a grand game of combat against Voldemort-- and Voldemort is doing exactly the same? They are using, and pitting, with the four-house system) the children against each other in this struggle. That is they are pitting immature moral agents in a struggle they can neither understand nor deal with as adults-- that is, as fully knowing moral actors. My God, if we are to believe Rowling these children are concerned more about sweets and candies (magical though they may be) than the real issues of good and evil. (I often hope that the parents have good dental plans, and a spell against cholesterol and diabetes.)

But one problem is that the teachers ARE pitting their students against each other, and against Voldemort, and he the same in a sort of mirror image of the "proxy wars" of the United States and the Soviet Union, and other stalking horses in society and politics as well.

It's amazing that with all their powers, all their abilities, from Dumbledore to the Ministry of Magic, that they could not find out all about Voldemort and squelch him long before the start of the story.
For all their power they aren't powerful enough to do that?


Otto