New RAB theory...

[pippin_999]

--- In the_old_crowd at yahoogroups.com, "carolynwhite2" <carolynwhite2 at ...> wrote:
>
> Pippin:
> 
> But if people don't need a reminder of that theme [childrens' 
> abilities], why do they keep coming up with theories that someone 
> other than young Regulus would have had a better
> chance of snitching the horthingy?
> 
> Carolyn:
> Um, why not? You can doubt that this particular teenager was 
> capable/had the opportunity to switch the locket, whilst at the same 
> time acknowledging that JKR has kids carrying out the main action in 
> the books. If one really wanted to be tiresome (shurely not..), you 
> could even argue that so far we have not seen any child in a previous 
> generation being successful in fighting evil; it seems to be Harry's 
> year that she's singled out for the doubtful honour.
> 

Pippin:
I don't think  "Kids! You too can fight evil" is a major theme. I think JKR
shows us that fighting evil is enormously complex and difficult, and
few of any age are entirely successful at it.  Harry is unusual
in seeing himself as personally responsible for fighting evil -- most 
of the other children and indeed many of the adults expect 
someone else to protect them from it. I think JKR shows us that 
this is a generally reasonable expectation for a child,
but shirking when it comes to grownups.  

 Reg was eighteen when he died -- he would have considered
himself an adult, ready to take adult responsibilities.

 I think a more important theme is "Don't underestimate the lowly." 

Sirius described his younger brother as "idiot", "soft" and "stupid idiot"
in OOP, but Slughorn spotted him as a promising young wizard, and 
remembered him seventeen years after his death. He must have
made an impression -- and not by supplying years of crystallized 
pineapple or Quidditch tickets.  We know nothing of the other
Regulus beyond his dates --so while one may spin any number of
theories about him, to suppose that the younger Reg couldn't
have done fought evil because he was only a teenager and the
older wizard must necessarily have been the accomplished one 
seems to fly in the face of what JKR wants us to see, IMO.

Pippin