[the_old_crowd]Dudder Late Magic (WAS Re: Some questions)

[Rebecca Bowen]

Talisman:
>Ifm not at all sure theyfll ride off into the sunset together, but 
>the signs are that Dudley will fight on Harryfs side, for once.

>Even if you donft understand the patterns in the plot structure, we 
>know JKR has left  Dudley as the one Dursley with hope of 
>redemption; we know that *someone* is a magical *late-bloomer;* and 
>we can see how events in OoP, not to mention DDfs comments in HBP, 
>can be working in Dudleyfs messed-up little brain to convince him 
>hefs been a bit of a shit all his life. 
 
<snipped>

Rebecca:

Maybe, maybe not.  If you're a believer of JKR's interview answers, then here's one for you from 2004:

"Is there more to Dudley than meets the eye?

No. [Laughter]. What you see is what you get. I am happy to say that he is definitely a character without much back story. He is just Dudley. The next book, Half Blood Prince, is the least that you see of the Dursleys. You see them quite briefly. You see them a bit more in the final book, but you don't get a lot of Dudley in book six-very few lines. I am sorry if there are Dudley fans out there, but I think you need to look at your priorities if it is Dudley that you are looking forward to. [Laughter]."

She makes references in other interviews that there's "stuff coming with the Dursleys that people might not expect" (2000) and that we'll find out what The Big D saw in his encounter with the dementors (2004).  

Making Dudley redemptive and somewhat magical "late in life" just doesn't jive for me - how do you make a character depicted as so shallow twist a 180 suddenly and do the "right thing?" Just because he's seen some dementors? Couple that with DD's observation in HBP:

"The best that can be said is that he has at least escaped the appalling damage you have inflicted upon the unfortunate boy sitting between you."



Dudley, IMO, is far more apt to use that statement as leverage for his own means with his parents, rather than a catalyst for a change of heart.


Rebecca








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