Your insight into Lupin is truly amazing; to tell the truth, I - although I really like him - have never considered what makes him tick and why... but you (once again) made me think. The idea of this prank still dominating his life, even if he maybe doesn't realise it... hmmmm... *nods*
I can only second every word you said about Good/Evil not being useful categories (and are they even sensible, valid categories?). As far as canon is concerned, I'm always wavering a bit between "oh, come on, JKR, we GOT it now who is teh ebil and who is knight in shining armour" and the fact that the books, after all, are told from Harry's POV, meaning that he (and therefore we) can't know certain facts (like, why young Snape did this and that) or can't even like/dislike certain people. Which, IMO, makes this series so ideal for fanfic - the more a playground for us ;D [/platitudes]
Although I am pretty sure sometimes have the impression that it's JKR's subconscious who writes the ambivalent traits of her characters, the fact that many of them have several layers, that they made choices which weren't absolutely "right" or "wrong" but the result of their past or experiences they made. That doesn't mean that every choice can be excused by analysing the context it was made in, but it can be explained and probably understood. (Maybe it's the historian in me, but I generally abhor the idea of "excusing" the actions of people.)
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Date: 2006-05-31 08:12 am (UTC)Your insight into Lupin is truly amazing; to tell the truth, I - although I really like him - have never considered what makes him tick and why... but you (once again) made me think. The idea of this prank still dominating his life, even if he maybe doesn't realise it... hmmmm... *nods*
I can only second every word you said about Good/Evil not being useful categories (and are they even sensible, valid categories?). As far as canon is concerned, I'm always wavering a bit between "oh, come on, JKR, we GOT it now who is teh ebil and who is knight in shining armour" and the fact that the books, after all, are told from Harry's POV, meaning that he (and therefore we) can't know certain facts (like, why young Snape did this and that) or can't even like/dislike certain people. Which, IMO, makes this series so ideal for fanfic - the more a playground for us ;D [/platitudes]
Although I
am pretty suresometimes have the impression that it's JKR's subconscious who writes the ambivalent traits of her characters, the fact that many of them have several layers, that they made choices which weren't absolutely "right" or "wrong" but the result of their past or experiences they made. That doesn't mean that every choice can be excused by analysing the context it was made in, but it can be explained and probably understood. (Maybe it's the historian in me, but I generally abhor the idea of "excusing" the actions of people.)
*sighs and turns back to work*