I guess whoever came up with the idea that the Twins are more evil than Voldemort might have a not completely wrong thought. Voldemort has a plan - a better world (although is defined by his terms.) That in itself is not evil. Many people envision better worlds - according to their beliefs. What makes Voldemort evil is how he deals with people standing in the way between reality and his ideal. Voldemort is evil because of the means he uses to accomplish his ends. He is evil for evil's sake.
The Twins have no goal when they do their pranks. The goal is the prank itself - the harm it inflicts on the victim. Their pranks are not comparable to what Voldemort does on his way to a better world, but they are the whole purpose. The Twins do evil - if you define "inflicting harm on unsuspecting and often defenseless victims" that way - for its own sake and that is quite questionable on its own terms.
I suspect that Rowling does think the Twins' pranks are funny and not mean-spirited. If her exposition fairy is allowed to define attempted murder (The Prank) as "stupid trick" then I don't that Ursula Guin will ever have a reason to retract her criticism of HP as "mean-spirited".
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Date: 2005-03-18 03:11 am (UTC)The Twins have no goal when they do their pranks. The goal is the prank itself - the harm it inflicts on the victim. Their pranks are not comparable to what Voldemort does on his way to a better world, but they are the whole purpose. The Twins do evil - if you define "inflicting harm on unsuspecting and often defenseless victims" that way - for its own sake and that is quite questionable on its own terms.
I suspect that Rowling does think the Twins' pranks are funny and not mean-spirited. If her exposition fairy is allowed to define attempted murder (The Prank) as "stupid trick" then I don't that Ursula Guin will ever have a reason to retract her criticism of HP as "mean-spirited".