"It Matters Not What's Between Your Legs ..."
First of all, to those who are being affected by the fires in SoCal, my prayers go out to you. I wish to do more, I want to do more but ... :shrug: Distance and time still can't be circumvented
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*TACKLE-GLOMPS*
OF COURSE, I remember you! How can I forget one of my idols during my obsessed, obsessive fandom days?
And, after a good night's sleep ;) and reading your comment, I think I have another piece in this 'complicated' thingy to add.
I think the problem I have with this is not so much Dumbledore's sexuality but in how it was revealed - timing wise, especially. The character has been dead for two years, people (in the book) have been talking trash about him when he is no longer around to defend himself (against charges or innuendoes about homosexuality or paedophilia) which has gotten many all riled up ... and then the 'Creator' confirms the truth of the "dirty" rumours.
What gets my goat are all the paeans of praise about how wonderful Rowling is to have revealed this (in a way, after the fact) ... when it would have gotten much more impact if it had been revealed before the man died.
I keep thinking of Anelli's comment about "... [Rowling] reinforcing the idea that a person's gayness is not something of which they should be ashamed."
Unfortunately, within the context of the books, it seems that Dumbledore was never 'out' for reasons unexplained ... and Skeeter's scurrilous attack tends to reinforce the belief that DD kept it hidden for a reason.
Shame? Regrets? Love?
Whatever ... DD still kept it hidden in life - which implies that it was something he was *ashamed* of.
But I have to agree with your observation that "the big, defining issue in a character's life is brought down to love in some shape or form ... Love is surely important but it seems a bit of a JKR cliche. "Everything can be explained by being in love."
I guess that's where my "cardboard cutout" comment springs from. We've had a very complicated, multifaceted, wondrous story that we've been mining for *years* but it all, suddenly, boils down to a "simplistic" cliche.
I guess I had been expecting more from Rowling ... but have to be contented with her feet of clay.
*HUGS* again.
Take care,
gil
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What gets my goat are all the paeans of praise about how wonderful Rowling is to have revealed this (in a way, after the fact) ... when it would have gotten much more impact if it had been revealed before the man died.
See, I'm not sure I agree. Dumbledore's sexuality isn't relevant to the plot so any mention JKR could have made of it could make her liable to be attacked for including a token gay character, or drawing attention to gay rights in an unsubtle way. Perhaps she could have carried it off.
For the character, there are plenty of reasons why Dumbledore was never open about it. He will have grown up in a time when being gay was unacceptible (at least among muggles), his only (?) relationship was clearly a back experience which for many other reasons he'd be unwilling to talk about and so on.
I think JKR is excited by the fan response and allowing herself to explain more of the things about her world which didn't make the final cut for probably very good reasons. She expressed surprise that people were interested in Dumbledore's sexuality- which seems rather naive, but I don't imagine she thought through the ramifications of how such an announcement would be taken.
I guess that's where my "cardboard cutout" comment springs from. We've had a very complicated, multifaceted, wondrous story that we've been mining for *years* but it all, suddenly, boils down to a "simplistic" cliche.
Hmm, yes. I did really like the mystery plot of HBP and DH with the horcruxes but I agree that as far as chacter went, it seemed in some respects simplistic. The development of Luna in the last book was disappointing. Hermione became almost too perfect as far as knowledge goes in the last book. I did think Harry was well characterised though. And then JKR says that Harry and Ginny are soulmates. I really fail to see how she manages to work that one out from what she has put on paper. She may have this fully fledged Ginny character in her head but it really doesn't come over!
By the way, I did finish and post chapter 10 of Cassandra this summer, if you're interested. *blush* Yeah, four years after last updated! Maybe when I've finished my degree I'll finish the entire story... http://silvestria.livejournal.com/20177.html
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