The Potterian Nightmare (Part 2: Homosocials)

[raisin_gal]

If you are somebody who cares about the political issues I have talked about in my Part 1, as deeply as I obviously care about them for me to open my big mouth, you may want to take a time out here, and go get yourself a glass of water. Or scotch, or an empty bucket, depending on what you're feeling like right about now... Because whatever you feel

Comments

[woman_ironing]

Before I say anything else, I have to admit I haven't read all of your essay. I've tried, and I've read bits of it, and I've read the conclusion. I think you're saying that the HP story says: only family love is good, and other love, particularly love between men, while it may indeed have positive aspects, is dangerous and must be avoided, however sad that may be. I've probably put it a bit crudely, but it is something like this that you're saying, isn't it?

I was listening to a radio discussion today about the Greek myths, and one of the participants talked about how the myths test ideas to destruction. He was particularly thinking of Orestes, but, y'know, this is exactly what goes on in HP. I think it's pretty clear that Rowling prefers love to power, and free will to fate, and - for Harry, at least - love and free will triumph in her story, but their triumph is not complete. Even for Harry there is irony and paradox, as he freely chooses, for his own reasons, the fate the prophecy foretold and for which Dumbledore prepared him. For Snape, the whole situation is even murkier, of course. And Dumbledore does not represent Ultimate Goodness. Power remained a temptation to him, and boy did he succumb to the temptation, even trying to control his own death! There really isn't one answer, there's just a lot of problems that can't be completely solved. At least, that's how it seems to me, but perhaps I just need to think about it more!

[raisin_gal]

Yeah, that's the crux :) Although not so much "avoided" as squeezed up and channeled into the good of society in some weird humanistic way.

You point out power, I think that's one of the key things that's really important about HP. In these two parts I went around it completely because i wanted to focus on *just* love, but yeah. HP sends lots of message about power and agency. I'll have to think about that more for my next piece. Thank you so much for your thoughtful and insightful comments about the greek myth!