Head-Canon Discussion: Sirius, the Black Men, and Society
Alas, I lack a cool header image for this one--clearly figliaperduta, this week's discussion-starter, is not quite as awesome as my partners-in-mischief. So I will clearly have to make up for in substance what I lack in flash.
This week, we turn our minds to a subject that has had quite some attention in fanon, but has been very largely ignored in canon--the relationship between Sirius, Orion (his father), and Arcturus (his grandfather), and the status of the Blacks in society.
1. Fanon notions of wizarding nobility, including ranks and titles, are prevalent, but all we see on the subject in canon are various peoples' mentions that "some families are better than others," and then Sirius' mention in Order of the Phoenix that the Blacks were "almost royalty." What do you take from all of this? Is the lack of discussion of more political matters in canon an effort to keep the books aimed more at a YA audience, or an implication that no such thing exists amongst wizards?
2. Regardless of noble status, old European families (wealthy or otherwise) have historically been controlled by the oldest male member of the senior line (preferably of strict male descent, hence primogeniture)--the paterfamilias, to borrow the Latin as wizards are wont to do. Is running such a family a full-time job in and of itself, between political and financial interests, ensuring the proper upbringing of the children of the house, and covering up any scandals its members may find themselves involved in, or would this be in addition to a career?
3. According to the Black family tree provided by Rowling, Arcturus died in 1991, surviving his son Orion (d. 1979) by 12 years. Did Orion in fact never hold headship, as this would imply? Or was there some sharing of the duties between the two?
4. Sirius' position as eldest son would have put him in obvious position to inherit. What additional education and responsibilities may he have been granted as a result of this, and who would have done the teaching? Was Sirius' rebellion against his family a clash of values, a flight from duty, or perhaps some of both? How did all of this shape his interaction with his brother, and how did Regulus react to all of it?
5. Sirius barely comments on his father during Order of the Phoenix--he mentions either his parents collectively, or his mother alone. Arcturus was never mentioned at all. What do you suppose the relationship between the three men was like?
6. Legally, disowning, an individual's unofficial repudiation of another individual, is different than disinheriting, an official act cutting off access to family resources and contacts traditionally reserved to the head of the family. Sirius uses solely the former term, never the latter. If Arcturus was in fact head of the family, what was his reaction to Sirius' departure from it?
7. Arcturus either chose not to fight on Sirius' behalf when he was sent to Azkaban, or else fought and was unsuccessful. Which do you suppose was the case, and why?
8. From Sirius' descriptions, Walburga seemed to wield a considerable amount of power in the family--very unusual for such a traditional society. Whence came her authority, and what did Orion and Arcturus think of it?
Discuss away, and if you have any favourite fics that deal with these issues, feel free to share those as well!
ETA: In which we learn that shyfoxling has nothing on me for pedantic [Ed. Oh, really?], and also that I can't LJ-cut worth a damn.
This week, we turn our minds to a subject that has had quite some attention in fanon, but has been very largely ignored in canon--the relationship between Sirius, Orion (his father), and Arcturus (his grandfather), and the status of the Blacks in society.
1. Fanon notions of wizarding nobility, including ranks and titles, are prevalent, but all we see on the subject in canon are various peoples' mentions that "some families are better than others," and then Sirius' mention in Order of the Phoenix that the Blacks were "almost royalty." What do you take from all of this? Is the lack of discussion of more political matters in canon an effort to keep the books aimed more at a YA audience, or an implication that no such thing exists amongst wizards?
2. Regardless of noble status, old European families (wealthy or otherwise) have historically been controlled by the oldest male member of the senior line (preferably of strict male descent, hence primogeniture)--the paterfamilias, to borrow the Latin as wizards are wont to do. Is running such a family a full-time job in and of itself, between political and financial interests, ensuring the proper upbringing of the children of the house, and covering up any scandals its members may find themselves involved in, or would this be in addition to a career?
3. According to the Black family tree provided by Rowling, Arcturus died in 1991, surviving his son Orion (d. 1979) by 12 years. Did Orion in fact never hold headship, as this would imply? Or was there some sharing of the duties between the two?
4. Sirius' position as eldest son would have put him in obvious position to inherit. What additional education and responsibilities may he have been granted as a result of this, and who would have done the teaching? Was Sirius' rebellion against his family a clash of values, a flight from duty, or perhaps some of both? How did all of this shape his interaction with his brother, and how did Regulus react to all of it?
5. Sirius barely comments on his father during Order of the Phoenix--he mentions either his parents collectively, or his mother alone. Arcturus was never mentioned at all. What do you suppose the relationship between the three men was like?
6. Legally, disowning, an individual's unofficial repudiation of another individual, is different than disinheriting, an official act cutting off access to family resources and contacts traditionally reserved to the head of the family. Sirius uses solely the former term, never the latter. If Arcturus was in fact head of the family, what was his reaction to Sirius' departure from it?
7. Arcturus either chose not to fight on Sirius' behalf when he was sent to Azkaban, or else fought and was unsuccessful. Which do you suppose was the case, and why?
8. From Sirius' descriptions, Walburga seemed to wield a considerable amount of power in the family--very unusual for such a traditional society. Whence came her authority, and what did Orion and Arcturus think of it?
Discuss away, and if you have any favourite fics that deal with these issues, feel free to share those as well!
ETA: In which we learn that shyfoxling has nothing on me for pedantic [Ed. Oh, really?], and also that I can't LJ-cut worth a damn.