Comments | hp_essays: The Potterian Nightmare (Part 2: Homosocials)

raisin_gal in hp_essays

The Potterian Nightmare (Part 2: Homosocials)

Mar 13, 2008 03:52

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 ( Read more... )

other topics:criticism, other topics:symbolism, other topics:morality, other topics:themes

Comments 58

duniazade March 13 2008, 14:23:40 UTC

This is an awesome essay, and I'm saving it. Thanks especially for the remark that Dumbledore is, much more than Snape, the master of suppressed love.

Only thing I'd add: I think, alas, that all kinds of love, including heterosexual, are in fact dangerous in the Potterverse, the only safe form being between mother and child. That's why the het relationships feel so forced, so uninspiring. The only het I found a gram of sympathy for was Cho/Harry, probably because it was never meant to be.

raisin_gal March 14 2008, 05:55:32 UTC

Thank you so much! I'm flushed that you liked the Dumbledore > Snape part; that was a huge "Aha!" moment for me, as it had been such a mystery, so I'm really glad ( ... )

(The comment has been removed)

raisin_gal March 14 2008, 05:58:34 UTC

Totally agree with you on JKR and conscious thoughts. I also think all these patterns ended up in the books completely unintensionally. The HP monster walks on its own scaly feet...

excuse me while I turn around, put my fingers in my ears, and go "lalalalalalalala"!

Excuse me while I do the exact same! That's the only way I can keep on loving HP while hanging on to my sanity.

Lily who? Snape has loved a mysterious green-eyed young man named Harry with a passionate, faithful love since before the boy was even born, never mind named. (Timeturner fic, anyone?) But he felt his emotions and burning sexual desire had to be completely held in check while the beloved was still underage! And then he died without putting up any fight whatsoever when he realized that letting Voldy falsely believe his wand now works would be essential to Harry's survival! It's all very understandable and terribly tragic!

Sorry for rambling on beyond my essay *g* I just desperately needed some palate cleanser after all that.

anonymous March 13 2008, 18:58:55 UTC

Woah. Well all I can say is this is awesome and fantastic.
I dont think I have TIME to properly comment on everything you've raised here, but basically it's really perceptive. =]
x

raisin_gal March 14 2008, 06:01:13 UTC

Thanks so much for taking the time to let me know you enjoyed it!! :D

ellid March 13 2008, 23:44:56 UTC

Very well thought out, and as good a reason as any for the character who most openly "read" as gay (Lupin) to be suddenly married off once the author got wind of fannish speculation that he and his oldest friend (Sirius Black) were and had been lovers.

raisin_gal March 14 2008, 06:03:33 UTC

Thanks!

IMO they're all of them bisexuals, every single one of them except Harry who's inconvertibly het and Dumbledore gay. And they're all bi's desperately wanting to become heterosexual. Especially people like Sirius and Harry, with their high capacity for male camaraderie. Who'da thunk. *headdesk*

raisin_gal March 16 2008, 14:46:31 UTC

(...I thought there was something weird with this comment.
Especially people like Sirius and Harry
--> I meant Sirius and Remus. Sorry.)

ext_2456708 March 25 2023, 18:41:46 UTC

Sirius and Harry pay much more attention to men's looks than their alleged girl crushes, though.

Thread 5

woman_ironing March 14 2008, 00:19:42 UTC

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 ( ... )

raisin_gal March 14 2008, 06:09:02 UTC

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!