Remus Lupin

Several of the recent discussions here at The Hog’s Head have reminded me once again of what great thinkers regularly visit and comment.  Here’s a discussion starter for you all: Remus Lupin’s character.  It’s time to give everyone’s favorite werewolf some careful attention.  Directions to head in:

Remus Lupin’s “Furry Little Problem”

Werewolves are classic scary characters, but in Lupin’s case, Rowling seems to have taken some of the psychological analysis of the werewolf as scapegoat and used that in her story line.  So while Greyback is certainly nasty, the overall picture of werewolves is that they are an oppressed group within the Wizarding World, rather than a bunch of scary creatures who belong in a horror flick.  

Discuss, then, Rowling’s use of the werewolf.  Here are a couple of starting points.  Feel free to suggest others.

• The werewolf is a metaphor for the “diseased others” in our society, such as AIDS victims.  
• The werewolf is a metaphor for internal struggle with personal evil (sin).

Remus and Nymphadora: Did it Work?

I’ve heard it from more than a few Potter fans that the Remus/Nymphadora pairing was out of left field, and that it didn’t work.  For a time, it even seemed like it didn’t work for Remus, who was ready to abandon his wife to follow the trio on the Horcrux hunt.  Did this relationship “work” for the story line?  Many (including David Thewlis!) believed that if Rowling were going to “out” a character as gay, it would have been Lupin.

Lupin Goes to the Movies

What do you think of David Thewlis’s performance as Remus Lupin?  I’m of the opinion the Thewlis’s Lupin is bang on, but I’d love to hear if anyone disagrees.

What Else?

This is Remus’s thread.  Say what you like.  What other important aspects of his character need to be addressed?  

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