Comments on: Chapter 13: The Muggle-Born Registration Commission

By: Joivre

Joivre — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 17:42:07 +0000

Tom – you just made a dead woman happy. Maria Callas tried very hard to look like Audrey Hepburn when she shed her avoir du pois. My avatar is like my mood ring. It’s mercurial and will probably change soon.

Yes – ’tis Cathy and Heathcliff frollicking on the moors. I never understood the allure of moors. They seem rather flat and boring. And yes Red Rocker, that made me laugh – it does look like Olivier is more interested in the demonstration of his considerably beautiful profile than Oberon. Or maybe he was thinking of Marlon Brando –

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-403258/Larry-gay-Of-course-was.html

By: Eric

Eric — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 17:39:34 +0000

I don’t know, Korg– though certainly a bully and an abuser aren’t mutually exclusive, Umbridge doesn’t show many (or any) of the signs of a conflicted conscience or cognitive dissonance that usually go along with doing what one believes to be wrong and hateful. No second thoughts, moments of reflection or introspection, self-doubt, remorse, etc. Possibly her fanatical allegiance to her powerful friends (which gives her power) supplants her own conscience–significantly, unlike Snape.

On the other hand, Umbridge did show at least once that she was willing to do something she thought was wrong (performing the Cruciatus Curse on Harry) as long as it would serve “the greater good.” To me that shows she is trying–and no doubt succeeding–to justify her actions to herself. Whether her self-justification will survive her fall from power is another matter, though. It’s not impossible to imagine some remorse and even repentance during a period of self-doubt brought on by her stay in Azkaban–unless of course her bitterness kicked the resentment and self-justification up another notch. Just speculation by this point, of course.

By: Red Rocker

Red Rocker — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 17:20:05 +0000

I believe we’re looking at a boyish but muscular Olivier emoting more for the camera than for Oberon.

By: Tom

Tom — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 17:14:08 +0000

Chilling but fascinating information Eric. The description of an abusive spiritual leader sounds very much like a description of a malignant narcissist which we know Voldemort was. Umbridge on the other hand seems like more of a sadist or sociopath.

Yes Red Rocker, Barty. When reading GOF, Barty’s relationship with Voldemort called to my mind Flanders around Mr Burns!

Joivre, why on Earth did you get rid of that lovely avatar. I believe it was Audrey Hepburn as Cleopatra?

By: korg20000bc

korg20000bc — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 08:43:28 +0000

Eric,
You’re masterful.
But I see Umbridge a bit differently. I see her more as a bully type. She only has the guts to do what she does when she’s got powerful friends. I think she knows she’s doing wrong and hateful things and dreads the day when she’s called to account. Its a different kind of evil to Voldemort who doesn’t actually think hes doing anything wrong.

By: Joivre

Joivre — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 07:24:11 +0000

Wow Eric P. I took a look at that website and wow! I had no idea what you were talking about – spiritual abuse. But I see it more clearly through that website. What a nightmare!

Some of the Warning Signs on that site include:
Do you feel that no matter how hard you try, the ‘good deeds’ you perform for your group or pastor are never quite enough? As a result of this do you often feel plagued with feelings of guilt?

Is questioning the group, or the group leaders, discouraged or frowned upon? Does the group you belong to believe that it is an elite and exclusive organisation which alone has ‘the truth’ and answers to life’s questions?

Does the pastor pour scorn upon, attack, and mock other Christian churches and their interpretation of the Bible?

Does the pastor give you ‘black and white answers’? What the pastor agrees with is right and what the pastor disagrees with is wrong.

Does everyone in the group believe exactly the same things (i.e. what the group leaders tell them to believe)?

Is there no room for individual belief, or opinion even in minor areas?

Are others in the group, who do not conform to the requirements of the movement’s teaching, treated with suspicion, and treated like second class members?

Do you feel fearful of leaving the group? Many cults use subtle fear tactics to stop members from leaving. For example, the group may imply that those who leave will be attacked by the Devil, have a nasty accident, or at least not prosper because they have left ‘the truth’.

I can see Umbridge in here.

By: Red Rocker

Red Rocker — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 05:36:34 +0000

Exactly so.

By: Joivre

Joivre — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 05:33:48 +0000

Heathcliff has better quotes.

“And I pray one prayer–I repeat it till my tongue stiffens–Catherine Earnshaw, may you not rest as long as I am living; you said I killed you–haunt me, then! The murdered DO haunt their murderers, I believe. I know that ghosts HAVE wandered on earth. Be with me always–take any form–drive me mad! only DO not leave me in this abyss, where I cannot find you! Oh, God! it is unutterable! I CANNOT live without my life! I CANNOT live without my soul!”

By: Red Rocker

Red Rocker — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 04:51:45 +0000

The usual reason for calling someone “my lord” is because it’s expected in your social circle: he was just following the social norms.

About trading your soul for power: it doesn’t look like that at the start. At the start all you think is that you’ve finally found someone who appreciates all your fine qualities – and lets you play with toys the other side won’t.

Being second in command to the Dark Lord means everyone finally sees how smart and talented you are. It doesn’t necessarily mean you need or want everyone to toe the line or lick your boots.

Child and dead-father lose some of their pathos when their last name is Potter. Especially when Potter Sr. suspended you upside down so the girl you loved more than life itself could see that you didn’t use bleach-for-the-unbleachables on your undies.

Joivre please stop making me defend Snape. Any minute now I’m going to start quoting Catherine Earnshaw.

By: Joivre

Joivre — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 03:53:18 +0000

Yes, yes – Red and Mr. P – I see your points, bitter, broken home, oozing untapped yet stifled magical powers – I still don’t let him off easy. There’s a little stretch of time where he is a full-blown Death Eater. He knew what that entailed when he enlisted. It meant losing for good – any chance of reuniting with Evans. He chose the worst path one could take. He made a deal with the devil and then had to pay up. If calling someone My Lord isn’t bootlicking – if trading your soul for power isn’t power-hungry – if being second in command to the Dark Lord isn’t authoritarian – if forcing a child to look up his dead father’s name in a rolodex of wrong-doings isn’t the work of a sadist – I don’t know what is.

Agreed – there is remorse. There is bitterness. And I know very well the feeling of being an outcast (all musicians, artists, writers do), the pain of unrequited love, and the frustration of an artist unable to use their powers to their fullest potential. But I’m not going to join a local neo nazi opera house. Or perform for a group of skinheads.

But then again – I had a happy home life – I’m happy I’m here for my family – I was never really bullied as a child – and I was taught right from wrong.

Don’t get me wrong – I’m agreeing with you on major points – he was incredibly brave, loyal and heroic. I’ll even concede he was a great lover (oooh my). But like Ms. Rowling – I want to slap him hard.