In the hairdressers I was trying to work out why the news about Dumbledore had upset me so much. (By the way, I'm looking gorgeous now!)
I don't have a problem with Dumbledore being gay. At least I don't think I do. Do I? No, I'm sure I don't because it doesn't matter. Now, I know gay people will say that, of course, sexuality matters, and I agree that it does. And JK will say that it does matter for the character, but it can't matter that much or it would have been integral to the story. And it wasn't; it's cropped up some months later as an 'oh yes and by the way'. I think that's what has annoyed me. It seems somehow dishonest. She's said there were clues in the book but I don't think I'm the only one who's failed to pick up on them.
Over the last few years I've read Atonement (Ian McEwan) and Diary of an Ordinary Woman (Margaret Forster), and though both books were good and I enjoyed reading them - although the lead character in Diary was most unlikeable - when I finished, I felt cheated. I won't explain in case you haven't read the books, but I don't like books that leave me feeling like that. And this is a similar sort of feeling.
If it's important then it should be in the book and be relevant to the plot and be obvious. You know, have Dumbledore mincing down the corridor and calling everyone luvvie. (Some people can't tell when I'm joking: that is a joke.) If it's not, say nothing.
xx
6 comments:
I don't know. Do you think JK just said it as a publicity thing? [Not that she needs it!] I like the lead character in "Diary.." Show us a pic of your hairdo, Liz!
Perhaps, Liz, the issue is that, even if JK claims to have put hints into the books about Dumbledore being gay, to point that out after the series has ended is rather like to mystery writers who, when the detective explains how he/she discovered the murderer, then introduces the clue that was clearly not obvious in the pertinent part of the plot. Agatha Christy, for one, used that devious device.
As for your new hair do, when do we see photographs?
No. I'm not happy. I don't think that there were any clues. I think its an afterthought...
Hairdo? what did you have done?
I reckon it's a publicity thing, as Welshcakes said. JK's finished the series and is worried about fading into oblivion. The next thing is that Harry and Hermione had an affair while they were looking for one of the Deathly Hallows and Ginny found out and...well, there's another book, almost.
Agreed it look like publicity to me although I can't imagine sales of Harry Potter will tail off hugely any time soon.
I thought it was a bid odd myself. Surely she doesn't need the publicity. And to your point, if his being gay was part of his personality I don't think she did much to make it part of the stories. It was rather strange the way it was announced afterward.
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