Dumbledore was gay
I find this story to be slightly odd. The man is a fictional character who had no sex in the seven books. He has no sexual history in the books. Ergo, how can you say he was gay? Even if she was writing all seven books with the idea in her head, if it never made it to paper, is it “real” in the world of Hogwarts?
What is “real” in a fictional world? That’s important. The comment that Dumbledore was gay seems a bit too much a part of “process” to be relevant to a tour. It’s akin to saying “I always thought of Hermione as having has a Scottish Great-Aunt whom she had never met.” The only point of saying such a thing is to make publicity happen.
She said she regarded her novels as a “prolonged argument for tolerance” and urged her fans to “question authority”.
Prolonged… yes. Very much so.
Odd thing. This week she has basically told a global audience that would have rejected any Christian books that her books are Christian. Then she told a very faithful (and mostly conservative) Christian following that her main character was gay. You know those people you like? Well they’re radically different from what you thought they were, I just didn’t write about it because I thought you wouldn’t buy my books.
Um…
Category: teh internets
Discussion: You came too late to this party
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It is pretty odd, in my opinion. I don’t see the big deal at all. In reading the last book and Albus’ apparent infatuation with Grindlewald, I have to say I wondered. I’m sure Dobson’s followers will get their proverbial panties in a wad.
I can’t figure out if JKR’s late breaking admission was for publicity…it’s not like she needs it now I see your point about fear of people not buying the books if they knew Albus was gay. It kind of leaves a bad taste in the mouth. I’ll be interested to see if she sheds any more light on that comment.
To be fair, she doesn’t really portray the romances of any of the professors (unless you count Lupin, but that was after he left Hogwarts, and Snape, who never actually had a romance with Lily). That wouldn’t stop her from imagining the romances or inclinations they might have had. I mean, the point is that she wasn’t just announcing this out of nowhere– someone asked her a specific question about whether or not Dumbledore ever fell in love. She responded saying yes, he did fall in love, it was with a man, and actually, she’d always thought of him as gay. The whole point of these Q&A sessions are for her to reveal information that she had in her head that she never actually put in the books. If one takes issue with that, it should be with the general concept of revealing information outside of the canon, not with one specific non-included piece of information. It’s really just a matter of whether or not you buy the “JK Rowling has the whole HP universe in her head” thing. Within that context, this revelation– in response to the question she was asked– makes perfect sense.
Marjorie –
As I said, it all “a bit too much a part of “process†to be relevant to a tour.”
But, of course, a tour is to raise PR, right?
And I rushed here to see if I might scoop you? Ha Ha. Man plans and God laughs.
Huw, does the ‘if a tree falls and there’s no one to hear it, does it really make a sound? approach work here?’ Before a character beliongs to a book he/she/it must exist somewhere in the authors mind. Of course the best characters, authors will say, begin to tell there own story, but that is just to say the an author must be true and consistent to what heh or she knows of the character. There is much editing involved. A work of this size, like anything by Tolkein, or F. Herbert, or the guys who wrote Star Wars (Sorry, I can’t put his name in the same sentence with the present company) would have developed serious amounts of notes and backstory and histories for their created worlds. So, yes she could have this in mind. Does Dumbledore have to have engaged in a sexual physical act either in the pages, or within the mind of the author in order to have a same sex preference? I would think not.
I also think that she is fine to reveal these details of her thinking and method to the audiences you mention. Sure it tests the limits of both groups faith – that’s a good read isn’t it.
Bummer that the media has to have once a gain a polarizing field day with it rather than as RK says, learn tolerance.
It’s been awhile since either Catholics or Puritans gave up witch burning – maybe now a splinter group will take up the call! “BURN HER, BURN HER! She turned me into a newt. (I got better.)”
Heck, having just seen the last movie, and it’s been too long since I read the Order of the Pheonix to compare, but the teenage hormonal frenzy, of that school year at Hogwarts along with this background info might also shed more light on AD’s distancing himself from Harry and the occulemncy practices.
Good writing keeps revealing layers that show internal consitency.
I do agree that the books would be just as strong without this backstory, but she is engaging these audiences to have a second look at her work and challenge their own presupositions not only about the work, but how we all relate to each other. What is it that makes us human?
wtfwjd?
BTW, I might’ve been dissappointed has I scooped you. You meet and exceed thisaudience’s expectations.
Laura –
It’s interesting, given my history, but I never once suspected it. Reading of their friendship in #7 I simply assumed, as the text indicated, that it was a mutual fascination with magic. Not to put too personal a point on it, but given the “Canonical” story and my own history of such friendships in HS, I’d have expected for Grindlewald to have been gay and infatuated with Albus…
But again, just in the reading of the text, I never suspected a thing. Albus didn’t set off my Gaydar at all (except as he was portrayed by Richard Harris in the early movies… hehehe)
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Hi David!
I’m still not sure I believe the entire story arc of all seven books was in her head all the time. That’s why this sort of stuff strikes me as dishonest.
In fact, I’m reasonably sure about it.
Look at Tolkien – especially in the notebooks that Christopher keeps publishing – decades and decades leading up to the Lord of the Rings… and the story evolving and changing the entire time. And, apart from a few places, firmly integrated into the story arc, never does he resort to a long monologue to resolve plot points. “Show us, don’t tell us.”
I would more believe the books to have existed in her head if each book was not simply a repeat of the preceding one with more plot devices added.
To be clear, I enjoyed 1-5. but 6 and 7 left me wishing it was over. Both of them will make far better movies than books.
…well….maybe we’ll get Ian McKellan in the last movie:) But I guess that would be a rather small role, eh.
I loved Richard Harris’ portrayal of Dumbledore and miss him in the later adaptations.
Funny you should mention Sir Ian. I had the same thought.
I’m VERY happy to hear he is projected to be in the new production of the Hobbit!
My first reaction was to scratch my head and think:”In the case of these stories, does it matter either way?”
Actually I found myself wondering the same things as Huw, as to story line development and so on . . . . I also found myself wondering about the questioner. Was this a bit of a “plant” by the news media designed to stir up a “newsworthy” response? You see, whether she had said yes or no, it would have made news. And, I have become cynical about the news.
There is a good essay on this at John Granger’s site Hogwartsprofessor. He also *provides the context* and what was really asked, said and what the audience did *when*. Context..a radical idea.