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Reader Comments: (Page 19)

okay, one thing we all need to remember is that Dumbledore is human, and we all have our likes and dislikes. He's a great wizard, and human being, but that does not make him great in everything. He's not perfect. I mean, are we?
"Humans have a knack for choosing exactly what is bad for them"
maybe that was what message Dumbledore was trying to communicate to Harry
Dumbledore rox my sox! sorry had to say that

Posted by Harry Potter lvr 101 aka Sirius' #1 fan from somewhere in hogwarts (ravenclaw tower) on November 15, 2007 7:59 PM

I never really thought about if Dumbledor ever had a wife. I mean it never mentions anything in the book so it never came to mind. But Dumbledore is human just like the rest of us, so I was not really to surprised when I read the article. Dumbledor was not perfect and probably he or was never NEAR perfect so Dumbledor is just the same as us, so why should we be SO surprised that he is ? Dumbledor is not perfect and that is the point.

Posted by Ginny Weasley (Ron's annoying sister) from Gryffindor Tower on November 18, 2007 7:50 PM

I think the fact that Dumbledore is is so funny. But it's not surprising because men aren't heart-touching and speech-giving like Dumbledore. Anyway, way to go Joanne K. Rowling.

Posted by Troyee B. D. from Delhi ,India on November 19, 2007 06:58 AM

I gotta say I didn't see it coming but now I think about it I never really cared about Dumbledore's love life cause he's old.

Posted by Katie from Stuarts Draft, VA on November 19, 2007 6:17 PM

I think since we were the ones asking Rowling about Dumbledore, we need to be able to live and accept her answers as they are. She wasn't the one who put herself in front of us saying: "Look, get rid of all the thoughts in your head that occured to you while reading my books, as I am going to tell you now that it's all different."

WE, the readers, asked her questions, thus wanting to know what was in her head when writing HP, and the ones who ask questions have to accept that the answers can divert from our concepts.

David Haber said that once the books were finished, "it is our right to completely ignore any statement she (Rowling) says at this point and let the books stand as they are."

I don't agree. We were and are keen to know what Rowling thought, WE ask questions, therefore we haven't got the right to dismiss her answers.

Posted by Siena from Leeds, UK on November 21, 2007 03:08 AM

The point about Dumbledore being is really nothing to do with the story itself, which is probably why it is never alluded to in the text. When a writer creates a character then they get to know that character intimately. Sometimes it is more a matter of getting to know the character rather than creating him or her. There is always plenty of stuff that the author knows about the characters that never makes it into the book/s. It's just a part of the author's background knowledge and understanding of the character. Think of the two companion volumes; Quidditch Through the Ages and Fantastic Beasts. The content of those books is probably stuff from Rowling's notes. Stuff that was never going to make it into the seven books but which she needed to know as part of her creation of a consistent and believable world.
Knowing your characters inside out is like that. It helps you give them depth and helps to ensure that they think and act consistently.
It doesn't surprise me in the least that Dumbledore is , although it never occurred to me even to wonder about his . Dumbledore is a wonderful creation, and a truly good human being. His has nothing to do with his goodness, although it has certainly shaped his character. It does not make him more perfect or less perfect. It simply is the way he was.
Nor would his have had anything to do with the way he related to Harry, or any other student in his charge. A teacher is perfectly capable of feeling affection for any student of either gender in his or her charge without sexual preference coming into the equation. The same could be said for any human being. To imagine that Dumbledore felt a greater connection with Harry because of his own ity is just wrong. And when Dumbledore tells Harry that humans have a knack of choosing the thing that is worst for them, I doubt he is referring to ity. The wrong individual partner, maybe. It's a stretch though. More likely he was referring to money and immortality as is directly implied by the text and by extension to other moral choices. And I might as well admit that I do not see one's sexual preference as a moral choice.

Posted by Elizabeth from Australia on November 21, 2007 5:03 PM

Thank you for your comment, Elizabeth; it is brilliant and I couldn't agree more!

Posted by Siena from Leeds, UK on November 23, 2007 05:57 AM

So what if Dumbledore is ? What does it really matter? It doesn't detract from anything he does in the books, nor from his relationships with any of the characters, Harry included. I think someone else pointed out the fact that Dumbledore being shouldn't have any bearing on his relationship with Harry and I completely agree. Assuming that people be attracted to every person of the same sex (regardless of age) is the same as assuming that every person be attracted to every person of the opposite sex (regardless of age), which is ludicrous in the extreme.

I see the relationship between Harry and Dumbledore as exactly that painted by Rowling, and the of either character doesn't matter at all. There is nothing sinister about it whatsoever.

The revelation has not diminished the story to me or Dumbledore's character, in any way. I frequently quote the wisdom of Dumbledore to my friends and attempt to follow it myself. I couldn't understand why anyone would like Dumbledore and the story less because of this information.

Posted by Matt from Beiing on November 24, 2007 06:11 AM

I certainly don't think dumbledore was attracted to Harry. I think he's just a nice person who was trying to strengthen Harry for the battle against Voldemort.

Posted by j on November 25, 2007 3:35 PM

I really don't care if Dumbledore was or not. It doesn't matter what anybody's is as long as they are not rude about it.

Posted by Lara from East Greenville, PA on November 25, 2007 5:15 PM

I am one of the ones who applaude JKR! I love that she is not afraid to do something different with her books! They're already controversial enough, being "satans books" or whatever else and I think it was admirably brave how she stepped out there and took a stand! Being independant! Not caring what anyone else thought! After all, they are her books and she can do whatever she wants with them.

Posted by Corinne from Littleton, Colorado on November 26, 2007 3:13 PM

hello all. i have read each and every harry potter over and over again, and pondered every detail i could about the conclusion of the seventh book. I have never suspected anyone in the story of being in the book (no not even Lockhart) the nearest Dumbledore actually gets to being at all, is when he and harry, at the beginning of the Hbp, are in Budliegh Babberton, where we meet Slughorn for the first time, Dumbledore comes out of the toilet after harry unknowingly convinces Slughorn to come back to Hogwarts, and exclaims his long absence was because he had been distracted by knitting patterns in the muggle newspaper, which is most commonly a female pastime. I have absolutely nothing against people and never , but Dumbledore's general character does not seem in any way. I still read the books over and over, but The Harry Potter series are still children's books, no matter how deep the plot goes, and it is completely unnecessary to bring into the discussion.

Posted by Rob H from Devon on December 2, 2007 3:25 PM

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