.
| Hearsay: |
I’m sure you’re rivetted by the crisis that is apparently fighting for the minds of our youth — just like they’ll eventually be fighting for air at a Pride week circuit party as they’re squeezed pecs-to-pecs in a sweaty, throbbing, shirtless dance pit full of a-list hunks high on poppers. It’ll happen if they read Rowling. Mark my words. It’s got cooties, this Potter.
But it is possible that Ms. Rowling may be mistaken about her own character. She may have invented Hogwarts and all the wizards within it, she may have created the most influential fantasy books since J. R. R. Tolkien, and she may have woven her spell over thousands of pages and seven novels, but there seems to be no compelling reason within the books for her after-the-fact assertion. Of course it would not be inconsistent for Dumbledore to be gay, but the books’ accounts certainly don’t make it necessary. The question is distracting, which is why it never really emerges in the books themselves. Ms. Rowling may think of Dumbledore as gay, but there is no reason why anyone else should.
I mean, who didn’t see this coming? Wands? Broom sticks? Ian McKellan? Allow me to push my glasses up a moment and illuminate: “Albus Dumbledore” is, of course, an anagram for “A Dumbbell Roused”. Um, weight training, anyone? So painfully obvious. (Of course, it’s also an anagram for “Labored Bums Duel”, but we won’t go there.)
I’m poking fun here, but the only thing that truly sets me on edge is this: “she may have created the most influential fantasy books since J. R. R. Tolkien”. Either the writer is deluded or our world is in far graver danger than we ever imagined.
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October 29th, 2007 at 10:14 am
Query. Can you think of any other character in modern literature that would have this type of impact if “outed” by his or her author? Besides Harry Potter himself, of course.
October 29th, 2007 at 1:30 pm
I really enjoyed your hilarious opening sentence to this post. Thank you!
:0)
October 29th, 2007 at 6:36 pm
Having only seen the first 3 film adaptations on TV this summer… c’mon.
A sport of broom stick flying where the hero wins by swallowing a glittery ball, being chased by a giant snake in a cave, looking at a ghost girl – who looks suspiciously like the young lead actor in drag, most of the few-in-number women (excepting the friend’s homemaker mom) depicted as spinster gym teacher/librarian types, the bitter~snippy yet protectively watchful schoolmaster, the girl sidekick who devotedly shares secrets, the wimpy bully boys, the first story’s villainous teacher assistant…
Gaydar? I quickly assumed that Harry, his school chum, and the big dim guy were probably the only ’straight’ characters at the secretative school.
October 29th, 2007 at 11:43 pm
Ian McKellan? You must be thinking of Gandalf, the other gay wizard!
sincerely,
an unabashed H.P. & Lords of the Rings fan (the books & the movies)
October 30th, 2007 at 7:34 am
Of course it’s the most influential fantasy novel since Tolkien! Very few fantasy/science fiction novels actually become “mainstream,” so there’s not a lot of competition.
December 24th, 2007 at 10:27 am
In my opinion, Rowling made too much money, and had too many people saying her books were evil. So, being so rich it didn’t matter, and wanting to stick it to the people of faith, she decides that Dumbledore is a queer. I agree with you said, however… Just because she thinks he is, doesn’t mean we have to. Because in all honesty, I don’t believe she intended him to be originally. It was a last minute, in your face, I pwn you all, move on her part. And it was completely absurd.