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Dumbledore: is Jo's interpretation 'right?', Should the author be the one to decide?
hagridlurveshapp...
post Oct 25 2007, 05:19 AM
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This is a quote from feministing.com's article on the Dumbledore revelation:

QUOTE
This has actually provided a pretty clear-cut example of why literary theorists are hostile to the idea that authorial intent is the “right” interpretation; to echo what a lot of people all over the internets are saying, “If he is, why didn’t you say so in the first place?” Which demonstrates a sort of native understanding that even the author’s interpretations of a work are just another interpretation and you can quarrel with them. If you feel that the books don’t support the contention that Dumbledore is gay, you have just as much right to say so as Rowling has to say that she feels there’s some unspoken gay love going on. In fact, if a character really is gay and meant to be read as so, sometimes you have to spell it out within the book, because heteronormativity dictates that most people are not going to see a character like Dumbledore as gay without a big flashing sign telling them to.


The full article may be found here:

http://feministing.com/archives/007964.html

This raises several interesting questions.

Is Jo's statement about Dumbledore, which is made 'after the fact' and isn't directly alluded to in the text, any more valid than the readers opinion, because the text doesn't really support it?

Should Jo have spelt out Dumbledore was gay in the text if his sexuality was intended to shade the plot and story, as his experience with Grindelwald was a deeply character forming one?

Should we regard anything outside the novel text itself as 'canon' particularly when it doesn't appear to be supported by the text, and can often create inconsistencies? It has been stated that the PS movie Godric's Hollow scene was canon because Jo was consulted, yet it is completely different within the novel text.

Jo herself has allowed for reader interpretation in her web chats:

'You can make your own mind up about this, but I think Harry went to limbo between life and death.'

'I always felt the character to be gay.'

Your thoughts???

PS IF nothing else I've learnt a great new word: heteronormativity !!! what a corker from the lit crits!!!


This post has been edited by hagridlurveshappyhour: Oct 25 2007, 05:27 AM


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Posts in this topic
- hagridlurveshappyhour   Dumbledore: is Jo's interpretation 'right?'   Oct 25 2007, 05:19 AM
- - ByRichard   i think Jo has every right to add whatever she wan...   Oct 25 2007, 05:32 AM
|- - hagridlurveshappyhour   QUOTE(ByRichard @ Oct 25 2007, 11:32 AM) ...   Oct 25 2007, 05:35 AM
|- - Ioli   QUOTE(ByRichard @ Oct 25 2007, 10:32 AM) ...   Oct 29 2007, 12:05 PM
- - ByRichard   QUOTE(hagridlurveshappyhour @ Oct 25 2007, 11...   Oct 25 2007, 05:36 AM
- - molliwobbles   That reminds me somehow of the different understan...   Oct 25 2007, 06:15 AM
|- - hagridlurveshappyhour   QUOTE(molliwobbles @ Oct 25 2007, 12:15 P...   Oct 25 2007, 06:36 AM
|- - molliwobbles   QUOTE(hagridlurveshappyhour @ Oct 25 2007, 06...   Oct 25 2007, 07:16 AM
- - Shard   According to statue 50 years after her death it be...   Oct 25 2007, 06:23 AM
- - Patrucio   I would argue that her opinion, unless codified in...   Oct 25 2007, 07:11 AM
|- - Teatime   QUOTE(Patrucio @ Oct 25 2007, 01:11 PM) O...   Oct 26 2007, 10:03 AM
- - christinemfdorrat   Forgive me if I'm repeating what's already...   Oct 25 2007, 07:38 AM
- - davidenglish   My English grandfather suffered from a sort of rud...   Oct 25 2007, 09:01 AM
- - maleficent   I don’t think her interpretation is right or wrong...   Oct 25 2007, 10:52 AM
- - davidenglish   Well, I'm afraid Barthes and his school have f...   Oct 25 2007, 11:25 AM
|- - Henrietta   QUOTE(davidenglish @ Oct 25 2007, 08:25 A...   Oct 25 2007, 11:41 AM
|- - Ra-Ra-Ravenclaw   QUOTE(davidenglish @ Oct 25 2007, 09:25 A...   Oct 25 2007, 12:00 PM
- - davidenglish   Yes, this week Jo spoke of her dissatisfaction wit...   Oct 25 2007, 11:59 AM
|- - Henrietta   QUOTE(davidenglish @ Oct 25 2007, 08:59 A...   Oct 25 2007, 12:22 PM
|- - CommonLoon   QUOTE(Henrietta @ Oct 25 2007, 01:22 PM) ...   Oct 25 2007, 01:56 PM
- - DigificWriter   When it comes right down to it, the answer is an e...   Oct 25 2007, 12:45 PM
- - CommonLoon   A couple links that relate to the topic at hand: ...   Oct 25 2007, 01:47 PM
- - The Hollow   Fans are welcomed to use their own interpretation ...   Oct 25 2007, 02:20 PM
- - Chiron   I've been saying for some time that there came...   Oct 25 2007, 02:52 PM
- - purpleniffler   I agree with Richard. The author should be able to...   Oct 25 2007, 03:04 PM
- - davidenglish   QUOTE(Chiron @ Oct 25 2007, 07:52 PM) I...   Oct 25 2007, 03:49 PM
- - Oryx   Did Rowling ever comment on Cuaron's interpret...   Oct 25 2007, 04:51 PM
- - Larch4426   I've been thinking about some of these questio...   Oct 26 2007, 12:03 AM
- - luna'sceiling   QUOTE(davidenglish @ Oct 25 2007, 04:49 P...   Oct 26 2007, 12:45 AM
|- - davidenglish   QUOTE(luna'sceiling @ Oct 26 2007, 05...   Oct 26 2007, 08:59 AM
|- - Henrietta   QUOTE(davidenglish @ Oct 26 2007, 05:59 A...   Oct 26 2007, 09:57 AM
- - The Half-Blood Princess   Jo created the characters. and everything about th...   Oct 26 2007, 07:14 AM
- - Pleione   The news about DD impacts many aspects of the seri...   Oct 26 2007, 10:06 AM
- - Lost Centaur   Love can confound us. Dumbledore was at first con...   Oct 26 2007, 12:57 PM
|- - luna'sceiling   QUOTE(Lost Centaur @ Oct 26 2007, 01:57 P...   Oct 26 2007, 02:06 PM
- - Calamity Jamie   It's not Jo's interpretation: Dumbledore i...   Oct 26 2007, 02:13 PM
- - Alas   QUOTE(davidenglish @ Oct 25 2007, 11:01 A...   Oct 26 2007, 02:25 PM
|- - hagridlurveshappyhour   QUOTE(Alas @ Oct 26 2007, 08:25 PM) QUOTE...   Oct 27 2007, 04:27 PM
|- - roonwit   QUOTE(hagridlurveshappyhour @ Oct 27 2007, 10...   Oct 27 2007, 05:13 PM
|- - hagridlurveshappyhour   QUOTE(roonwit @ Oct 27 2007, 10:13 PM) QU...   Oct 28 2007, 05:58 AM
|- - roonwit   QUOTE(hagridlurveshappyhour @ Oct 28 2007, 10...   Oct 28 2007, 08:06 AM
|- - hagridlurveshappyhour   QUOTE(roonwit @ Oct 28 2007, 01:06 PM) QU...   Oct 28 2007, 09:33 AM
- - Chrysanthemum   QUOTE(CommonLoon @ Oct 25 2007, 11:47 AM)...   Oct 26 2007, 02:52 PM
|- - Sethtaylorsummer   QUOTE(Chrysanthemum @ Oct 27 2007, 07:52 ...   Oct 26 2007, 03:06 PM
|- - CommonLoon   Because fictional stories and their characters exi...   Oct 28 2007, 06:07 PM
- - Alas   QUOTE(Chrysanthemum @ Oct 26 2007, 04:52 ...   Oct 26 2007, 05:18 PM
- - HalfBloodPrincess1967   Entertainment Weekly has a really good articlen th...   Oct 27 2007, 12:30 PM
- - davidenglish   And then we have someone like Prof Milner of Paris...   Oct 27 2007, 08:16 PM
- - dompeldoris's favourite   QUOTE(hagridlurveshappyhour @ Oct 27 2007, 11...   Oct 28 2007, 06:27 AM
|- - Hannibal Granger   QUOTE(dompeldoris's favourite @ Oct 28 20...   Oct 28 2007, 09:01 AM
|- - roonwit   QUOTE(Hannibal Granger @ Oct 28 2007, 02...   Oct 28 2007, 10:17 AM
|- - Hannibal Granger   QUOTE(roonwit @ Oct 28 2007, 11:17 AM) Th...   Oct 28 2007, 10:55 AM
- - Chrysanthemum   QUOTE(dompeldoris's favourite @ Oct 28 20...   Oct 28 2007, 12:23 PM
|- - hagridlurveshappyhour   QUOTE(Chrysanthemum @ Oct 28 2007, 05:23 ...   Oct 28 2007, 01:41 PM
- - dompeldoris's favourite   QUOTE(Hannibal Granger @ Oct 28 2007, 04...   Oct 28 2007, 12:47 PM
- - davidenglish   I'm afraid I must side with Chrysanthemum. Unl...   Oct 28 2007, 01:26 PM
- - bellatrix66   It's her story; her characters. Whatever Jo sa...   Oct 28 2007, 01:58 PM
|- - hagridlurveshappyhour   QUOTE(bellatrix66 @ Oct 28 2007, 06:58 PM...   Oct 28 2007, 03:00 PM
- - Chrysanthemum   QUOTE(dompeldoris's favourite @ Oct 28 20...   Oct 28 2007, 02:24 PM
- - bellatrix66   But I still don't understand why this wasn...   Oct 28 2007, 03:06 PM
|- - hagridlurveshappyhour   QUOTE(bellatrix66 @ Oct 28 2007, 08:06 PM...   Oct 28 2007, 04:03 PM
|- - Curandera   QUOTE(hagridlurveshappyhour @ Oct 28 2007, 09...   Oct 28 2007, 04:42 PM
- - harrydavid   This thread reminds me of the "Does Jo Unders...   Oct 28 2007, 03:12 PM
- - Chrysanthemum   QUOTE(bellatrix66 @ Oct 28 2007, 01:06 PM...   Oct 28 2007, 03:19 PM
- - Chrysanthemum   QUOTE(harrydavid @ Oct 28 2007, 01:12 PM)...   Oct 28 2007, 03:24 PM
|- - Curandera   QUOTE(Chrysanthemum @ Oct 28 2007, 08:24 ...   Oct 28 2007, 03:43 PM
|- - The Hollow   QUOTE(Curandera @ Oct 28 2007, 03:43 PM) ...   Oct 29 2007, 12:48 AM
- - Chrysanthemum   QUOTE(Curandera @ Oct 28 2007, 01:43 PM) ...   Oct 28 2007, 04:14 PM
|- - Curandera   QUOTE(Chrysanthemum @ Oct 28 2007, 09:14 ...   Oct 28 2007, 04:37 PM
- - Alas   QUOTE(davidenglish @ Oct 27 2007, 10:16 P...   Oct 28 2007, 04:41 PM
- - Fawcett   I'm not going to get into this discussion much...   Oct 28 2007, 04:52 PM
- - pranko   Well. There are some things Jo has said in interv...   Oct 28 2007, 05:28 PM
- - ami louthwaite   I once read an essay that the reader should always...   Oct 28 2007, 05:32 PM
- - bellatrix66   Well none of you are going to change my mind, I ta...   Oct 28 2007, 07:22 PM
- - davidenglish   QUOTE(Chrysanthemum @ Oct 28 2007, 08:24 ...   Oct 28 2007, 08:23 PM
|- - jacobmarley   QUOTE(davidenglish @ Oct 29 2007, 01:23 A...   Oct 29 2007, 08:49 AM
- - Alas   QUOTE(CommonLoon @ Oct 28 2007, 08:07 PM)...   Oct 28 2007, 09:45 PM
- - Calamity Jamie   QUOTEWhat J.K Rowling, the CREATOR, of Harry Potte...   Oct 28 2007, 09:55 PM
- - CommonLoon   Folks, don't take not considering Rowling...   Oct 29 2007, 12:47 AM
- - Oryx   QUOTEBut I still don't understand why this was...   Oct 29 2007, 01:12 AM
- - Sethtaylorsummer   QUOTE(The Hollow @ Oct 29 2007, 05:48 PM)...   Oct 29 2007, 01:24 AM
- - Alas   QUOTE(CommonLoon @ Oct 29 2007, 02:47 AM)...   Oct 29 2007, 02:31 AM
- - Rilla_ingleside   i guess it's up to Jo to say whether Dumbledor...   Oct 29 2007, 03:03 AM
- - AccioHagrid   I don't really want to get stuck in the 'c...   Oct 29 2007, 04:10 AM
- - davidenglish   Well, jacobmarley, I find your viewpoint to be non...   Oct 29 2007, 11:26 AM
|- - Shard   QUOTE(davidenglish @ Oct 29 2007, 12:26 P...   Oct 29 2007, 11:49 AM
|- - jacobmarley   QUOTE(davidenglish @ Oct 29 2007, 04:26 P...   Oct 29 2007, 11:52 AM
|- - davidenglish   QUOTE(jacobmarley @ Oct 29 2007, 04:52 PM...   Oct 29 2007, 03:13 PM
|- - jacobmarley   QUOTE(davidenglish @ Oct 29 2007, 08:13 P...   Oct 29 2007, 03:41 PM
|- - davidenglish   QUOTE(jacobmarley @ Oct 29 2007, 08:41 PM...   Oct 29 2007, 04:40 PM
||- - jacobmarley   QUOTE(davidenglish @ Oct 29 2007, 09:40 P...   Oct 30 2007, 04:38 AM
|- - roonwit   QUOTE(jacobmarley @ Oct 29 2007, 08:41 PM...   Oct 29 2007, 05:00 PM
- - DigificWriter   Sometimes an author's intent changes during th...   Oct 29 2007, 12:35 PM
- - CommonLoon   QUOTE(jacobmarley)To me, what is "canon...   Oct 29 2007, 12:42 PM
|- - jacobmarley   QUOTE(CommonLoon @ Oct 29 2007, 05:42 PM)...   Oct 29 2007, 02:37 PM
- - Oxymoronic   I agree with you jacobmarley. Interestingly enough...   Oct 29 2007, 03:12 PM
- - Bombadillo   QUOTEIntent is irrelevant when reading a text. If ...   Oct 29 2007, 06:07 PM
- - Chrysanthemum   QUOTE(Oxymoronic @ Oct 29 2007, 01:12 PM)...   Oct 29 2007, 08:33 PM
- - Oxymoronic   Duly noted. I think, that should have been obviou...   Oct 30 2007, 03:16 AM
- - Hannibal Granger   QUOTEHmmm, how about the requirement that if you d...   Oct 30 2007, 07:24 AM
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