Which is your favorite quote by Albus Dumbledore from book 1? (4/27/08-5/11/08)

This topic serves as an archive of a thread from the Harry Potter Lexicon Forum as hosted on World Crossing, which ceased operation on April 15, 2011. It was copied/saved by Julia H. and reformatted/reposted by Potteraholic. ~Potteraholic

freshwater - Apr 27, 2008 3:59 pm
Edited by Kip Carter May 11, 2008 2:16 pm

Which is your favorite quote by Albus Dumbledore from book 1? Please choose only 1 or 2.

a) PS 1: “I would trust Hagrid with my life.”

b) PS 7: “But first, a few words. Nitwit, Blubber, Oddment, Tweak!”

c) PS 12: “It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live?”

d) PS 12: “I see myself holding a pair of thick, woolen socks. One can never have enough socks?. Another Christmas has come and gone and I didn’t get a pair. People will insist on giving me books.”

e) PS 17: “After all, to the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure.”

f) PS 17: “Call him Volemort, Harry. Always use the proper name for things. Fear of a name increases fear of the thing itself.?”

HungarianHorntail11 - Apr 27, 2008 5:29 pm (#1 of 42)
Edited Apr 27, 2008 6:14 pm

I like them all but the one I hold most dear is C.

c) PS 12: “It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live?”

E is a close second, though. e) PS 17: “After all, to the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure.”

journeymom - Apr 27, 2008 6:12 pm (#2 of 42) Wow, I like all of them. Hard to choose. b) But first a few words. Nitwit, blubber, oddment, tweak! d) I see myself holding a pair of thick, woolen socks. One can never have enough socks... Another Christmas has come and gone and I didn't get a pair. People will insist on giving me books.

mona amon - Apr 27, 2008 7:53 pm (#3 of 42) b) PS 7: “But first, a few words. Nitwit, Blubber, Oddment, Tweak!”, because it's just the sort of mental thing DD would say, and e) PS 17: “After all, to the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure.” Very Dumbledorish!

geauxtigers - Apr 27, 2008 8:44 pm (#4 of 42) B and E

freshwater - Apr 27, 2008 10:28 pm (#5 of 42) My favorites out of this group are: c) PS 12: “It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live” d) PS 12: “I see myself holding a pair of thick, woolen socks. One can never have enough socks?. Another Christmas has come and gone and I didn’t get a pair. People will insist on giving me books.” Both of these comments seem, to me, to reveal his vulnerability in being human...something that can too often be forgotten with DD's calm, all-powerful and all-knowing demeanor. The comment about dreams & forgetting to live certainly takes on a new meaning after reading DH. And the comment about socks vs books as presents has always seemed extremely sad to me... as though no one who cares enough about DD to give him a present really knows him well enough to know what he'd truly like to receive... it makes him seem so isolated and lonely.

Julia H. - Apr 27, 2008 11:43 pm (#6 of 42) E) is my first choice. It is great and, as Mona says, very Dumbledorish. It also introduces a topic that turns out to be very important throughout the books and is fully developed in DH. The other quotes are great too, but for my second favourite one, I'll choose A). (Nobody has chosen it yet.) This is a sentence DD says about Hagrid, who, at the moment, is a wizard under permanent punishment (though innocent) and is a descendant of giants. It shows another side of DD's wisdom: the way he knows, really knows people's hearts. It is in sharp contrast with Voldemort, who thinks he can find out the truth about people by breaking into their minds. DD does not need to do this, he simply understands people. Also, it shows he feels no prejudice and gives everyone a second chance.

Dryleaves - Apr 28, 2008 1:15 am (#7 of 42) D and E.

Anna L. Black - Apr 28, 2008 5:26 am (#8 of 42) b) PS 7: “But first, a few words. Nitwit, Blubber, Oddment, Tweak!” e) PS 17: “After all, to the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure.”

kaykay1970 - Apr 28, 2008 5:36 am (#9 of 42) E and C

TwinklingBlueEyes - Apr 28, 2008 7:38 am (#10 of 42) C and E.

Swedish Short-Snout - Apr 28, 2008 10:31 am (#11 of 42) B and D.

Julia H. - Apr 28, 2008 10:34 am (#12 of 42) Julia's daughter's choice: e).

Orion - Apr 28, 2008 1:15 pm (#13 of 42) B.

wynnleaf - Apr 28, 2008 8:31 pm (#14 of 42) I'm not sure I'd call them favorites, but d and e are fascinating post-DH, because I think that in DH we learn that Dumbledore really isn't particularly honest all the time. D, because I think we can be fairly sure that DD was not seeing socks in the mirror -- not with all of his guilt and regrets. If he truly had no desires other than something so basic as mundane little comforts, why be tempted by the Hallows? And in E, DD may personally think of death as the next great adventure, but he was certainly still caught up in a fascination for the Hallows and that would seem to include some sort of preoccupation with death. Perhaps it was Arianna's death that DD couldn't accept as "the next great adventure," but I don't think his degree of interest in the Hallows is compatible with the sort of total acceptance of death as DD appears to have in this quote.

Verity Weasley - Apr 28, 2008 11:22 pm (#15 of 42) My favourites from this selection are B and E. I just have to say though, and I'm surprised no one has mentioned it yet, but I'm pretty sure DD did not tell Harry to call the Dark Lord Volemort.

Hogwarts Class of 85 - Apr 29, 2008 1:33 am (#16 of 42) B

Liz Mann - Apr 29, 2008 8:21 am (#17 of 42) B and C.

I Am Used Vlad - Apr 29, 2008 9:17 am (#18 of 42) E

Joanna Lupin - Apr 29, 2008 10:21 am (#19 of 42) b) PS 7: “But first, a few words. Nitwit, Blubber, Oddment, Tweak!” e) PS 17: “After all, to the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure.”

freshwater - Apr 29, 2008 10:37 am (#20 of 42) “I just have to say though, and I'm surprised no one has mentioned it yet, but I'm pretty sure DD did not tell Harry to call the Dark Lord Volemort.” - Verity Well spotted, Verity! LOL, I'll have to slow down when proofreading. At least I didn't type it as Molevort!

Julia H. - Apr 29, 2008 11:23 am (#21 of 42) Molevort! LOL!

Nicholas Schouten - Apr 29, 2008 8:54 pm (#22 of 42) Molevort! My day is made! ROFL! My choices: e) PS 17: “After all, to the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure.” c) PS 12: “It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live?” -Nick

Elanor - Apr 29, 2008 9:59 pm (#23 of 42) Molevort, too good! My favorite ones are: a) PS 1: “I would trust Hagrid with my life.” d) PS 12: “I see myself holding a pair of thick, woolen socks. One can never have enough socks. Another Christmas has come and gone and I didn’t get a pair. People will insist on giving me books.?” (We've just had seven months of wintry weather and I sure can relate!)

Elaine2005 - Apr 29, 2008 11:25 pm (#24 of 42) C and E are my favorite quotes!

Orion - Apr 30, 2008 10:41 am (#25 of 42) Lady Volemort would be a great nickname for Hedwig.

Julia H. - Apr 30, 2008 10:55 am (#26 of 42) LOL, Orion! About the name: I don't know where I read it but somewhere I did read how fortunate Tom Riddle was with that magical anagram of his original name because much worse anagrams could have been made with the original Tom Marvolo Riddle. Then there were some hilarious examples but unfortunately I can't remember any of them.

Anna L. Black - Apr 30, 2008 12:05 pm (#27 of 42) What, like "Immoral Roved Dolt"? Or maybe "Molar Vomited Lord"?

Julia H. - Apr 30, 2008 12:29 pm (#28 of 42) LOL, Anna! Yes, things like that. Imagine: a flick of the wand and those letters in the air are rearranged to spell one of these anagrams.

Hieronymus Graubart - May 1, 2008 12:38 pm (#29 of 42) e) PS 17: “After all, to the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure.” c) PS 12: “It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live?”

Potteraholic - May 2, 2008 1:51 pm (#30 of 42) A) PS 1: “I would trust Hagrid with my life.” D) PS 12: “I see myself holding a pair of thick, woolen socks. One can never have enough socks. Another Christmas has come and gone and I didn’t get a pair. People will insist on giving me books.”

Madam Pince - May 3, 2008 1:20 pm (#31 of 42) d) PS 12: “I see myself holding a pair of thick, woolen socks. One can never have enough socks. Another Christmas has come and gone and I didn’t get a pair. People will insist on giving me books.”

Solitaire - May 6, 2008 10:49 am (#32 of 42) Actually, my favorite isn't there. I do not have my book handy, but it goes something like this: “It is hard to stand up to your enemies, it is even harder to stand up to your friends.” This is Dumbledore's comment to Neville at the leaving feast in PS/SS. As a teacher of junior high kids, I find it such an important and appropriate statement. Solitaire

Mrs Brisbee - May 6, 2008 11:11 am (#33 of 42) Solitaire, that's the one I want too! PS/SS 17: "There are kinds of courage," said Dumbledore, smiling. "It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends. I therefore award ten points to Mr. Neville Longbottom."

freshwater - May 6, 2008 1:08 pm (#34 of 42) That is a great one, Solitaire...I'm sorry that I missed it. It was not listed in the Lexicon’s quotes by DD in PS/SS. Thanks for writing it in!

TwinklingBlueEyes - May 6, 2008 8:51 pm (#35 of 42) Ok, I'm changing my vote to Soli's quote. ...toddles off muttering, a poet, and didn't know it...

Solitaire - May 6, 2008 11:01 pm (#36 of 42) Thanks, Mrs. Brisbee, for quoting it properly. I used Google to try and find it with "stand up to your enemies," and you see how close I got. LOL Still, it is one of my favorite comments from the book ... and so appropriate for kids, don't you think? That and the COS quote about choices are two that will be on posters on my wall next year. Solitaire

Swedish Short-Snout - May 7, 2008 7:08 am (#37 of 42) Can I change my vote? If possible, I want to vote for B and Soli's quote.

freshwater - May 7, 2008 9:15 am (#38 of 42) Changing votes is fine...particularly when someone comes up with a great idea that wasn't originally listed. Please state what your previous votes was, and what it should be changed to, to make my tallying easier....thanks!

Solitaire - May 7, 2008 7:56 pm (#39 of 42) Sorry for making so much trouble, Freshwater! That wasn't my intention ... honest.

freshwater - May 7, 2008 10:07 pm (#40 of 42) There's no trouble... so there are no apologies needed, Solitaire. I'm glad you mentioned that quote... I've always liked it, but either the Lexicon didn't list it for book 1, or I overlooked it. It's too, too Dumbledorish --and true-- to be left out.

Potteraholic - May 9, 2008 1:16 pm (#41 of 42) I'd like to change one of my previous votes, from D to Solitaire's write-in quote: "It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends."

freshwater - May 11, 2008 12:58 pm (#42 of 42) Here are the results for this poll: Which is your favorite quote by Albus Dumbledore from book 1? Please choose only 1 or 2. 6% - a) PS 1: “I would trust Hagrid with my life.” 23% - b) PS 7: “But first, a few words. Nitwit, Blubber, Oddment, Tweak!” 16% - c) PS 12: “It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live?” 14% - d) PS 12: “I see myself holding a pair of thick, woolen socks. One can never have enough socks. Another Christmas has come and gone and I didn’t get a pair. People will insist on giving me books.” 33% - e) PS 17: “After all, to the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure.” 0%, no votes - f) PS 17: “Call him Volemort, Harry. Always use the proper name for things. Fear of a name increases fear of the thing itself.? 8% - g) LATE WRITE-IN VOTE: "It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies...but it takes just as much to stand up to our friends." To summarize, the top vote getters were: 33% for (e) death is the next great adventure 23% for (b) "Nitwit, Blubber..." 16% for (a) "I would trust Hagrid with my life." 14% for (d) "I see myself holding a thick pair of socks..." It seems clear the Solitaire's late write-in quote (see (g) above) was very popular and may have received more votes had it been included in the original choices at the beginning of the poll.