Blog Post - Lupin's Trauma

I think that Remus Lupin's development is one that really highlights the theme of traumatic experience.  At a young age he was bitten by a werewolf and the rest of his life is greatly affected by that trauma.  His character development is centered around his attempt to deal with that trauma and infliction.  The first time we see Lupin is as a professor at Hogwarts.  He is presented as a shabby and sickly person yet he is the best Defense Against the Dark Arts professor the Hogwarts students have ever had.  He is undermined by Snape before the end of the year when Snape "accidentally" lets it slip that he is a werewolf.  Here is we begin to see the stigma placed on werewolves in the magical world and how this trauma Lupin has faced goes much further than just psychological issues but beyond into his acceptance into society.  When we get glimpses into the past we see how Lupin feels so lucky to just be a part of the marauders.  He, like Peter Pettigrew, just feel lucky to be a part of the group.  Lupin did not believe he would ever be able to even have friends let alone popular ones like James and Siruis because of his affliction.  Later in book six we see how he is even further inflicted by trauma because of his hesitance to enter into a relationship with Tonks.  He believes that because he is not a whole young man he is not worthy to be her husband.  This self hatred stems completely from his traumatic experience as a young boy and his virus like werewolf infliction.  Lupin's trauma stems deep into his self identity which really extends this theme of trauma beyond just Harry but into the people who are surrounding and supporting him.