harry potter - Why is a phoenix representative of Dumbledore?

In this 2004-09-15 interview with J. K. Rowling (see also another transcript on Rowling's website), we find this question and answer.

What form does Dumbledore’s Patronus take?

Good question. Can anyone guess? You have had a clue. There was a little whisper there. It is a phoenix, which is very representative of Dumbledore for reasons that I am sure you can guess.

In what sense is a phoenix very representative of Dumbledore?

Answer

I have a couple of theories, which are personally my own, based on the extended re-reading of the HP series. I should re-iterate these are just speculation.

As we come to know in DH, Dumbledore was best friends with Grindelwald for a while in his youth. Both of them planned to control the Muggles of the world for what Dumbledore atleast believed was the "greater good" of wizardkind. However, Dumbledore saw the error of his ways and matured into one of the greatest wizards of all time and a fierce supporter of Muggle and Muggle-born rights. This is somewhat akin to a 'Phoenix transformation', in the sense that a Phoenix is always born from the ashes of its own death.

Another theory that I have nursed is fact that Dumbledore was so close and dependent on his phoenix, Fawkes. As we know, Patronuses can change in case of emotional distress. Nymphadora Tonks' Patronus changed to a werewolf in HBP when she was heartbroken after Remus Lupin turned her down. Maybe Dumbledore was pulled out of a tight spot by Fawkes, and his gratitude was so overwhelming it changed his Patronus into a Phoenix.

However, there is no evidence that states Dumbledore's Patronus was anything other than a Phoenix at anytime in the past, so my second theory could be complete horse crap.

Comments

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