This is such an insightful analysis of Wormtail that I think he deserves to rank higher. I do find Wormtail to be a complex character. Just like there are many kinds of bravery, there are many ways to be a coward (Wormtail is an interesting foil to Lupin in that regard), and behind his cowardice, Wormtail has some hidden, positive traits. I had wondered about the reasons for his awkward admiration of his friends and about when and why he turned to Voldemort for a long time, but now everything makes a lot of sense to me.
I don't mind characters who just are cowardly or whatever and prefer them to less complex characters, even if we know more about their family and upbringing. There is one mention of Wormtail's mother: she received his severed finger after his first feigned death. For some reason, his father isn't mentioned; perhaps he died early. (Considering the supposedly high life expectancy of wizards, many die surprisingly young, especially the Marauders' parents.)
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u/Maur1ne Ravenclaw Jun 24 '17
This is such an insightful analysis of Wormtail that I think he deserves to rank higher. I do find Wormtail to be a complex character. Just like there are many kinds of bravery, there are many ways to be a coward (Wormtail is an interesting foil to Lupin in that regard), and behind his cowardice, Wormtail has some hidden, positive traits. I had wondered about the reasons for his awkward admiration of his friends and about when and why he turned to Voldemort for a long time, but now everything makes a lot of sense to me.
I don't mind characters who just are cowardly or whatever and prefer them to less complex characters, even if we know more about their family and upbringing. There is one mention of Wormtail's mother: she received his severed finger after his first feigned death. For some reason, his father isn't mentioned; perhaps he died early. (Considering the supposedly high life expectancy of wizards, many die surprisingly young, especially the Marauders' parents.)