APWBD: Albus Plot Device Wulfric Brian Dumbledore

Calling Albus Dumbledore a plot device seems like sacrilege, but analyzing how his character functions actually reveals another level to JKR’s skill. Dumbledore serves as a tool to control how much Harry (and readers) know at any given time, and he helps Jo make points she couldn’t have otherwise. Fans love to talk about how Dumbledore should have told Harry more, but if he had, what would've happened to the plot? Still, his role as a literary tool doesn't stop him from also being a character so fully-formed we feel like we know him. I argue that to understand Dumbledore fully, we must employ both our belief in the reality of the Wizarding World (because yes, it’s real for us) and our understanding of the writing process and how he helped Jo make Harry’s story possible.