[HPforGrownups] Abuse, Hermione and the triad, triumvirate.

[Denise Rogers]

No: HPFGUIDX 2517

<<I think saying he was abused is taking it a bit far. He was reasonably well fed, had a room of his own (maybe a little small but still his), had plenty of clothes to wear (even if they were second hand and did not fit him) and did have some toys to play with. Yes he could have been treated a lot better, but I cannot remember any instance where we are told he was hit by Petunia or Vernon.>>

I DISAGREE!!!  (Sorry Simon!)  I know what emotional abuse is like, and if sleeping under the stairs in a cupboard surrounded by spiders ("Harry was used to spiders, because the cupboard under the stairs was full of them, and that was where he slept...") didn't cause more mental damage (aka Ron's!), it's only due to the flexibility and stability of Harry's own mind).  I think ignoring that a person exists IS a form of abuse!  Not one picture in the house of Harry, he never got to go anywhere but Figgs, school and home, he DIDN'T even have a library card ("...he didn't belong to the library, pg 34 of Ch 3 SS, American version when discussing the first letter that came through the doorslot) so he must have only read what he got in school, or in Vernon's discarded newspapers.  It does state that Vernon, etc.. tried to smother the imagination (see my next post--partial list of things I discovered reading SS that I either want to comment on, or ask about!).

On page 41, american, Ch 3, it stated how Vernon beat Dusley about the head for holding them up trying to pack his computer, etc when they were escaping the envelopes.  Now, perhaps others might not feel like this, but if I was to beat my son about the head,  "I" would call it abuse!  A behind, possibly acceptable, depending on circumstances, and personal beliefs.  The head, never!  And this was Dusley, not Harry?  We don't know that if he could his his darling "little tyke" he wouldn't as easily hit Harry!

Sorry about the rant.  I used to work in childcare, and in a seminar, saw the bodies of children cemented in trash cans, and other forms of abuse.  Then they went on to discuss emotional abuse, which in some cases is worst.  Neglect is not only of items (food, clothes, etc), it's also of love.  As far as that, Harry is the one of most neglected ten year olds!

Dee





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