[HPforGrownups] Harry's weaknesses, boggarts & squibs

[heidi]

No: HPFGUIDX 17619



Kristin wrote:

> Real-To:  "Kristin" <Alyeskakc at aol.com>
>
> Back on topic ;)
>
> I think one of Harry's weaknesses is he's not quite sure of himself
> or his abilities at times. Although this may have to with age and
> lack of wizarding exposure before age 11. Granted I know I wasn't
> always confident in my teen years. It will be interesting to see if
> he overcomes this lack of confidence or it starts to become a
> problem in the next 3 books.

This is one of the areas where the Dursley's abusive behaviour to Harry might be manifesting itself. His lack of self confidence is something similar to that which has been reported in studies of battered and emotionally abused children (and
I am of the mind that he's suffered both, although the latter moreso than the former (i.e. he was emotionally abused all day every day; from the books, it seems he was physically abused somewhat less frequently)) - it affects their sense of
self worth, because they've never been told that they're wonderful, great, brilliant, talented, etc. I have read anecdotal evidence that one or two years of love and affection in infancy & toddlerhood, which Harry had (well, for 15 months at
least) can provide mitigation of the affects of the abuse.
Of course, the flip side is Dudley.

> Now on to boggorts. I think maybe boggorts are a combination of a
> spirt and a being. They are shapeshifters and seem to have soild
> form, whereas I've always thought of spirts being more translucent.
> Also maybe they are a magical type of being similar to a house elf
> and not a magical beast. This could explain why they aren't in FB.

In the HP books, the spirits aren't always transparent - I mean, the ghosts are translucent, but Peeves looks solid, so it's not an absolute law of canon.