[HPforGrownups] Harry the Persecuted

[Katze]

No: HPFGUIDX 32256

jenny_ravenclaw wrote:

> 
> I think Harry has many happy times at Hogwarts and that he is well
> loved by many in the wizarding community (the Weasleys, his friends,
> Sirius, Hagrid and more).  I do see though, a growing sense of
> isolation in Harry that I believe will play a bigger part in OoP.
> But do I think he is constantly persecuted and unhappy?  I don't know.
> What do you all think?

I have to agree that I think he's persecuted, but I don't think he's
unhappy. I think that he's has his moments and is often troubled
(wouldn't you be if someone kept trying to kill you?). 

Harry lives in the extremes of the two worlds. In the Muggle world, he
is an afterthought, and a burden to those around him. He's treated in
way that could be considered abuse (no food for a week, locked away in
the cupboard for a week). He's tormented by his cousin, and put down by
his Aunt and Uncle and anyone who knows them. 

In the wizarding world, Harry is unique and very special. People take
care of him, and they go out of their way to make sure he doesn't get
into trouble, or at least get punished to the point of expulsion. He has
friends who are loyal and trustworthy. Everything he didn't have in the
Muggle world, he has at Hogwarts. Food, a real bed (he did get that in
the second book), friends, love, people who genuinely seem to care of
him (besides Snape!).

So while I do think he's persecuted in one world, he's adored in another
world. I think that he is happy with unhappy moments while he's at
Hogwarts, where it's the complete opposite with the Dursleys. He still
has Quidditch (hopefully), and his best friends (hopefully Ron won't
storm off again, but I think it's likely). He has the Weasleys who would
take him in a second, even though they can't afford another child, and
he is surrounded by people who support him (Hagrid, Dumbledore, and even
McGonagall with her help in Quidditch), and want to keep him safe.

If there is any isolation, I see emotional isolation, but not physical
isolation. He usually only talked with Ron and Hermione anyway regarding
his thoughts and feeling, and even then he kept his feelings pretty
quiet (until book 4 with Mrs. Weasley...but even then he didn't want Ron
watching him). I think it's going to be a natural progression that he
becomes more aggressive when he interacts with people. I wouldn't be
surprised if there's a major confrontation with Draco, and maybe even
Snape. I think his anger will get to him at some point in the next book,
and the outcome will be more than Aunt Marge blowing up, and the
cupboard flying open. Frankly, I'd actually like to see Harry get
angry.  It's about time. I think Harry's anger has been slowly brewing
over the past 4 books, and I wonder, and almost hope, that he reaches
his boiling point in the next book. I think it would be a pivotal moment
in Harry's character development. Plus the fact, that I want him to get
angry and demand some answers, so I can't stop speculating on certain
issues!

I always love reading a good confrontation, where I can read from afar
;-)

-Katze