FAT

[rcraigharman at hotmail.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 20317

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., golden faile <golden_faile at y...> wrote:
> 
>  I had the same thought. My son is rather chubby and I
> didn't want him to feel bad about himself, however, I
> think her representation of Dudley upset me more than him.

As someone who's struggled with my weight since I was a child, I
can understand your concern.  When I read about Dudley, it didn't
occur to me that kids might use his character to hurt fat children,
because I didn't see Dudley as merely fat, but as a grotesque
caricature of a *very* spoiled child.  Being overweight from
gluttony was only one of his many poorer traits that add up to an
awful, but nevertheless, fictional brat.

Though I'm an adult, I tend to think that even as an obese child,
I would have identified more with Harry or Ron.  For example, when
I think of Quidditch, I still imagine myself as the seeker, though
I have the body of a beater.  That in my mind is part of the role
of fantasy--allowing the reader to associate with characters that
might be nothing like they themselves are in real-life, but who
still spark their imagination.

....Craig, who always wanted to have red hair too.... :^)