Fat

[purplefanta at yahoo.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 20463

  Well, I have been stayig out of this discussion, but now I feel 
obligated to at least mention my view.  I am 20 years old (still 
remember the days of high school vividly) and very overweight.  
However, I never once felt offended by the fact that Dudley is 
overweight.  Likewise, I am an English major in college and really 
didn't focus on the presence or lack of minorities.  I just wanted to 
make it clear that it isn't "just" the fat readers who are offended 
and the "skinny" readers who aren't.  Rather, I believe that most 
readers use the "Readers Response" method of reading.  You take what 
you read and fill in the blanks with what you know about life.  

  I agree that the whole reason this group is exists is to over-
analyze the books, but I also believe that everything that we write 
must be taken with a grain of salt.  Each one of us not only brings 
our own personal baggage to the HP books, but also to the internet 
each time we log on.  That is why respect is so important.
  
  JKR has developed a world for us to enjoy.  We can analyze it, 
dissect it, critique it, and theorize about it all we want.  But we 
can't change that world, and IMO, cannot blame JKR for not catering 
to our own personal beliefs.  What that means, I don't know.  Each of 
us has to make that line for him or herself.  I, for one, accept the 
world as is and try to look towards the future rather than dwell on 
what is.

Melissa
(Probably one of the largest people in the group)