Harry's POV?

[Kelley]

No: HPFGUIDX 15667

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., naama_gat at h... wrote:
> I've been reading quite a few posts explaining things (away, mostly)
> on the basis of the Harry's POV premise ("oh, well, the stories are 
> told from Harry's POV, so possibly ... the Slytherins are really 
nice fellas, the basilisk is shorter, the number of tables in at the 
ball is smaller.." etc.) 
> 
> I have a problem with this type of argument, but before going off 
the deep end, I wanted to ask, is there evidence that the stories are 
> *coloured* by Harry's POV? 
> <snip>
> The way we are told of Harry's view of Cedric makes it very clear 
that it *is* Harry's point of view (and that it's the outcome of 
jealousy, not clear judgement), so it doesn't colour *our* perception 
of Cedric as a decent guy. 
> 
> So, is there evidence for such colouring of the narrative? I 
couldn't think of anything that fits, but maybe other people here can 
come up with examples?
> 
> Naama

I love where you're going with this, Naama, as this has never sat 
well with me, either.  Like Magda, Snape is the best I can come up 
with, and this doesn't really seem to fit your criteria 
of 'colouring' on Harry's part.  We're mislead in book 1, thinking 
that Snape is the 'bad guy' when it turns out to be Quirrell, though, 
at least thus far, Harry's belief that Snape hates him does seem to 
be correct.  (Quirrell confirms this to Harry, and while he is 
the 'bad guy', I can't see his motive for lying to Harry about 
Snape's hatred of him.  And, later Dumble confirms at least that 
James and Snape detested each other, even if he makes no comment as 
to Snape's hatred of Harry.)  As to Harry's POV, the only times this 
argument seems to have any real validity to me are in regards to 
matters of the private lives of the professors, whether McGonagall 
has a mentoring relationship to Hermione, what level of friendship 
Hermione and Ginny have, etc.  Basically, matters which he so far has 
had no real exposure to.  As far as quantifying descriptions go, 
the "Harry's POV" argument holds no weight with me.  I have always 
taken any information we receive in this manner as straight from JKR, 
without any colouring or exaggeration from Harry.

Kelley