[HPforGrownups] Harry's POV?

[Neil Ward]

No: HPFGUIDX 15668

Naama questioned the Harry's POV angle:

> 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?

Perhaps we are wrong to consider the story as being told from Harry's point
of view if, by that, we mean his interpretation of events.  I'd say it was
overwhelmingly from his perspective, rather than his POV, because the story
revolves around his character.  In other words, for the most part we only
see and experience the action that Harry does, but we aren't necessarily
seeing things from his POV.  This leaves us free to interpret the words,
actions and motives of other characters from our own perspective to some
extent.

In recent debate about gender bias, references to Harry's POV were noted as
being an over-simplification.  I'd agree with that, but I'd reiterate that
with the story revolving around Harry we can only see things in his domain.
I'd previously made the point that we wouldn't see any interactions in the
Gryffindor girls dormitory, because Harry would never be in there.  On the
other hand, I'm disappointed that we've learnt so little about the
Gryffindor Quidditch team's three female Chasers.  Surely Harry has had more
conversation with them than in the Quidditch matches or pre-match briefing
sessions?  I find it very strange that a team of seven people who have
practiced and played as a unit for three years would not be more matey with
each other.

Several people have noted recently that that the narrative is third person
limited, so it's difficult to tell what is actually happening and what
appears to Harry be happening.  Take this sentence from PS:

"[Vernon] took a few deep breaths and then forced his face into a smile,
which looked quite painful."

We could conclude that Harry assumed Vernon was forcing his face into a
smile, since he would not be likely to smile at him naturally.  On the other
hand, the narrator may be describing  something that is specific to Vernon,
as only Vernon could *know* that he is forcing a smile.  Then it would be
strange to say it "looked quite painful," as that is clearly from Harry's
POV.  Confusing, eh?

As I understand it, the limited third person view is useful because it
allows the author to hide certain facts from the reader on the basis that
the focal character would be aware of them at that point in the story.  Of
course, there is no obligation to reveal facts in the broader third person,
but it is more interesting for us to be limited by Harry's knowledge and to
discover things as he discovers them.

Given that we are tied to Harry, I find him a little *too* dense when it
comes to discovering details.  For example, at the beginning of CoS he has
no idea why Hagrid was expelled from Hogwarts in his third year, although
this can't have been much of a secret, and - hey presto - it turns out to be
key to a later part of the story.    Even more amazing is his lack of
knowledge about his parents and relatives.  How difficult could it be for
him to find more details once he'd escaped Privet Drive?  If I were him, I'd
be pumping Dumbledore, Hagrid and Ma and Pa Weasley for every bit of
information possible about my parents and my grandparents and I'd demand to
know why I was stuck living with the Dursleys.  Forget Dumbledore's
twinkling old eyes and wise advice - I'd bang my fists on his well-polished
desk and tell the old wrinkler to spill the beans, pronto!!!  But, um, those
beans are in Book 7, aren't they? Oh yeah....

Harry's apparent lack of curiosity is maddening, but that's the point.  If
we could hear everyone else's POV the whole time, it would be akin to
watching Columbo trying to work out how a murder was committed when we'd
seen the whole thing over the opening credits.

Neil
________________________________________

Flying Ford Anglia
Mechanimagus Moderator

"Krum, his red robes shining with blood from his nose,
was rising gently into the air, his fist held high, a glint
of gold in his hand." ["The Quidditch World Cup", GoF]

Check out Very Frequently Asked Questions for everything
to do with this club:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPforGrownups/files/VFAQ.htm