[HPforGrownups] Re: Average Harry?

[Amber]

No: HPFGUIDX 18869


--- Ebony Elizabeth Thomas <ebonyink at hotmail.com> wrote:

I snipped the previous arguments you presented because I agree
wholeheartedly with what you said. I felt that repetitive "I agree's"
wouldn't be very productive. I hope you don't mind.

> There is a dark side to almost every "gift" or "talent".  I'm not
> talking "Superman-Goes-Bad" or anything like that.  I'm talking about
> giftedness' twin--alienation.  It's the feeling that there are no
> kindred spirits, the feeling that no one quite knows the private hell
> that your uniqueness causes you to constantly live in.  No one hears
> the music you hear, and after a while, you get tired of explaining it
> to them and getting The Look in reply.

Well, people don't have to have gifts or talents to feel alienation.
"Normal" people can and often do. Granted, it does happen more with
"different" or "talented" people, but it does exist for the Everyday
Joe. But I'm splitting hairs...

> If one could truly measure such things, my hypothesis would be that
> the happiest people are found on the hump of the bell curve of life. 
> Ordinary people.  Average people.  Joe Public.

<grin> And I would agree most wholeheartedly with your hypothesis!

> The characters we remember are the ones with larger-than-life
> characters. The characters who stand out in our minds for some
reason.
> Not just because of what happened to them, but because of *who they
> are*.

Ah, I think I see where the disagreement is. I do agree with you that
to have a memorable character, that character has to be
larger-than-life. However, I do have a problem when the character
becomes "too big". They seem to have every talent under the sun.
Characters must also be believable; people have to be able to empathize
with them.

Up to now, we know that Harry is a phenomenol Quidditch player; a
natural at it. We know that he's a Parlseltongue, a talent that is
supposedly rare. Despite being an orphan and having never had friends
before, Harry miraculously is able to make friends and not ostracize
people. He's level-headed in a crisis and is incredibly courageous to
boot. He witnesses someone begin killed first hand and doesn't collapse
over it. Harry, in my opinion, is already larger-than-life. If JKR were
to through in that he has *more* miraculous, rare, and 
powerful...er...powers, I would not believe it. 

Of course, the above is subject to opinion. I'm sure there are people
who could believe Harry *also* having more rare talents. I don't,
that's all. If perhaps he had personality problems, or was more afraid,
or had more trouble, I could also take great powers. But as it is, I
think that JKR has already given Harry enough ammo against Voldemort
through his personality, his friends, and teachers. He doesn't need
anymore help.

~Amber


=====
"Just between you and me
the world is cracking
don't look too closely
or you may see past the porcelain bowl..."

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