Harry's Fear is Fear?

[Zarleycat at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 26928

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., caliburncy at y... wrote:
> --- In HPforGrownups at y..., meboriqua at a... wrote:
> > That raises a question for me.  Why would Harry's biggest fear be 
> > fear itself?  I had trouble with that the first time I read PoA 
and 
> > I still struggle with that now.  I always thought that Harry 
feared 
> > the Dementors because of two things: 1) how they make him feel 
and 
> > 2) the memories they bring him of his parents' murders.  That 
would 
> > certainly terrify me.  How then, does fear itself become what 
Harry 
> > is afraid of?  Is it because he is afraid of being weak and 
showing 
> > fear can be seen as weak?  I definitely need help with this one.
> 
> Well, I guess this either implies that there is an inherent 
symbolic 
> relationship between the Dementors and fear, or that Lupin 
perceives 
> that Harry associates his fear of fear with the Dementors (see 
> "Boggart" post).  Let's assume for the moment that it is the second,

 
<snip>
 
> In that case, I would assume that the reason someone like Harry's 
> greatest fear would be fear itself is because fear is paralyzing 
and 
> thus closely related to powerlessness/helplessness.  

I really see Harry as someone that would not be able 
> to tolerate being in a situation that he could not accept, but 
being 
> unable to change it.  Harry is perhaps afraid that he will at some 
> point allow his fear to overcome him and thus be unable to act.

This explanation can be given additional creedence when you factor 
Harry's childhood into it.  Granted, I don't think he lived in fear 
at the Dursleys, except when dealing with Dudley and his awful 
friends, but he was certainly in a situation that was 
unpleasant/uncomfortable/unfriendly/loveless and he didn't have the 
power to change that.  I'd consider that a paralyzing situation, and 
I can see how associated feelings of helplessness could be reawakened 
by close exposure to a Dementor.


Marianne