Harry's Fear is Fear?

[meboriqua at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 26930

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., Zarleycat at a... wrote:
> --- In HPforGrownups at y..., caliburncy at y... wrote:

> 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.>


Aha!  That makes sense.  It is true that when Harry lived with the 
Dursleys he had little, if any, control over his surroundings and how 
the Dursleys acted towards him.  However, Harry always had his own 
thoughts to keep him going - the wish someone would come and take him 
away, the knowledge the Dursleys weren't his "real" family, Dudley was 
a moron, and so on.  When the Dementors came around, though, Harry had 
no control over what went through his mind *and* his body's reaction 
to it.  I'd hate that too.

Even though Harry is quite humble, I think he has a good deal of 
pride.  Harry, as Luke said, likes to be able to be on top of things; 
he likes to know that he can act.  The Dementors not only took that 
away from him, but they made him look weak in front of his friends, 
too, or at least, what Harry perceives as weak.

--jenny from ravenclaw ********************************