Fred and George: should we worry? (Was: next prank)

[darrin_burnett]

No: HPFGUIDX 43052

Debbie wrote:

> 
>   Darrin objected, saying:
> 
>   And forgive me, but I have a hard time shedding a tear when a 
bully 
>   like Dudley -- you want me to dig up the canon references for 
Harry 
>   getting physically assaulted by Dudley? -- gets it from a bigger 
>   bully.
> 
>   Me:
>   But why should the Twins be going after Dudley? They claim it's 
because he's a "bullying git," which he is.  But the Twins have never 
met Dudley.  Besides, he's not chiefly responsible for Harry's 
miserable life at Privet Drive; Vernon and Petunia are the ones who 
have contrived to abuse Harry; Dudley only follows his parents' 
example.  Dudley's an unfortunate scapegoat, IMO, because the Twins 
think it would be funny.  (BTW -- and I know this is a digression but 
since I-Just-Don't-Like-Hagrid Jenny started this thread, I'll plunge 
ahead -- Hagrid does the same thing at the hut on the rock.  After 
discovering how the Dursleys have kept Harry in ignorance of the WW, 
he first chastizes them and then gives Dudley a tail.  But Dudley was 
just standing there, a convenient target for a pig joke.  IMO, there 
was no justification for this.)
> 
>   Now, my question is this:  Are we supposed to be reading the 
toffee episode at its surface, comic level, taking our cue from 
Harry's own amusement (he didn't want to leave and "miss the fun").  
Or are we supposed to see the dark side of the twins' humor?


This is the only place you directly asked me, so that's why I did 
major snippage.

Dudley is NOT an unfortunate scapegoat. While Vernon and Petunia take 
care of Privet Drive, Dudley takes over at school. He has his gang 
beat Harry up, and ensures that Harry has no friends.

Thanks to his influence, Harry is miserable at school, which 
otherwise would be more of a refuge from Privet Drive.

So, while the parents are still setting the lead, it is obvious that 
Dudley takes it and runs with it and doesn't just bully Harry for 
show in front of them.

But overall, how are we supposed to respond?

Mainly, I don't think we're supposed to be this sympathetic to 
gluttonous, whiny, bullying, crybabies like Dudley anymore than we're 
supposed to be sympathetic to the evil stepsisters in Cinderella.

For once, I wish people would look at the original victim of the 
bullying: Harry. It's not Dudley. And it's not Draco. Harry has been 
the victim of abuse, real emotional and physical abuse a hundred 
times greater than having your tongue enlarged or a pig's tail added.

Any kid who has been bullied DREAMS of someone like Hagrid or the 
twins pulling that kind of prank against the stepbrother who always 
gets his way or the rich kid who has everything he wants and rubs 
your nose in it. 

Just like any kid dreams of someday being told they are a wizard.

So that's what I think JKR is trying to accomplish. Is it a darker 
edge? 

Sure, but if you don't believe that a victim of bullying doesn't wish 
he or she could magically disfigure their taunter, or someone would 
do it for them, then I think you don't remember childhood.

Darrin
-- I'd have done a lot worse than a pig's tail, believe me.