Fred and George: The Bullies You Do Know

[Irene Mikhlin]

No: HPFGUIDX 43255

I'll try to add a new aspect to this most instructive discussion
(and not offend anyone in the process :-)

Elkins wrote:

> Research into the psychological profiles of bullies in both
> Scandinavian and English-speaking countries has found that cross-
> culturally they exhibit the following traits:
>
> -- physically strong and/or coordinated
> -- socially popular
> -- assertive with both peers and adults
> -- high levels of physical courage
> -- very high levels of self-esteem
> -- impulsive
> -- feel little or no sympathy for victims (lack remorse)
> -- positive attitudes towards violence
> -- low levels of empathy
> -- difficulty recognizing or understanding their own and others'
> emotions
> -- competitive
> -- lack self-reflection
> -- resistant to compromise

Is it just me, or did anyone else at this point felt compelled to say
"Hello, Sirius Black!" ?

(Don't run away, I'm not going to mention the p***k. Not a word.)

I read the whole huge thread on bullies in one go, and it helped me to
answer
a question that bothered me for a long time: why it seems widely accepted
opinion among Snapefans that Sirius was a "popular bully" when canon gives
us nothing to support that? And after some soul-searching I think it's a
projection
of Fred and George pair to James and Sirius.
As was established, it is possible to make a solid case of the twins being
popular bullies
based on the canon (solid case does not mean the prosecution is necessarily
going to win it, mind). Is there some basis to establish similarity between
the two pairs?
Several characters comment on how the twins remind them about James and
Sirius: McGonagall, Madame Rosmerta and Hagrid, if I'm not mistaken. So it
is possible the canon works on some subconscious level and makes Sirius
"guilty by association".

Irene