[HPforGrownups] Re: Seeking: Is it meant to be a good thing?

[Joanne Sammer]

No: HPFGUIDX 48327

Hi folks, This is my first post. This looks like an interesting group.

Responding to some of Melody's thoughts...

>
>Voldemort and Barty Jr.:
idolize dead mother as their savior

Actually, Crouch Jr.'s mother _was_ his savior. She took his place in 
prison and died there so that Jr. could go "free."

>
>So with Harry, I was also trying to imply, I think, that he too is
>playing awful close to this line.  He *does* play Quidditch in a
>single-minded dedicated way.  He does this so much that he breaks his
>arm and works hard to not let *anything* affect his game.  While his
>motives are still pure, he is being taught that singular pursuit is
>alright, but he is not being taught when he would cross that line.
>Breaking his arm was not too far.  Spending his free waking hours
>alone with boggarts and a werewolf was not too far.  Even pushing and
>shoving is not too far.  Has Harry been taught when "seeking" becomes
>obsession?  Frankly, single-minded pursuit is a hop, jump, and a step
>right next to obsession.  And obsession leads to the grey morality
>between good and evil and thus was Crouch Sr's downfall.  He did not
>choose to be evil like Voldemort.  He was boiled up to it.

I don't see any danger of Quidditch becoming an obsession. Remember 
that when Harry flew for the first time, it was a revelation to him. 
Finally, he was good at something. He felt free. Quidditch has been a 
way for Harry to be notable for something other than his scar. It 
also seems like a lot of fun.

As for the boggarts and werewolf (Harry didn't know Lupin was a 
werewolf at this point), Harry knew he had a major problem with 
dementors (not just when playing Quidditch) and needed to do 
something to protect himself. The scenes with Lupin remind me of a 
father teaching a son to defend himself against a bully. Given 
Harry's defenseless first years with Dudley, I think the patronus 
lessons are symbolic. They may represent the first time Harry has 
taken proactive steps to defend himself rather than just running away 
(Dudley) or reacting to events (through the trapdoor in PS/SS and 
against the basilisk and Riddle in the COS). Given the way PoA ended, 
it is a good thing he did take those steps.


>Now with the "seeking", it has been shown that Harry has been
>instructed in the encouraged forms of seeking.  In task two, he was
>awarded more points for not being of a one track mind.  That alone
>would tell him a lot, but did he learn that though?  Harry did say
>that he was being stupid for his actions.  He was embarrassed because
>of them.  Even though he got more points, we left that task wondering
>if Harry had it to do over again, would he have just cut Ron out and
>gone back to the surface?  He would of arrived first and still had the
>most points.  Did Harry learn that it *was* better, more noble, for
>him to do what he did?  Seems to me, he just learned that sometimes
>you get lucky with judges.

I think Harry would have done the same thing again. He really did 
show "moral fiber" as the judges said and he did it without thinking. 
That shows more about Harry than anything else.


>
>I am scared of single-minded seeking because it is *so* close to
>obsession, and Harry has not been taught to avoid that.  Obsession is
>such an ugly affair.  He has seen nice obsession with Oliver Wood.
>Wait - he has seen the ugly obsession.  Sirius and Crouch Sr.  He has
>seen what happens to one if they *have* become truly obsessive.  But
>does Harry know what to do to avoid going that far?  Does he know how
>to not let himself boil up to that point?

I don't think his interest in Quidditch is single minded. He reads 
about the Cannons and broomsticks, like Muggle boys do football and 
other sports. I've always viewed Quidditch as a nice relief for 
Harry. Again, he becomes Harry Potter, the Seeker, instead of Harry 
Potter, the boy who lived. In GoF, he wishes he had Quidditch to take 
his mind off the tournament tasks. Quidditch is a diversion.


>
>
>So - where am I in figuring out the creed?  What does JKR mean by the
>words "seek", "weak", and "power"?
>
>I say:
>seek- single minded pursuits
>weak- those that do not engage in said seeking
>power- achieved goal

I agree that Harry is a seeker. But does it have to be power? I think 
Harry is seeking lot of things--a family, some peace of mind about 
Voldemort, a passing grade in Potions, knowledge of his parents and 
family. These are all worthy goals.

Best,

Joanne