Is Harry a stoic?

[Aja]

No: HPFGUIDX 32854


On Sat, 5 Jan 2002, Katze wrote:

> I'm still debating why, out of all the people sitting in the hospital
> wing after the third task, it is Ron that Harry doesn't want watching
> when he starts to breakdown in Mrs. Weasley's arms. That was an
> emotional clincher for me. I think Harry believe that Ron sees him as
> strong and a survivor (which he is), and perhaps the breakdown would
> diminish Ron's view of him, or that he was acting like a girl (they
> constantly tease Hermione about her crying). Thoughts?

I'm so delighted that you brought this up because I was going to ask this
question tonight anyway, and this segues perfectly into it.  That scene
has been bothering me lately.  It doesn't say specifically that Harry
*cries*--only that he had a "burning, prickling feeling" in his eyes and
throat and screwed up his face in order not to scream out in pain.

Is Harry on record as ever crying? Surely nights alone in a dark scary
cupboard as a kid might have hardened him, but he must have cried for his
parents too.  I know 14-year old boys have a hard time feeling like it's
okay to express their emotions, but after such a horrendous ordeal, it
strikes me almost as extreme that Harry should try so hard not to cry.  I
understand he's trying admirably to be strong, to be a man, to accept and
deal with all that he has seen--but sometimes you just need to cry, and I
think this was definitely one of those extreme moments. And this makes me
wonder whether, if he keeps repressing his emotions--we know Harry is very
private--a moment will come when they have been stretched to the breaking
point and he'll snap, perhaps in a volatile, self-destructive way. 

Does anyone else see potential danger in this personality trait of
Harry's?

Aja

"You know you have a problem when you start saying things like Harry
Potter and coital in the same sentence." --Cathryn