[HPforGrownups] Re: Harry - genetics vs environment (WAS: Harry being afraid to cry)

[Mary Shearer]

No: HPFGUIDX 33063

--- southernscotland <southernscotland at yahoo.com>
wrote:
> --- In HPforGrownups at y..., "joanne0012"
> <Joanne0012 at a...> wrote:
> > With all of JKR's emphasis on the importance of
> choices, I doubt 
> that she'd place 
> > responsibility here on some superior genes of
> Harry's.  More 
> likely, those first 
> > 15 months with his mom helped give him a sense of
> security and 
> confidence in 
> > his own judgment.
> 
> Well...yes, I agree with you about that. However, 15
> months is not 
> enough time to make a whole boy. Harry is the kind
> of polite and well-
> behaved child anyone would work years and years to
> get. I would 
> understand it more if he were a little older when
> orphaned, say five 
> or even three, but he is too young to even remember
> much about his 
> early life. 
> 
> I know that this is the way J.K. wants him to be,
> but I still think 
> it's extremely odd that he has turned out so well. 
> 
> Do you think maybe Dumbledore put some sort of spell
> on him so that 
> he wouldn't be so tramatized, and that was why he
> felt ultimately 
> comfortable with placing Harry with those wretched
> people?
> 
> Otherwise, I feel that Dumbledore is very close to
> being an accessory 
> to child abuse.
> 
> Just wondering...
> 
> lilahp
 
It beats me why Dumbledore feels that living with the
Dursleys would be the best thing for Harry, unless it
has something to do with security from Voldemort and
his followers, but it *does* seem strange that Harry
is so amazingly well-adjusted. Here is my half-baked
theory :)...

Though Rowlings stresses the importance of good
choices, as Joanne pointed out, there are an awful lot
of references (both positive and negative) to his
similarity to his father, ironically made following
many of his choices.  This seems to point us squarely
back to genetics.  For example, in PoA, Snape says
that he thinks Harry is above the rules, just like his
father.  Likewise, Sirius' last words to him following
that dramatic and heroic rescue are, "You are - truly
your father's son, Harry." Dumbledore goes a step
farther by saying, "In a way, you did see your father
- you found him inside yourself."  Later on, in GoF,
it is Harry's father himself (or his shadowy form,
rather) who gives him the instructions he needs to
escape Voldemort.  

I can't help but think that as the story progresses,
this link will become even stronger - and through
Harry, we will get to know James better. I, for one,
would be interested to know more about who James and
Lily Potter were! JKR herself has said that Harry will
begin to ask some of the really important questions
we've all been waiting for him to ask. (sorry, don't
have a reference for that right offhand)

So, anyhoo - that is one possibility... that Harry's
choices are governed by his inherent personality
traits - the strength of character he inherited from
his father, and his gentleness of spirit from his -
er...mother(?) Boy, would I like to know more about
her!  Otherwise, there is little explanation (beyond
literary license) as to why he is such a shining soul.
This serves a two-fold purpose: to reveal the back
story of James/Lily's death, and Harry's orphaned
status...and to establish Harry's role in coming
events - a foreshadowing of his destiny as a great
wizard, perhaps?  I don't know - I've confused myself
now, but that doesn't stop me from hitting "send."
Mary - who got herself into trouble in many a lit
class this way (thinking out half-baked theories out
loud)     
  


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