[HPforGrownups] Harry's State of Mind

[Chelsea2162 at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 40203

In a message dated 6/21/2002 5:07:21 PM Eastern Daylight Time, 
suzchiles at pobox.com writes:

<< I have been giving thought to what Harry's state of mind is going to be at
 the opening of Book 5. In the CoS, PoA, and GoF, he's bounced back extremely
 well from his end-of-the-year adventure, though of course, adding new layers
 of maturity and wisdom.
 
 But I can't help but worry about Harry's psychological and emotional state
 after going through what he did at the graveyard.
 
 It rather seems to me that, unlike the earlier years, this year is going to
 present a great leap from boyhood to early manhood. I think he's going to
 realize that he, and only he, has any chance of defeating Voldemort. Of
 course he's going to need help: from Ron, Hermione, Dumbledore, Sirius, and
 even my beloved Hagrid. But I do think he's going to come out of this
 knowing that he represents the good side's only hope at defeating Voldemort
 and the Death Eaters. And his sense of honor and responsibility has to fall
 heavily upon him. I think he hinted at that at the very end of GoF, when he
 told the twins that everyone was going to need some jokes and laughs for the
 next year. >>


    It's true that Harry has always bounced back from horrible situations 
(fighting Quirrel!Voldie, fighting Riddle and almost being killed by a 
Basilisk, and coping with the horrible truth of his parents murders and the 
problems their best friends had to endure) remarkably well...However....I 
agree that after this year, Harry is going to be a very different person. 
After the Graveyard Incident, he becomes quiet and withdrawn, and only enjoys 
spending quiet time with Ron and Hermione - which is something he's never 
done before. After SS/PS he was bummed about having to leave Hogwarts. After 
escaping from Riddle and the Basilisk, he's still bummed about having to 
leave Hogwarts. After the fiasco in the Shrieking Shack, he's contemplating 
how he can terrify the Dursleys with the fact that the escaped 'murderer' 
Sirius Black is really his godfather. After escaping from the 
graveyard...Harry withdraws and goes through a huge change. Once he returns 
to King's Cross, he's not sighing about how he has to go to the Dursleys, and 
making sure Ron sends an invitation to hs house. Rather, he's quieter, and 
accepting that what will come, will come. I do believe book 5 will show a 
very different Harry.

*Chelsea*