Neville and the Canary Creams

[naamagatus]

No: HPFGUIDX 36283

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "ssk7882" <skelkins at a...> wrote:
> 
> In GoF, when Harry learns of Crouch/Moody's passing on Professor 
> Sprout's praise to Neville, he thinks of it both as "very tactful" 
> and as "something that Professor Lupin would have done." (I'm 
> paraphrasing from memory here, so forgive me if I'm a word or two 
> off.)  The implication seems to be that Harry believes Lupin's 
> encouragement of Neville to have been both tactful and wholly 
> positive...and I'm not altogether certain that I believe that it 
> really felt that way to Neville himself -- much in the same way,
> in fact, that I'm not altogether certain that I believe that 
> Neville's feelings towards Hermione's acts of kindness towards him
> are utterly positive or without a certain degree of ambivalence.
> 
> Of course, I could be wrong about that.  And I am very likely to be 
> over-identifying, projecting myself rather too much onto the 
> character.  But it does strain my suspension of disbelief somewhat 
to 
> think that Neville does *not* notice the pity and the condescension,
> or that these things do not, on some level, bother him.
> 

Regarding Neville's feelings towards Hermione, he does ask her to the 
ball and specifically mentions her kindness to him (or was it 
that "she was always nice to him"? Haven't got the books here). To me 
it sounds that he both likes her and is grateful to her for being 
kind to him. It's not complete proof, but significant, IMO.

Moreover, my sense of Neville is that he feels so weak, luckless and 
skill-less that he is humbly grateful for any help or kind attention 
that comes his way. Remember that he says of himself that he is 
almost a squib? In wizard talk that probably amounts to "I'm almost a 
certified imbecil." To me, what is so heart rending about Neville is 
that he has no self-belief at all. I sense him as being constantly 
hurt by his inadequecy (real and imagined) and yet somehow not 
falling into the pit of self-hatred. He's very lovable that way and 
very pitiable too - like a lost child in a panicky search for someone 
to lean on. Hmmm.. maybe I'm taking this too far... In any case, I do 
think that Neville sends an unspoken but clear message that he needs 
taking care of, that he needs help and kindness, and that he is 
certainly in no position (mentally, that is) to resent the form in 
which that help is given.


Naama
horrified to suddenly realize that Neville is no. 1 candidate for 
Forthcoming Death (but would sacrifice Neville in a minute if it 
would save Hagrid)