Bullies

[Carol Bainbridge]

No: HPFGUIDX 43461

I've been following the threads on bullying with some interest.  It seems 
like people aren't disagreeing so much on who is a bully and who isn't, but 
more on just what a bully is.  So, being the linguist that I am, I checked 
out dictionaries and a thesaurus to see what was there about "bully."  Here 
are the synonyms for "bully" (the verb): intimidate, terrorize, persecute, 
torment, frighten, oppress, browbeat, harass.

It's pretty clear, I think, that bullying entails negative intent and that 
it's rather ongoing, not a one-time deal.  So, while Fred and George may 
engage in bully-LIKE behavior, as at least one poster suggested, I can't 
see them as bullies.  G and F certainly frightened the Dursley's and picked 
on Dudley, but they did it once and their intent was not to intimidate or 
frighten them.  Their intent was to play a joke and pay Dudley back for his 
mistreatment of Harry.  I can't think of any behavior of F and G that would 
fit the definition of bully.  They never try to intimidate anyone, nor do 
they try to frighten or terrorize or torment.  Those two are pranksters, 
who sometimes don't know where to draw the line.  That may make them 
irresponsible, but it doesn't make them bullies.

Their behavior is very different, IMO, from that of Snape and Malfoy, both 
of whom clearly are trying to terrorize and intimidate.  Snape is so 
successful in his intimidation of poor Neville that Neville can barely 
function in his classroom.  Bullying, it seems to me, includes a 
mean-spirited intent, and I just don't see that with Fred and George.  It's 
very obvious in Malfoy and Snape.  F and G would never say things to people 
like Malfoy says to Hermione (about her teeth, for example) or Snape says 
to Neville.

I think F and G make a nice contrast to Snape and Malfoy.  Malfoy may make 
jokes, but he does it to hurt people, to make people feel bad about 
themselves.  Snape makes jokes... well, he doesn't really make jokes, does 
he?  He just picks on people and intimidates them.  F and G make jokes that 
may end up making someone feel bad, but that is never their intent.  And 
they don't pick on any one person.  Anyone is fair game for a joke.  Snape 
and Malfoy both have their favorites to pick on, and as with all bullies, 
their victims are people they perceive as being helpless and unable to 
defend themselves well.  I don't see Snape trying to bully 
McGonagall.  Sure, she's not a student, but that's part of the 
point.  Bullies pick on inferiors, not superiors or equals.  Same with 
Malfoy.  I don't see him picking on upper classmen like Cedric or Cho.  Nor 
does he pick on McGonagall, whom he isn't especially fond of.  The only 
teacher he picks on is Hagrid, and that's simply because he sees Hagrid as 
weak, stupid, and unable to defend himself.  Typical bully behavior.

I wouldn't be surprised if JKR purposely gave F and G those behavioral 
characteristics to contrast with Malfoy and Snape.  Sure, some behaviors 
may be similar and you may not want to cross the paths of any of them, but 
they really aren't alike, are they?  We may disapprove of F and G's attics, 
but does anyone really think they are wicked?  The same way Malfoy is 
wicked?  As I said, I think the characters make a good contrast, making us 
think about what is really mean and what isn't.  What is really cruel and 
what isn't.  It also makes us think about how the intentions of a person 
affects what we think of them and the kind of person they are.

Carol Bainbridge
(kaityf at jorsm.com)

http://www.lcag.org