emotional rescue

[angellslin]

No: HPFGUIDX 75004

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "jwcpgh" <binky666 at i...> wrote:

> There was a discussion going on a few days ago regarding Sirius's 
> emotional state in OoP and Dumbledore's behavior regarding that 
> situation.  One thing that struck me in both books 4 and 5 was that 
> the feelings of characters who have gone through terrible ordeals 
are 
> pretty much neglected by everyone around them.  Harry, after his 
> return from the cemetery in book 4, so desperately needs to cry 
about 
> what has happened to him.  Molly makes a good attempt by hugging 
him, 
> but Hermione bursts into the room and that's the end of that.  
Molly 
> doesn't try to pursue it then or later, as far as we know.  
> Dumbledore is right to get Harry to talk about what happened (even 
if 
> he does have multiple reasons for obtaining the information), but 
he 
> leaves Harry to deal with the trauma on his own.  Even Sirius, who 
> clearly cares deeply about Harry, can provide no more than a hand 
on 
> Harry's shoulder while Harry tells his story.  So book 4 ends 
without 
> Harry really finding the support he needs.  <skip> The pattern I 
see here is that people just don't express their 
> feelings, and I wonder if that has something to do with the British 
> character.  My impression (and please correct me if I'm wrong about 
> this) is that the stiff upper lip is still valued in Britain, as 
> opposed to here in the States, where it's all venting all the time 
to 
> anyone who will listen.<skip>
It's no surprise that Harry 
> and Sirius make some questionable decisions, given the emotional 
> instability they were experiencing.  <skip>

Good observation indeed! Is it a British way that emotion is very 
personal and should leave alone to the person him/herself? Or rather 
is it a reflection of JKR's inner self? Is she a very tough woman who 
has no patience of how psychologists' ideas of dealing with traumas? 
Do the death of her mom and the failure of her first marriage have a 
lasting impact on her and also her perspectives of life? I raise 
these questions because a writer, basically, write from her/his 
experiences. The better understanding of a writer as a person helps 
us understand, or even predict, his/her books. 

What do you think? 


Angel