What's annoying about Harry

[sophia mclaughlin]

No: HPFGUIDX 51375



Hello, all. I'm a very lazy lurker: I'll admit to visiting this list only 
occasionally.(I've been hanging out at another HPFGU-list) Nevertheless, 
Tom's comments made me want to surface, I hope you won't mind.

Tom:What I find most annoying about Harry is his
incredible stubbornness, his procrastination, his
belief, along Snapian lines, that despite everyone's
efforts to safeguard him, he's above the rules.
And I can't *STAND* the way he refuses to listen to
reason once he's had his mind made up.

Me: If Harry would always listen to reason, never put things off, and always 
kept the rules and always saw things with a wider perspective he'd be REALLY 
annoying. I know you love Harry, Tom, but you seem to think it is inspite of 
his failings. However, since you acknowledge it is his shortcomings that 
make him real, maybe you and I are alike--I love him BECAUSE of his 
failings. Besides, if he didn't have them, there could be no coming of age 
story,no true battles to fight. Voldenmort's a worthy foe, but to me, it's 
Harry's development as he gradually learns more of his identity and allows 
himself to FEEL and acknowledge those feelings that really make the story 
interesting. (The "howl of misery" that he almost gives in to--how I wish he 
had!--at the end of GoF is significant in this respect. His development must 
include healing too--but know I Harry's tears have been discussed on this 
list previously)  It's his failings that lead him to the experiences that 
ultimately allow him to grow, which perhaps is true for all of us.

-Sophia






_________________________________________________________________
The new MSN 8: advanced junk mail protection and 2 months FREE* 
http://join.msn.com/?page=features/junkmail