Harry's fear (was: Emotion release)

[coloradocowgirl94 <grayhorsestudio@attbi.com>]

No: HPFGUIDX 49393

Hey all,

I too am pretty new around here, been lurking in dark corridors for a 
while, and am very interested in this discussion regarding Harry. I 
found the most upsetting thing about GoF was that JKR took Harry 
right to the edge, I could picture the good cry we all would've liked 
to have had in Mrs. Weasley's arms, and she zipped it away. Why? I 
think that WHY is important for the future. It wasn't an accident. 
The author wrote it that way.

Melody wrote:

<<Seems a person that fears fear only has to overcome that fear to 
truly do amazing things.>>

I think what makes it hard for us to understand how Harry could 
survive this "bottling" of his emotions is because of the culture we 
live in, it is almost impossible for us to imagine being scared to 
DEATH and doing our job anyway. Firefighters do it. The military do 
it. Very few of us, in our everyday lives as truck drivers, 
secretaries, and salespeople (etc, etc) ever do this. I've never done 
it, don't know if I could, even if I had the opportunity.

This also brings up the character trait of nobility. To me, this is 
the ability to rise above oneself - it has to do with those choices 
that JKR puts at the center of Harry's whole person. What does 
Dumbledore say? It's not what we're born, it's who we grow to be 
(paraphrase)? This is the philosophical idea that one IS one's 
choices. Agree with the philosophical point or not, if Harry IS his 
choices, his choice to stand and fight DESPITE his fear is what 
defines him as a person.

Lastly, I studied the *idea* of translation in literature in college, 
and my honors class eventually decided that language and cultural 
understanding are inseperable from the literature. JKR is an English 
author, and as such, her cultural experience as an Englishperson 
colors her literature. The English society is, historically, 
less "touchy-feely" than our American culture (that "stiff upper lip" 
and all that), and this is certainly seen in characters throughout 
English literature (Good Heavens - my specialty in college was 
Victorian Literature!!! Yikes!!). I have read a quantity of 
contemporary English literature as well, and I still see it. The 
English, I think, are more familiar with how to act a certain way 
even when one's emotions are not in line with the behavior.

Another lastly (sorry so long-winded!); what will happen to Harry's 
psyche when/if the dam breaks? I think this is key to the rest of the 
story. Harry is *chosen*, he is *set apart*. What might be healthy 
for us might not be healthy for him. 

My two cents - feel free to sort me out!!

K