Food and body image in the series

[jenny_ravenclaw]

No: HPFGUIDX 68037

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Beth Currie" <lists at d...> 
wrote:
 
> The portrayal of Dudley and his weight problem also bugs me.  We 
hear how overweight he is, yet when he is forced to diet, all we hear 
about is Harry sneaking upstairs after eating his grapefruit to have a 
"proper breakfast" of cake.  I don't think this is sending out a good 
message to young readers about healthy eating.  Also, when Fleur 
complains about the heavy Hogwarts food, she is dismissed as being 
vain and shallow.>

I think it is generally agreed upon here that Dudley is a victim of 
abuse as much as Harry is.  JKR's portrayal of the Dursleys as parents 
shows them as enablers, who are happy to keep their son fat and stupid 
so he will always be dependent on them.  I see a rude awakening at 
some point happening among the Dursleys.

Harry *thinks* his cake breakfast is proper.  For him, a nice piece of 
cake may be just right.  Remember, it doesn't say that Harry went 
upstairs for a "better" or "more healthy" breakfast of cake.  Cake for 
breakfast tastes good, unhealthy as it is.  Harry has dealt with not 
having enough to eat for 14 years in GoF; let him eat cake if he wants 
to!
 
> Does anyone else have any thoughts on this?  I'd be interested to 
know if this is something that bothers others too.  Or maybe I just 
read way too much into these things :-)>

I know that I don't read the books to hear JKR or anyone else preach 
to me about how I should eat.  I am an American woman who hears and 
sees everywhere I go that I should eat nothing but lettuce and 
exercise like a fiend every day so I can be a size 2.  What a treat it 
is for me to escape to Hogwarts and enjoy (as Kirstini so wisely 
pointed out) the fantasy of life there.  I struggle with my weight and 
at night often have dreams where I am standing at the head of a table 
that is filled with all the foods I shouldn't eat, and I stuff my 
face.  At Hogwarts, the kids can really do that and not suffer the 
consequences!  The Halloween feast in particular gives me a good deal 
of pleasure (the movie made my mouth water).  This only adds yet 
another reason to my long list as to why I wish I could go to 
Hogwarts.  *sigh*

--jenny from ravenclaw, who would eat brownie mix for breakfast if it 
wasn't disgusting to do that ********