[HPforGrownups] Re: OOP: James' Behaviour normal? [Was: Humor and Tone (Was Questions for JKR)]

[Carol Bainbridge]

No: HPFGUIDX 69302

Thank you, Diana, for explaining this.  I was too upset with the idea that 
someone thought my son could have done anything like this just because I 
said I thought it was typical of teenage boy behavior.  I think you 
explained it much better than I ever could have.  My son is more likely to 
be on the receiving end of this type of behavior, which is why we are 
familiar with it, not because he is the one dishing it out!
What I have found to be true is that kids can be pretty mean to the kids 
that don't fit in and even the nicer kids will do and say things to the 
"weird" kid that they wouldn't do or say to anyone else.  It seems to be a 
way for the kids to determine the pecking order of school society.    Most 
of them do it to some degree or another, even many of the girls, from what 
I've seen.

What I was trying to stress (I think) in my note was that James' and 
Sirius's behavior doesn't necessarily make them bad people.  I think it's 
significant that the behavior was directed toward Snape (doesn't make it 
acceptable, just significant).  I wonder if they did the same sort of thing 
to other classmates -- or just Snape.  If they do it to others, it makes 
them more despicable than I think they are.  If they do it only to Snape, I 
have to wonder why Snape?

At 07:39 AM 7/7/2003, you wrote:
>From: "medeacallous" <medeacallous at yahoo.ca>
> >
> > What exactly does that mean, 'normal'?  I don't know if I grew up in
> > some kind of utopia, but where I come from, physically restraining,
> > hurting, humiliating and exposing the underclothes of a schoolmate
> > in front of a crowd of people is not only abnormal, it would result
> > in a jail term.
> >
> > Carol, are you saying that your son has done things like this
> > himself?  Or is it just something you suspect him to be capable of?
> > What about other teenagers and parents of teens?  Are there any
> > opinions that differ from those I've read so far?
>
>
>I have a 13 year old son, and we discussed this scene, talking about whether
>this is normal behavior for teen boys or not.  While he says that the
>average teenage boy *doesn't* do this kind of thing, it's not uncommon for
>the jock-type-popular boys to "pants" other boys, usually younger or smaller
>or described as "weird" by the rest of the school.  Usually they target one
>person who is then the target of all their "jokes".  They don't go as far as
>taking off their underwear (as it is indicated that James might have done),
>but pulling down their jeans in public is a common form of humiliation.
>Swirlies (putting them head first in the toilet and then flushing) is also
>common.  If they are caught, they'd get in trouble - detention in the "old
>days" but now with heightened awareness of bullying and hate crimes (often
>times the victims are perceived as being gay), the perpetrators are
>suspended at the least or expelled, and dropped from school athletics
>teams - and the parents of the victim could press charges as well.
>Unfortunately, *that* has created a problem because unless a teacher just
>happens to be patrolling and catches them in the act, someone has to talk.
>With the unwritten "no-squeal" rule among kids plus the pressure of being
>ostracized (or tormented themselves), most kids are reluctant to tattle.
>Who wants to be known as the reason why the school lost the big football
>game (or Quidditch match) because they got the star quarterback kicked off?
>
>Diana W.
>
>
>
>
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Carol Bainbridge
(kaityf at jorsm.com)

http://www.lcag.org