Chapter Discussions - Chapter One, Dudley Demented

[jstuart57]

No: HPFGUIDX 69479

> --- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Doriane" <delwynmarch at y...> 
> wrote:
> > I'm afraid I have to disagree with that. Harry's symptoms are not 
> > those of a depression. Stress, yes, anger and anxiousness, for 
> sure, 
> > but not depression.

"marinafrants" wrote:
> But remember, symptoms of depression are different in adolescents 
> than in adults.  Most lists of teen depression symptoms that I've 
> seen include anger, aggressiveness, problems with authority, 
> irritability, etc.  I'm not sure if Harry really is depressed, but 
> he does have a number of symptoms that fit.  And he certainly has 
> good *cause* to be depressed.

The symptoms of depression in males often manifest themselves as 
anger, which is a bit different than the usual manifestation in 
females.  I think he was depressed at this point in the book.  

I also think Harry was an angry, sullen, hormonal teen-aged male who 
had thus far spent a lifetime hiding/stuffing his true emotions 
rather than displaying them.  Think of all the times around the 
Dursleys he didn't express his opinion (Dudley looked like a pig in a 
wig) and hid his emotions (hiding under the table so as not to laugh 
at how Dudley appeared in his Smeltings uniform).  Actually, I 
thought the young Harry had more control over himself than OoTP 
Harry.  Here we see him spoiling for a fight with Dudley and his gang 
whereas earlier he would done just about anything to avoid it, 
including running away to the top of the school. Of course, he was 
weaker then and less able to defend himself in the first chapters of 
PS/SS than in chapter one of OoTP.

JoAnn