Making an Impression (Was:Re: High Inquisitor / time)

[Melinda Leydon]

No: HPFGUIDX 71749

  From: annemehr 
  <<<<snip>I want to know what is the true effect of these detentions on
Harry? <snip> Even when he trashed Dumbledore's office he was not so much
giving vent to his feelings as not being able to bear them: if you read
carefully he was doing things to try not to think about Sirius or his own
guilty feelings.<snip> What effect would the further detentions have, which
were not described but merely mentioned?  Does anyone see that the
detentions have changed Harry in any way?  Is their only purpose to be
symbolic of the evils bureaucracy can have, and symbolic of Harry's
willingness to be punished rather than go for help? <snip>>>>

        
    Me:  The detentions really bothered me but not so much as what I thought
of as a new effect.  I hated how he left the first detention and when he was
far enough away, broke into a run.  I could picture him as a little boy
suffering the abuse of the Dursleys.  It seemed to me that Harry was
regressing back a bit.  He wouldn't tell anyone what was happening, not even
Ron and Hermione.  Now, as an abused child, this is typical Harry behavior.
He internalizes everything. He always says "I'm fine" when he's not, he
never goes for help when he needs it, etc.  But, he's consistently gone to
Ron and Hermione to share his worries and feelings.  I was more bothered
when he didn't do this.  He did it again at the end of the book, after
Sirius death and the revelation of the prophesy.  He didn't tell R&H and
wouldn't talk to them about Sirius.  I fear that over the summer and into
the next book, it's going to be more of Harry isolating himself from those
he loves.

Melinda