[HPforGrownups] Re: OOP: Harry's Anger

[Odie Bificus]

No: HPFGUIDX 62733

"fitzchivalryhk" wrote:
>>Actually I found Harry's anger a bit annoying too, although I 
  understand where the anger came from. Although I was not like that 
  when I was a teenager, Harry's anger reminded me of my younger 
  brother. I found it funny that the first potion Snape taught Harry's 
  class was the Peace potion ... I wonder if it is there because of 
  Harry, or is it because the OWL class would probably need the peace 
  potions in their time of stress. I don't think it was a mere 
  coincidence that they were taught Peace potion. <<<<

  
    I also found Harry's hot-headedness a bit unsettling, especially his snapping at Ron and Hermione. I was supremely relieved when Hermione pointed it out to him (she said something along the lines of: "you can stop jumping down my and Ron's throats. If you haven't noticed, we're on your side.") 
    Harry has become quite a moody teenager. He is quicker to taunt Dudley, rash, and rebellious. Throughout the book he displayed bouts of temper I usually associate with Ron (as an endearing character quirk, mind you.) He even feels resentfully toward Dumbledore, and (the last thing I expected to hear from Harry as he has never really acknowledged his own achievements) feels under-appreciated and under-estimated as he lists off how many times he's faced danger and survived. 
    But, as startled as I was (I had expected Harry to turn out more introverted, as he was in the first few books) I understand what Rowling has done. She has shifted her character into an awkward age and taken his emotional baggage with him. Facing what he's faced, Harry has the guts to stand up to Dudley and the teenage recklessness to want to initiate an unnecessary confrontation between himself and Dudley's gang. He's been cooped up, as well (something we see mirrored with Sirius later, as well as Sirius' own rather teenage behavior. But that's another post.) Harry doesn't only have a troubled past, he's trying to come to grips with it with a brand new set of adolescent hormones. 
    This is a different Harry from the Harry I expected- mostly because I under-estimated how much we change as we develop into adults. Harry is normal. And our boy's growing up.
     I agree with fitz. Whenever Rowling goes into detail about a lesson plan it's mostly either to a) provide info that will be useful to characters later or b) to humorously cue into what the characters are going through developmentally (there are a lot of exceptions to this, so excuse me). For instance, the plant particularly focused on in the fourth book had (if I recall correctly) pus filled sores on it, which were disgusting but "strangely satisfying to pop." Um, acne, anyone? (um, ew.) So the Peace potion spoofs the cantankerous attitude associated with teenagers (big red flag: I think this was a theme of the book). Also, notice the Befuddlement Potion-or-Charm-or-whatever Harry was studying at one point? It causes "recklessness and hot-headedness."
    I'm really sorry if this is unnecessarily long. I've just finished book V and siriusly needed to vent a bit. Plus, I rant anyway. This is my first post, and so far Harry Potter for Grown-Ups is exactly what I've needed for a long, long time.

    Odie, who cried when Dumbledore did.