OOP: Re: Annoyed with Harry, etc. **Spoilers**

[gabnai1]

No: HPFGUIDX 63139

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Milz" <absinthe at m...> wrote:
> --- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "anandinisekhar" 
> <anandini77 at h...> wrote:
> > REPOST:
> > > Did anyone else think Harry was a bit of a whiny baby-butt? I 
> > couldn't believe that he was constantly complaining. I mean, yes 
he 
> > is brilliant and all, but get over yourself. The only thing I can 
> > chalk it up to is his being 15. (I have a 15 yr old sister so I 
am 
> > currently getting PLENTY of experience with the age).
> > > > Brittney - who is still fuming about Sirius
> > > 
> > 
> > Brittney - you are the first person who seems to have picked up 
on 
> > what I was feeling during and after reading OoP. Although I don't 
> > like feeling this way (I adored Harry for his honest modesty and 
> > innocence and genuine affection for others) --- I thought Harry 
was 
> > annoyingly arrogant, bitter, jealous, and disrespectful in this 
> book -
> > -- maybe that makes him more like the James we saw in the 
Pensieve. 
> > I hated the way he treated Ron, Hermione, and everyone ... 
> especially 
> > Dumbledore. I don't know why everyone seems to be blaming 
> > Dumbledore ... and why Harry was justified for throwing the 
tantrum 
> > that he did in his office. I, for one, was appalled at the way he 
> > spoke to the one person who was working harder than anyone to 
> protect 
> > him and the one person who had saved his butt a million times. 
How 
> > come everyone is sympathizing with poor little Harry? I was 
furious 
> > at him for being so disrespectful to Dumbledore. Maybe he was 
just 
> > behaving like a normal 15-year-old ... the angry teenager that 
> hates 
> > everyone and thinks the world is against him.
> <snip> 
> > Was ANYONE else annoyed with Harry? I still have 100% confidence 
in 
> > Dumbledore ... and I feel sort of agitated whenever people blame 
> him 
> > or accuse him of things ... I still see him as the unfallible 
> paragon 
> > of goodness. I hope Harry apologizes for his behavior in Book 6, 
> and 
> > regains his admiration of Dumbledore.
> > 
> 
> Of course. But Rowling wants to portray Harry as an adolescent and 
I 
> applaud her for it. 
> 
> Harry is 15 and in "mid-adolescence"(ages 14-17). Psycho-socially 
> this period is characterized by conflicts with parents, 
the "testing 
> of limits", increased peer influence, sexuality, and risk-taking 
> behaviors. I'd say Harry is right on target!
> 
> ~Milz

I agree with everyone.  JKR's description of an angry teenager who 
had been through a lot and is under a huge amount of stress - having 
no parents, the authority figures he has (Sirius and Dumbledore) 
missing from his life, trouble figuring out girls, exams, and the mad 
maniac trying to kill him and take over the world, another maniac 
right in school taking away everything fun - well, it is quite a lot 
to deal with for a 15 year old.  So his behavior is realistic, and 
understandable, but still annoying, and we could have had less of 
it.  I did get tired of Harry always jumping at everybody's neck, and 
also, Hermione and Ron bickering all the time got old, too, 
especially on top of Harry's angriness.  I would have liked a bit 
more action and less dwelling on Harry's anger.

Marta