OOP: Neville's Gran

[maneelyfh]

No: HPFGUIDX 65016

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Cohen, Meg" <MCohen at u...> 
wrote:
> Plain, ordinary, non-spoiler containing first line....
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> Lot's of people have been posting about Neville's Grandmother being
> deliberately mean to him, and hypothesizing that as a reason why 
he's not
> been particularly successful at magic up till this point.
> 
<SNIP>
> giving Neville his father's wand as a positive action -- a wand is 
a wizards
> most powerful, and personal, tool.  We know his father was a 
powerful wizard
> (GoF), we can, I think, infer from her actions that she loved him 
dearly.
> Isn't it possible that she views it as a great honor for Neville to 
use his
> father's wand?  And, let's be honest - if Olivander had offered 
Harry the
> choice of using James's wand or picking his own, what do you think 
Harry
> would've done?
> 
> Are Neville's circumstances sad?  Yes.  Does Neville deserve 
better?  Of
> course he does.  But I think his Gran's life is equally sad, and 
that her
> actions, while detrimental, aren't deliberately malicious.  I think 
she's
> just a woman who's had an awful lot to deal with in her life.
> 
> Incidentally, I grow more and more impressed with Neville.  Two 
scenes from
> GoF stick in my mind.  The first is in the beginning of the book, 
when
> Seamus is saying that his mother didn't want him to come back, and 
Neville,
> very quietly and simply, but also very firmly, states that his 
family
> believes Dumbledore (and Harry).  He doesn't make a big deal about 
it, but
> it's also obvious that this is a firm belief that nothing will 
change.  The
> second is, of course, the scene in St Mungos.  To have 4 of your 
friends
> suddenly discover the secret you've been hiding for 4 years is 
terrible, but
> he handles it with dignity.  And then at the end when his mother 
gives him
> the gum wrapper, and his grandmother is, despite her words, if not 
ashamed
> of this then at least not particularly sympathetic of it, but 
Neville simply
> takes it, says, "Thanks, Mum" and puts it in his pocket.  The boy 
has a
> dignity about him that is extraordinary.
> 
> Meg Cohen

Added comment
Did anyone think to question Neville's sorting into Griff. House, 
The "home of the brave"? The sorting hat obviously saw Neville's 
bravery and courage even though it has been forshadowed by his 
meekness and cowardly persona.  another thing: kids do not come with 
operating manuals.  I am positive his gran had no idea the effects of 
her treatment of him. If you constantly harp on a person that they 
are stupid and forgetful, they may take it to heart that infact they 
are!  Also, this may be off base, and I am not sure if I can word 
what I want to say, but the fact that his parents, very strong 
wizards were unable to defend themselves may also add to Nevilles 
meekness.  
fhm