[HPforGrownups] RE: An odd musing about Harry's attitude

[imhotep1]

No: HPFGUIDX 53870

Hi,  I'm Jeremy and I'm a first time poster.

On Sun, 2003-03-16 at 20:26, Jon wrote:
>        Harry's treatment of authority figures he doesn't like.
> I've noticed that if Harry doesn't like a person who is in 
> authority, he shows complete disrespect to them;

[and toward the ends he writes]

> Now, maybe I 
> was brought up oddly, but I distinctly remember my parents 
> drilling "respect your elders" into me for as long as I can 
> remember.  

	I too was raised with the "respect your elders" line drilled into me,
but I think it's obvious (to me at least) that although that line may
have been quoted by the Dursleys, it wasn't ever an rule they lived by. 

	I know people who have families somewhat like the Dursleys.  They argue
and bicker constantly, both the children to the adults and the adults to
the children.  I think it is clear (again, to me at least) that Harry's
attitude toward adults he doesn't like was learned at home, from the way
the Dursleys behaved toward him.  His insults back were more or less his
only form of defense.  If he had remained quite he would have, at least
in his own mind, confirmed their assertions that he was stupid and
inferior to Dudley.

	I think Harry will never respect the Dursleys.  Rowling seems to have
gone to great lengths to make them humorously asinine and rude.  I don't
think anyone would expect a child who grew up in that household,
constantly berated, to be respectful of those adults.  However, Snape is
a curious figure who's relationship with Harry I think is one of the
more interesting relationships in the book.

	As far as Snape is concerned,  I think Harry was convinced that Snape
really did "have it in for him," even after he knew Snape tried to save
him from Quirrel.  There seems to be a concerted effort on Snape's part
to knock Harry down a peg and/or get him expelled consistently.  Now
that Harry knows more about Snape's motives (i.e. his relationship to
Harry's parents) it will be interesting to see if Harry gives more
respect to Snape.

	All of that said,  I think it's also worthwhile to point out that Harry
is not the "perfect" boy. He's late to class, he sneaks out at night, he
gets in jealous spats with his best friends, and he sneaks out of his
house and runs away in a flying car (something I didn't do It until I
was 17, er... only without the flying :)  So I don't think it is really
surprising that he isn't always of alter boy material when dealing with
adults.

	One last point.  Harry has shown incredible respect and deference to
those adults he DOES trust.  Look at how he acts in response to
Dumbledore and Hagrid throughout the books.  

	Well, this is how I see the issue, sorry for rambling

-Jeremy