[HPforGrownups] An odd musing about Harry's attitude

[Gina Rosich]

No: HPFGUIDX 53878

Jon <jrpessin at mail.millikin.edu> wrote: 
I've been rereading the books (again!), and a something struck me as 
I read POA.

       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; this despite any 
qualifications they may have or any reasons that they SHOULD be 
respected.  I can think of two examples off the top of my head:  The 
Dursleys, and Snape. 
***
I agree with you.  And I think this might be a function of Harry's adolescence.  In the first book, Harry does show more respect for the Dursleys.  But as he comes into his own, he loses patience with them.  He is growing up and seeing them as childish and somewhat inconsequential.  I'm sure he is thinking this is only something he must put up with until he comes of age (and for all we know he may be right).  Furthermore, his measures of disrespect become more blatant with every passing year.  He gets older, he is coming into his own, he is learning how to manipulate situations to his own advantage.  But he used a lot more "pleases" and "sirs" towards Vernon Dursley at first.  And he doesn't blatantly disregard the diet (a diet he does not need to be on, btw).  He sneaks food.  In my mind, if he was blatantly disregarding, he would've swapped some of his wizard gold for pounds and started buying and eating whatever he wanted whenever he wanted in front of them.
 
I think with Snape it is similar but not the same.  Snape has real power in a way the Dursleys do not.  And Snape deliberately pushes Harry's buttons, whereas the Dursleys are 'just being themselves.'  And I think Harry's reactions towards Snape further exacerbate Snape's pushing of Harry's buttons.  There is a connection between those two.  And there is a lesson to be learned in controlling your tongue and Snape wants to teach it to Harry.
 
I'm not saying it's ok for Harry to act this way.  He does need to show more respect to Snape.  Even Dumbledore points out the word "Professor" to Harry.  And, on a personal note, it irks me to no end that Harry has never bothered to thank Snape for all that he's done to try and save Harry's life.  I can't help but think by book seven he will be forced to learn the difference between people who are "nice" and people who are "good."  That is part of the role Snape is playing in his life.  And that kind of more complicated relations with the world is what one learns in adolescence.  Does that make sense?
 



Gina :-)



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