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

[Laura Ingalls Huntley]

No: HPFGUIDX 53893

> Hobbitguy 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; this despite any
> qualifications they may have or any reasons that they SHOULD be
> respected.
> <snip>
> (The Dursleys and Snape)
>  but they are still in authority over him, and
>  he ought to treat them with SOME respect.  Snape is a teacher and a
>  learned (possibly very much so) man, and he has SAVED HARRY'S LIFE.
>  The Dursleys may have treated Harry badly, but they did take him in;
> <snip>
>  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. Harry's had almost the opposite lesson, it seems; from
> his actions, it looks like he learned "respect those elders who are
> nice to you and whom you like." )<<<

^_~ I agree with you completely.  Harry *has* had an opposite lesson.  Or,
that is, no lesson at all.   Tell me, who exactly in Harry's childhood
(pre-Hogwarts, that is - I'm afraid any personal habits or tendencies are
firmly ingrained by age eleven and will take a long time to root out) would
have taught him values such as respect for elders?  Personally, I believe
Harry has impeccable manners for someone with his upbringing.

Actually, I don't even think Harry's outward manners are that bad to begin
with.  Even when Snape was at his worst (the "I see no difference" incident)
Harry *thought* some pretty awful things, but he never actually did any of
them.  And really, while I *do* believe that one ought to be polite,
courteous, and "respectful" to *everyone*, I think Respect itself is
something that is earned.  So I don't think Harry's rebellious thoughts are
anything to criticize - and, given some of the circumstances, I would
completely understand if he *acted* on some of his less "respectful"
tendencies.  Which he generally doesn't. ^_^

Laura