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

[kae]

No: HPFGUIDX 53897

The Dursley family weren't what I would call great role models for Harry to
emulate.  The few times that Dudley was ever disciplined were rare.
""Dudley was sniffling in the back seat; his father had hit him round the
head for holding them up while he tried  to pack his television, VCR, and
computer in his sports bag."  Chapter Three The Letters from No one  Harry
Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone."

The Dursleys demonstrated that in order to get what you want, you bully your
way through life.

Dudley learned that if he threw tantrums he would get his Mother to do
anything he wanted (except for the time that Harry moved his belongings from
the cupboard under the stairs, to the bedroom where Dudley threw his broken
and discarded toys)! Teachers, and other school officials seemed more
concerned about making certain they didn't offend the Dursleys than what
Harry Potter might be doing.  He had no school friends, because of Dudley
and his gang; he wore cast-off clothing, taped glasses made strange things
happened.  It wasn't until Hagrid came into his life and told him about
himself, and gave him confidence to be more than a cast off commodity that
Harry began to believe that he was a worthwhile human being.   Harry left
the mundane world to live in a world where he interacted with youngsters his
own age; he learned that there are choices we make, and those choices can
impact us forever.

The teachers and staff at Hogwarts filled an important hole in Harry's life.
Even Snape who was a brilliant potion master taught the importance of doing
a job right.  In spite of people we don't like, we do the very best we can,
and we are better for it.  Life doesn't always deal fairly; but we can
either succeed or fail.  And in spite of the Dursleys, Harry became a better
person.

Lady Farro