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

[Carrie S]

No: HPFGUIDX 53930

Hello to everyone & Naama....We were talking about Harry's attitude in the books...

Naama posted: 

I'm sorry, but these kind of accusations against Harry - that he's disrespectful, that he thinks he's above the rules - they go totally against JKR's world view. 

***Me:   
I don't think he's always disrepectful or a bad guy in any way. I think he is a teen! He is young and still learning. It is his character, and I love his character. It's my opinion that he is encouraged by the adults around him to behave the way he does to a large degree. I don't know what JKR's world view is, so I can't respond to that. 

Naama posted: 
But it doesn't make sense to accuse a character in this case - accuse the writer for portraying a good character in a way that doesn't agree with what you perceieve as moral or moral enough. 
 
*****Me: 

I didn't accuse JKR of anything. I do think that Harry has been confrontational with his teachers. That is all my post was about. This thread is just speculating why that is or *if* it is. I believe it's just Harry growing up and starting to think more for himself and he's questioning authority.  Lots of people do that, and I certainly don't think it's immoral! =) But when you're a teen, it's what we call around here, an attitude. I think as he gets bolder in this particular area, it shows JKR growing her character's dimension and being true to human nature.

I didn't mention anything about morality in my original post, but AFAIK Harry's morals are good.  BTW, I wasn't in on the JKR morality thread that was going on so if I touched on a hot button there, it was totally by accident. 

Naama also wrote: 
ALL of Harry's escapades, rule breaking, etc. (except for his trips to Hogsmeade) are GOOD, within the framework of JKR's imaginary world. Whether you approve of rule breaking or not, JKR does approve of it, *when it serves a higher good.* 

*******I respond: 

I certainly approve of it when it makes a great story! I don't know if everything he does is good though. I interpret Harry's "rule breaking" differently, largely as a literary device. i.e. If he didn't drink Polyjuice, he would have wasted time on Malfoy. But I do think it's very clever that as he gets older JKR has given Harry a tiny touch of angst and I like it. Again, I don't think Harry is immoral.

The part I like though, is like I said, HHR are very ummmm...proactive. They never think to ask for assistance. But adult characters within the books notice this also, which is another clever thing JKR has done.

a little rule breaking cannon: (car flying incident) CoS US p80
    "---so we had no choice, Professor, we couldn't get on the train."
    "Why didn't you send us a letter by owl? I believe *you* have an owl?" Professor McGonagall stared coldy at Harry. 

Naama concludes......
In the same vein: bring your beef to JKR, but don't bring your beef to Harry, who 
is being as good a little character as he can be. :-)

******** I conclude.....
Harry's great. If I was his Aunt I would have come to the school a long time ago an thwapped Snape on the head and then thanked him for saving Harry's life. I don't have a beef with JKR other than I want her to write faster! Naama, I didn't mean to offend you at all.        : )     Carrie 



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