When did Harry enter the Wizarding World (Was Book One question)

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 84501

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Woodward, Deirdre"
<dwoodward at t...> wrote:
> SNIPPAGE BELOW!
>  
> > Tzvi:
> >
> > At what point does Harry enter the magical wold? .
> >
> > Tzvi of Brooklyn
> 
> bboy_mn:
> 
> It's impossible to get the right answer unless you ask the right
> question. When did Harry ENTER the wizard world? Answer; on the day
> he was born. A better question; when did Harry RE-enter the wizard 
> world? In this case, I would say he re-entered the wizard world when
> he set foot into the Leaky Cauldron.
>  
> END SNIPPAGE
>  


> Deirdre:
>
> ...  However, I believe Harry reentered the wizarding world when
Hagrid tells him he is a wizard.  
>  
> From that moment on, Harry's life as he understands it is 
> fundamentally changed.  ...edited...
> 
> ...edtied... he, and I felt that from the dilapidated shack on the
> storm-rocked island, Harry and I marched forth into the wizarding 
> world together. 
>  
> Hope that last part makes sense.  
>  
> Deirdre

bboy_mn:

I very much see your position for a philisophical perspective, but
from the point of view of logistics and the more physical plane, I
still hold with the Leaky Cauldron. 

Just one itsy-bitsy teeny-tiny nit to pick. Relating our philisophical
vs physical entrance into the wizard world, one could say that Harry
re-became a wizard in an act of enlightenment; the realization
'dawned' on him. I say 'dawned' because if was a building growing
process, and not the click of a light switch.

True Harry's mind begins to open when Hagrid says, "...Harry -- yer a
wizard". But a lot of doubt and discussion occur after that point.
However, I think Harry sees 'the full light of day' in the course of
this exchange...

"..." said Uncle Vernon, "(we) swore we'd stamp it out of him. Wizard
indeed."

"You knew?" said Hary. "You knew I'm a -- a wizard?"

"Knew!" sherieked Aunt Petunia suddenly. "Knew! Of course we knew! How
could you not be...".

At this point, there can be NO DOUBT in Harry's mind. If the ever so
conservative, always ordinary Dusleys are saying it, confirming
something so out of character for them, Harry can no longer have any
doubt that he is indeed a wizard. I think that exhange is the
transition into a new reality for Harry.

Now the only thing to debate is whether that abstact realization
constitutes entrance into the wizard world. I see it as a realization
of himself, but he has yet to realize the existance of the wizard
world itself. That's why I put it at the Leaky Caulron. Because that
is when he truly comes face-to-face with living wizards and witches in
the domain of their secret society. In the hut by the sea, he gains a
realization of himself, in the Leaky Cauldron he gains a realization
of a greater world at large.

Not saying you are wrong, in fact, I agree whole heartedly that
Harry's internal realization occurs at that time and place, but his
greater external realization occur when he enters a world bigger than
himself.

Just a thought.

bboy_mn