Glasses

[justcarol67]

No: HPFGUIDX 95080

Lady Mcbeth wrote:
> In reading the through the Reader's Digest link Pippin left for us, I 
> discovered this quote:
> She's thrilled with Stephen Fry's taped version of the books, 
> outraged that an Italian dust jacket shows Harry minus his 
> glasses. "Don't they understand that they are the clue to his 
> vulnerability?"
> 
> Hmmm . . . and here we are back at the eyes problem.
>  
> I'm not sure if this has been hashed through already, but it would 
> seem to me that perhaps its not Harry's eyes that are so important, 
> but rather that he sees the world imperfectly through those eyes.  He 
> needs glasses to see properly.  It sounds like a metaphor for 
> idealism.  Harry sees the world through his rose colored glasses and 
> his belief that there is good in everyone will ultimately be his 
> downfall.  Saving Wormtail is a prime example of his idealism.  
> Anyone else care to comment?

Carol:
Caius Marcus has already dealt with the idealism question, so I'll
just comment that I think the glasses are important for more mundane
reasons. First, they give kids who read the books a weakness in Harry
to identify with (along with his "knobbly knees" and baggy clothes and
unloving guardians). He's like them in some ways, despite his great
success at Quidditch (which would not be possible without the glasses)
and his heroic adventures. I also guess, based on JKR's remark, that
Harry will get into a dangerous situation where his peril is increased
by having his glasses broken. He won't be able to see his enemy
clearly to defend himself. (Hopefully, the enemy in question will be
Draco and not Voldemort.)

Carol, who also wears glasses and knows too well how difficult life
would be without them