Harry and Tom

[Bill and Diana Sowers]

No: HPFGUIDX 110679

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, Neisha Saxena 
<neisha_saxena at y...> wrote:
> 2)  This is some sort of deep-seated psychological
> reaction to being an orphan and being raised by the
> Dursleys, although, not being a psychologist, I'm not
> sure how it would work.  It does however, seem to
> mirror what many of you are suggesting is a
> deep-seated psychological reaction that LV had to his
> childhood.  

While you're waiting for Book Six to come out read "David 
Copperfield" or "Oliver Twist" by Charles Dickens.  It's a common 
thread in literature.
 
> What we do know is that Harry had it all along, he
> became friends with Ron by trying to save him from
> some unappetizing sandwiches, for goodness sakes!

Harry understands what it's like to go without.  

Harry stands up for Neville because he knows what it's like to be 
picked on and left til last when chosing teams. 

Harry gets angry at Snape's bullying because he knows what it's like 
to be bullied.

I'm reading a book right now, "The Wisdom of Harry Potter," by Edmund 
Kern.  Kern discusses what he believes to be the reasons behind Harry 
Potter's "heroic" choices.  I would say that he breaks Harry's 
choices down to decency learned from hardship.    In Charles 
Dickens' "Oliver" the young hero is much loved by his mother who dies 
while he is young.  She implants this love on her son and it stays 
with him throughout the story.  I think Harry has this love implanted 
on him as well.  I would guess that J.K. Rowling thought a lot of her 
mother and all she gave to her and this comes out in these stories... 
just a guess.

The fantastic nature of the books, something that makes them 
appealing, and Harry's risking life and limb to save others is part 
of this fantastic setting.  I would guess that there are Harry 
Potter's (and Harriet Potter's) on playgrounds standing up to 
bullies, sharing their lunches and picking kids for teams/friends who 
might otherwise be left out.  To me Harry just represents a larger 
than life view of this kind of decency.

Bill Sowers