Sexuality as a theme in HP (long)

[pippin_999]

No: HPFGUIDX 119636


--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "cat_kind" 
<cat_kind at y...> wrote:
> 
> Pippin: Though Snape's occlumency lessons did not solve the  
ostensible problem of  the dreams, they did solve the  
psychological problem which was posed at the beginning of the 
book--Harry's experience with Voldemort had left him with a taste 
for sadism, as shown by his attack on Dudley. By the end of the 
book this desire has been successfully repressed, and Harry is 
 unable to perform the cruciatus curse.
> 
> catkind:  Harry's experience with Voldemort made him 
sadistic?  Surely he has seen plenty of this bullying, taunting 
behaviour from Dudley himself, and assorted Slytherins, he 
doesn't need Voldemort to teach it to him.  <

Pippin:
It is true that Harry has lashed out at Dudley and Draco before, 
but always before it was the other guy who initiated the bullying 
and Harry was fighting back. Rowling does not appear to think 
fighting back is wrong. Even the pure and innocent unicorn will 
react violently if it is attacked. (GoF ch 18) 

But in OOP, it is Harry who initiates the encounter. He has some 
good intentions. Dudley and his gang have been vandalizing 
playground equipment and beating up little kids; clearly they 
should be stopped. But mostly Harry is thinking "It would be 
really fun[...] to taunt him, watch him, with him powerless to 
respond[...]he'd love to vent some of his frustration on the boys 
who had once made his life hell--" -OOP ch 1.

Harry talks himself out of attacking Dudley in front of his gang. 
The gang don't know enough about magic to be afraid of it and if 
Harry showed them, he'd be in trouble with the ministry. But he 
catches up with Dudley after the gang goes home, and then..."It 
gave Harry enormous satisfaction to know how furious he was 
making Dudley; he felt as if he was siphoning his own frustration 
onto his cousin, the only outlet he had." 

Harry continues to taunt Dudley, but Dudley finds a way to fight 
back. He taunts Harry about his dreams of Cedric. Harry is 
beyond furious..."Harry was pointing the wand directly at Dudley's 
heart. Harry could feel fourteen years' hatred of Dudley pounding 
in his veins -- what he wouldn't give to strike now, to jinx Dudley 
so thoroughly he'd have to crawl home like an insect, struck 
dumb, sprouting feelers--"

Just my opinion, but I think that if Harry had still been able to 
summon against Bella the  hatred and pleasure at the thought of 
seeing a helpless enemy suffer that he had felt earlier when 
confronting Dudley, then he would have been successful with the 
cruciatus curse. 

I too find it disturbing to think that Harry could or would sink to 
that level. But I also think that it is very much in keeping with 
Rowling's theme of choice. There is nothing essentialist in her 
book about being either a hero or a villain. Any of us can choose 
to be either.

Pippin