Harry's far from ruthless

[Campbell, Anne-TMC-Rcvg]

No: HPFGUIDX 89213

Julie:
In SS, Harry is an 11 year old boy. What is characteristic of 
preadolescents? Egocentricity. I think the issues you raise are 
more characteristic of his age, not his character.

Anne:

I would have to agree with Julie here. Harry is, ultimately, a child still. Although he does by age eleven have the mental capacity to understand right from wrong, can use the ability to be aware of more then just himself, he has yet to learn to use either skill with any success. He is, in short, still young enough to let his emotions over-rule both common sense and the ability to think 'outside his bubble'.
This leads into an interesting observation on the discussions themselves--the older posters (myself included) tend to give more credence to an 'adult' POV...where as the younger give credence to the 'younger' POV. Granted, this is not a 100% accurate observation--we have those that 'jump camp' to the other side, and I'm sure there's a lot who are undecided, but I think it helps to show the point...and to illuminate Harry's 'problem' a little more.
Essentially, the older you are, the more experience you have...and the more experience you have, the more you will question your own motives (or should) in any given situation. Including defending yourself against someone trying to kill you. A child's viewpoint is much simpler--he tried to hurt me...I did my best to hurt him to stop from getting hurt (or killed). 
There is no moral thinking going on, simply survival. Afterwards, Harry isn't asked to look at it either--is in fact directed away from Dumbledore (likely to keep the kid from beating himself up any more than he already was)--and at that age, he's not likely to pick it apart himself.
Maybe when he gets older, learns more, finds a reason to sympathize with the villains as much as the 'good guys'. Then maybe he'll wonder if he did the right thing. And at that point, he may very well be remorseful for what he did to Quirrel...or understand better that the Dursley's treatment of him was out of pure fear and jealousy and learn to forgive them for their own human failings. He might even forgive Snape his unfair treatment and realize that the snarky old shit was really trying to give him life lessons he would need to know in order to survive Voldy (and any evil wizard that came after him in the future). But that takes time...maturity...and a chance and a willingness to look at both sides, and not just the one he happens to be on.
Most people can barely manage that, even after decades of living on this planet. Harry is still young and has had all of 5 years to figure it out. Take hormones, fear, unusual circumstances, and yeah, he will have a hell of a time working enough logic cells loose to figure it out. He doesn't' get it right now. Much easier and more practical for an 'us or them' viewpoint. Much as those of us who'd wish he'd look a little beyond that would like to see it happen....it won't happen, simply because...he is young.

Harry IS arrogant sometimes. He has very little compassion for the 'bad guys' (and yes, I know, they are very "evil" by our standards...but what made them that way? What was the cause? You don't have to like them, but at least understand them before you write them off as nothing more than another 'boogie man'). He has none for Snape, even though he did see the pensieve scene (he was more worried about how 'evil' his own father was than what happened to Snape--and by the end of the book he blames Snape anyway for a lot of what happened, both in the past, and when Sirius died. He even wants Dumbledore to agree with him). He thinks sometimes of others...but it is not consistent. At least not yet. And the world DOES revolve around him...or so he thinks, at least when he's depressed and feeling picked upon. These are traits that if he doesn't take a good look at could very well lead him down Tom Riddle's path. It doesn't mean it will...just that it MAY. And I think that's the point Rowling may be making, if you want to look for one. Because ultimately, Harry is reacting no differently than the average teen....but will he continue to hold on to the negative as he gets older? Or will he eventually learn that there are some things, even about himself, that he may need to change so that he DOESN'T fall into Tom's trap...or Snape's, for that matter.

No human is perfect...and every human has that potential to slide right over the edge of the moral cliff and out of sight. What makes each person different...and 'more' or 'less' acceptable to the rest of us is whether or not they realize they are slipping over the edge...and whether or not they decide to catch themselves once they realize it...or let themselves fall.

Harry's biggest fear seems to be becoming like Voldemort--he worries about it constantly. He can even see where he shares many traits with old Voldy...and that's the point. He COULD become Voldemort...because it's all there, as the Sorting Hat said, in his head. Question is...what will he do with it?.

Will he jump off the cliff, or not?

Let's hope not...and if he happens to slide over, even a little, let's hope that he has hands and rope from his friends to drag him back...

Anne