Harry's compassion (was Re: Quirrell dying (was Harry's far from ruthless )

[Doriane]

No: HPFGUIDX 89220

"naamagatus" wrote:

> The thing is, that the people that Harry dislikes, tend to be the 
> people that Harry hates. And the people that Harry hates, tend to 
> be EVIL. Who are on Harry's dislike list?
> 1) Voldemort...  2) Umbridge... 3) Pettigrew... 4) Snape... 
> 5) Draco and his family... 6) The Dursleys
>
> In short, Harry tends to dislike with very good reason. All these 
> people (other then Snape, maybe) do not *deserve* compassion. And 
> when I say that they don't deserve compassion, I mean that *JKR* 
> doesn't see them as deserving compassion. So, it's hardly fair to 
> blame Harry for this, is it? 

Del answers :

Wow, wait a minute ! I think you're going WAY TOO FAR when you say 
that JKR holds this or that opinion about any character. We just 
don't know that ! And Harry has never been the translator of JKR's 
feelings and opinions. Hermione and DD are, and they don't 
necessarily hold the same feelings regarding all those characters as 
Harry does.
In fact, I think we might be in for a few big surprises, concerning 
ANY of the characters you've mentioned. We already know that Snape 
might deserve more compassion than previously thought. Who knows what 
the last 2 books will reveal about all of them ?

Naama wrote :
 
> On the other hand, Harry is remarkably nice and compassionate to 
> everybody else, not only to his particular friends: 
> He protects Neville in PS (and he barely knows him at that point); 

Del answers :

He protects Neville because he's a Gryffindor, but mostly because 
Harry doesn't like whoever is attacking Neville (Draco, Snape) and 
wants to fight them anyway. Neville is just an excuse.

Naama wrote :

> he risks his life for Ginny in CoS;

Del answers :

That's his saving-people thing. And that's also his being in the 
wrong place at the wrong time thing :-)

Naama wrote :

> he is quick to feel attached and loyal both to Lupin and 
> Sirius in PoA;

Del answers :

He likes Lupin all right, but not in any special way. He doesn't 
particularly trust him, he doesn't talk to him about anything much. 
And yes he likes Sirius, after having hated him for a few months ;-), 
and only because he might take him away from the Dursleys and because 
he's his only real remaining link with his past and his parents.

Naama :

> he risks his own win in the tournament by "saving" Gabrielle (and 
> Fleur is certainly not a friend of his at that point) in GoF.   

Del answers :

Saving Gabrielle was doing his saving-people act again :-) Or at 
least, let's say that she was a little girl in a dangerous situation, 
so he acted like *anyone* in their right mind would : he got her out 
of it. Cedric and Viktor didn't, precisely because they weren't in 
their right mind : they were competition-driven. Harry wasn't.
And by the way, why isn't Fleur a friend ? She hasn't done anything 
awful to him. But he just doesn't like her. He doesn't like her 
manners, he doesn't understand her, so he doesn't like her. So much 
for showing compassion towards a student away from home and landed in 
a strange environment among complete strangers.

Naama wrote :

> My point here is that a person should be judged, not on whether he 
> is compassionate to his enemies (at least, not only by that), but 
> on who and how many his enemies are, and how justified his enmity 
> towards them is. And, in itself and as a corollary - who and how 
> many are included in his/her "compassion net"? I.e., is a person 
> kind only to a few select friends? Are friends of friends included? 
> Acquiantances? Harmless strangers?
> 
> It's odd, but Harry seems to treat practically everybody with 
> compassion, *except* those who richly do not deserve it. In my book 
> <g>, Harry is exceptionally kind, compassionate and brave. 

Del answers :

Let me just give you a few names. The Creevey brothers. Ginny Weasley 
at first. Luna Lovegood. Cedric Diggory. Percy Weasley. Seamus (? 
That was Seamus, whose mother had a problem with Harry,right ?) in 
OoP (much compassion Harry showed, not wanting to ease Seamus's 
dilemma). And best of all : Hermione in PoA, and Ron in GoF. MUCH 
compassion he showed them !

Del