Snape, Harry, Dumbledore, and flaws in the books

[Gielreta]

No: HPFGUIDX 106294

> Del replies :
> Yes, he acts as a typical 15-year-old. That's my problem. Harry 
>pretty much never acted as a typical boy before, in critical 
>situations. He was always more mature, more calm, more *adult*. 
>That's the way he was during the first 4 books, and then suddenly ?
>kaboom ! He's just a 15-year-old. That's what I meant by "out of 
>character".


Gielreta:
 
I agree that there is a radical change in Harry.  I'm just 
barely "grown-up" enough for the board ( :-) ), so I can really 
relate to how a 15-year-old-mind works. I think that Harry had 
always acted older than his age partially because he was a good kid, 
but partially because it was expected of him.  Then, in his fourth 
year, he is ridiculed constantly, even more so than in his second 
year.  He is also smack in the middle of hormone rages, which can 
make you want to act like you're five even if you're very mature.

Then, he watches his friend get killed (which he could consider his 
fault), "meets" his parents, and narrowly escapes death.  Everyone 
has a breaking point, and he has reached his.  

I can kind of relate.  I was always mature,etc, but then my life was 
not so great for a while, and I really started acting like a typical 
teenager.  I don't think that Harry's reaction is particularly 
unusual, but rather that JKR has done a good job of portraying the 
way an adolescent might finally break in a crisis.  

Really, do we want Harry to be mature forever?  If he had never 
acted his age, could we relate to him as well as we do, or would he 
be more of a nice statue that we admire?

Excuse the rambling...

Gielreta