Re: Harry’s anger: neither teen angst nor channeling Voldemort

[delwynmarch]

No: HPFGUIDX 94488


> Steffy:
> I don't consider myself to be a mean person, or the nicest person 
> in the world either.  I have a sadistic side, but I have a tight 
> group of friends.  The benefit of having a group of friends like 
> that is knowing that sometimes you can slip up and be mean, but 
> your friends will understand.

Del :
I agree. And understand, Harry's friends do ! Harry puts a BIG 
strain on their friendship all throughout OoP, he basically *takes 
them for granted* ! But still, they stick by him. Honestly, I don't 
think *I* would have stayed with him. I expect my friends to respect 
me. I expect my friends to not take me for a punching-ball whenever 
they feel bad, no matter how good a reason they have for feeling 
bad, and Harry does that way too often for my taste.

Steffy : 
> Ron hasn't always been the nicest person to Harry.  As Del pointed 
> out in her post, they weren't friends for awhile in GOF, but I am 
> going to disagree with Del, and place most of the blame on Ron for 
> that one.  Ron was mean to Harry.  Yes, when Ron came down the 
> stairs and interuppted Harry while he was speaking to Sirius, it 
> ticked Harry off, but think of what Ron had done.  Harry had 
> always counted on Ron to believe him and be there for him, and 
> when he needed him the most, up to that point, Ron was nowhere to 
> be found, except nursing his bruised ego.

Del :
Let's agree to disagree then, because I'll keep putting most of the 
blame on Harry. For 2 reasons : 
1. He took Ron's unconditional support for granted, when he himself 
wouldn't do that for Hermione the year before. So why should Ron 
believe he's supposed to do that ? 
2. Harry doesn't do a single thing to ease Ron's pain. It's 
always "me, me, me !". Ron does the same I agree, but it's the very 
first time Ron does it, while Harry's done it before. Ron has always 
done everything Harry wanted, but just for once that it's Ron that 
needs something, Harry won't give it to him.
Moreover, a bruised ego is a deep pain. As Hermione explains, Ron 
feels like *everything* and everyone in life is putting him down, 
and the last person he needs to remind him of that is Harry. And 
honestly, put yourself in Ron's place for a second : would you truly 
believe at first that Harry did NOT put his name in ? I wouldn't.

I call that an unbalanced friendship : Harry demands a lot from Ron 
and Hermione, but he often fails to give them when they most need it.

Steffy :
> The Trio care for each other deeply, I think there is much 
> evidence to prove that, and I think that they understand 
> each other, and ultimately their love for each other will bring 
> about the downfall of LV and the DE's.

Del :
I don't know how teenage boys show that they care for their friends, 
but Ron and especially Harry don't strike me as caring that much for 
the other 2. Needing them, yes. But caring for them, not really. As 
for understanding !? Hermione understands the boys quite often, but 
Harry never tries to understand anyone. I know he's pretty clueless, 
but he doesn't even bother picking up the clues when they are laid 
right under his nose by someone else.

I think Harry is still very much entangled in the web of repressed 
emotions that the Dursleys tied around him. He doesn't know what he 
needs deep down, he doesn't know what others need or how to give it 
to them. But he's only 15, and he's got a lot of support and good 
advisors, so there's hope :-) !

Del