Harry enjoying his friends’ pain (was: Harry's disposition)
nkafkafi
nkafkafi at yahoo.com
Wed Mar 31 01:11:23 UTC 2004
No: HPFGUIDX 94588
As often happens, this thread (in its different names) took my
original post to very different directions than I originally
intended, but thanks everybody who contributed (especially the
Sergeant Majorette for that insight into Hermione's PMS). Here is my
second take at it, trying to clarify my point.
The issue that interests me is not exactly Harry's anger (justified
or not, teen angst or not). In fact, forget the anger thing for a
moment. It is a good subject for the "Harry's disposition" thread,
but here it is not very relevant. It actually might be a big smoke
screen that JKR has set to disguise the *real* issue. The real issue
IMO is the fact that in OotP, Harry takes pleasure in his friends'
pain.
The question if we all do it is also, IMO, not very relevant here.
What *is* relevant is that Harry does it at least twice in OotP
(quotes below) but he had *never* done it before OotP. At least I
can't find any canon for it. Not during his quarrel with Hermione in
PoA and not during his quarrel with Ron in GoF. The closest I could
find is in GoF when Harry chucks a "Potter Stinks" badge at Ron, but
this is still a long way from feeling "deep satisfaction" at your
friend's hurt.
Add to this that in the MoM battle, Harry fails to crucio Bellatrix
because, according to her, he is only feeling "righteous anger", and
is unable to actually enjoy hurting somebody, even to his friend's
murderer. But he *was* enjoying hurting Ron and Hermione at least
twice in OotP. In fact, Bella had pinpointed exactly the distinction
I'm clumsily trying to make here: Before OotP Harry was sometimes
(rarely) feeling "righteous anger" at his friends, but in OotP he
enjoys hurting them.
I'm not one of those who believe that every word JKR writes contains
some hidden meaning, but when she repeats a certain theme three or
four times in one book, that's when my radar screen starts bip-bip-
bip in earnest. Particularly since this issue was not resolved by the
end of OotP. DD didn't mention it in he's end-of-the-year-talk with
Harry. This means that it is likely to unfold in Book 6, whether it
is channeling LV or Harry's own emotions. But how??? Any ideas?
For those who have difficulties going up-thread for the original
post, I paste again the quotes and also add Bella's fine distinction:
---------------------------------------------
OotP (US), Ch. 4, p. 63:
'He seemed to think it was best,' said Hermione rather
breathlessly. 'Dumbledore, I mean.'
'Right,' said Harry. He noticed that her hands, too, bore the
marks of Hedwig's beak and found that he was not at all sorry.
OotP (US), Ch. 5, p. 91:
'Harry'll tell me and Hermione everything you say anyway!' said Ron
hotly. 'Won't — won't you?' he added uncertainly, meeting Harry's
eyes.
For a split second, Harry considered telling Ron that he wouldn't
tell him a single word, that he could try a taste of being kept in
the dark and see how he liked it. But the nasty impulse vanished as
they looked at each other.
'Course I will,' Harry said.
OotP (US), Ch. 12, p. 235
'Poisonous toadstools don't change their spots,' said Ron
sagely. 'Anyway, I've always thought Dumbledore was cracked to trust
Snape. Where's the evidence he ever really stopped working for You-
Know-Who?'
'I think Dumbledore's probably got plenty of evidence, even if he
doesn't share it with you, Ron,' snapped Hermione.
'Oh, shut up, the pair of you,' said Harry heavily, as Ron opened
his mouth to argue back. Hermione and Ron both froze, looking angry
and offended. 'Can't you give it a rest?' said Harry. 'You're always
having a go at each other, it's driving me mad.' And abandoning his
shepherd's pie, he swung his schoolbag back over his shoulder and
left them sitting there.
He walked up the marble staircase two steps at a time, past the
many students hurrying towards lunch. The anger that had just flared
so unexpectedly still blazed inside him, and the vision of Ron and
Hermione's shocked faces afforded him a sense of deep satisfaction.
Serve them right, he thought, why can't they give it a rest . . .
bickering all the time . . . it's enough to drive anyone up the
wall . . .
OotP (US), Ch. 30, p. 681
'You can't tell me you've stopped having funny dreams,' Hermione said
now, 'because Ron told me you were muttering in your sleep again last
night.'
Harry threw Ron a furious look. Ron had the grace to look ashamed
of himself.
'You were only muttering a bit,' he mumbled
apologetically. 'Something about "just a bit further".'
'I dreamed I was watching you lot play Quidditch,' Harry lied
brutally. 'I was trying to get you to stretch out a bit further to
grab the Quaffle.'
Ron's ears went red. Harry felt a kind of vindictive pleasure; he
had not, of course, dreamed anything of the sort.
OotP (US), Ch. 36, p. 810
'Never used an Unforgivable Curse before, have you, boy?' she
yelled. She had abandoned her baby voice now. 'You need to mean them,
Potter! You need to really want to cause pain — to enjoy it —
righteous anger won't hurt me for long — I'll show you how it is
done, shall I? I'll give you a lesson — '
---------------------------------------------
Neri
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