[HPforGrownups] Re: Harry's questions ... parents - Dangerous Questions

[Magda Grantwich]

No: HPFGUIDX 117418

--- Steve <bboyminn at yahoo.com> wrote:

> When ever this comes up, I bring up the same point. I really don't
> think people are giving enough weight to the fact that Harry was
> raised in an abusive and oppressive household. Yes, people
> acknowledge that, but I don't think they make enough of an effort 
> to look at the underlying psychology. 
> 
> Living in a household like this is like living with an armed bomb
> that has a hair-trigger; the slightest tremor is likely to set it 
> off. So,the abused is likely to learn very early on to tread
lightly
> through that world.
> 
> An abusive household is also irrational, there is no logic or
> reason to what sets off the abuser. In many cases, the abuse is 
> initiated by a random insignificant event that is nothing more than

> an excuse for the abuser to re-engage in abuse. 
>
> Steve/bboyminn (was bboy_mn)

The Dursleys are nobody's nominees for "Guardians of the Year" but
they're not abusive in the sense that Steve refers to above.  Their
utter paranoia about Harry if nothing else would have prevented them
from doing anything that would be likely to attract the attention of
school or social worker authorities to the boy.  Also it's clear from
Harry's inner thoughts during the first chapters of PS/SS that while
he's not happy, he's not beaten down mentally and hasn't surrendered
to any kind of self-blame.  

I don't think Harry would qualify as an "abused child" in any legal
or clinical sense of the word in the backstory of the series.  He was
definitely a neglected child, and that is bad enough.  Not until
locked him in his room with not enough food everyday did he become an
abused child (in COS).  

Magda


		
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