Harry's questions ... parents - Dangerous Questions
finwitch
finwitch at yahoo.com
Tue Nov 9 07:24:42 UTC 2004
No: HPFGUIDX 117457
--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "delwynmarch"
<delwynmarch at y...> wrote:
>
> Finwitch wrote:
> "It has to do with subconcious - and actually, Harry doesn't fear
not
> so much of punishment but rejection. Dursleys *already* reject him
> (and they'd be puninshing him anyway) - so it's not OF Dursleys.
When
> he has people who care for him, he doesn't dare ask because he fears
> he'll lose them/their love."
>
> Del replies :
> Do you have any canon to back that up ? Because I don't see that in
Harry.
> Del replies :
> What do you mean by he doesn't know "enough" ? When Sirius tells him
> he knew Harry's grandparents, what doesn't Harry know that would
> prevent him from asking "Oh, my grandparents ?! What were they
like ?" ?
Finwitch:
Why would Harry need to ask, being as Sirius is already telling him
about them? Asking would only interrupt and prevent getting the
information. Harry asks when he finds out something that makes him
confused (pensieve scene), when he doesn't understand. Questions,
IMO, are in a between area of knowing 'nothing' and knowing 'all'.
> Del replies :
> Harry was still angry when he got to 12GP. And his temper didn't
> improve when the only people he thought of questioning (Ron and
> Hermione) couldn't tell him anything.
Finwitch:
Yes, but if Harry's irrational in many things, he's not wasting his
time asking questions of people who can't give him the answers.
Petunia DOES know something Harry desperately wants to know - his
friends know no more than he does, all they give him is 'adults won't
tell us anything'. Twins try to help with their Extendable Ears, but
even they don't get much anymore. (and they're of age)
And Harry usually trys to figure what sort of answer a person would
give him before he asks. (As when it came to the scar. He figured out
what Dursleys, Hermione & Ron, Weasley Clan would say. He considered
Dumbledore (Who does know the answer) but didn't know how to ask.
(hmm.. I think Harry's timidness about asking questions comes most
clear with Dumbledore, although he DOES ask - and then Dumbledore
though defending him, pays no attention to him). He wrote to Sirius
about it. AND his reaction to the answer - 'oh, no, he's risking
himself for me - I never should have told him'.
Each time Harry asks (except when Dumbledore or someone specifically
prompts him to do so) he's either shouted at, not getting any info,
or overwhelmed with worry or concern.
Oh yes. For Harry, it's ask a question = trouble. Sometimes he's just
angry enough & desperate enough to ask a question.
Finwitch
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