OOP - Creating distance from Harry - was "What JKR Finds Important"

[legobaty29]

No: HPFGUIDX 115934


Ilana wrote
 
> It seems to me that JKR included a lot more moodiness (outbursts of anger, suppressed rage, and worry) for Harry in the final book than we saw in the previous books. My question is do you feel this was a device to create distance between the reader and Harry, rather than to continue and sustain unwavering empathy?  Didanyone out there feel claustrophobic reading OOP--like JKR was pushing Harry's view to the point that you couldn't see the story unfold clearly?

Legobaty:

Harry's behaviour in OOP seemed very much like typical teenage behaviour - being in a mood because your friends are prefects and you aren't.  Thinking no-one understands you and that your problems are sooo much bigger than everyone else's. Wanting to be part of the adult goings-on (OOP meetings where the kids had to go to bed and ALL contested it hotly).

It did seem to be so present on every page - Harry was overreacting to a lot of things Hermione and Ron said, and even moody teenagers usually don't fight against their peers AND adults all the time. Harry seems constantly annoyed that people aren't taking him as seriously as he would like to be taken.  He seems too obsessive for the Harry that we know.

JKR could have been creating distance between the reader and Harry, so in the event of his possible death at the end of the series, we could be able to see the story as a series of events that happened to a certain character, rather than the WRONG series of events that happened to OUR hero, but I think it's more likely that JKR wassimply describing a Harry as he is in the fifth book - 15, moody (hormones!), under incredible pressure and starting to really feel it and struggle to accept his lot.  Perhaps he didn't behave like this in previous books because he was still so young and naive - children are often really brave 
but adults know better!  Harry's in transition in OOP. He used to be the famous kid that defeated LV, but now he's the famous kid many think is conceited, and
LV needs defeating again - it's an uphill struggle!

As several people pointed out on this thread when it was titled "what JKR finds important" - this is Harry's story, no-one else's, which means the reader always feeling the full extent of Harry's feelings at any given time.  

One last point - if Harry is the one who dies at the end of book Seven, who's to say we need to distance ourselves from him?  We may find out with him what the "next great adventure" is over the other side...

Legobaty