Cruelty vs. "cruel", Harry (Re: Conspiracies and re-assessments)

[N. Tonks]

No: HPFGUIDX 112177

Naama <naama_gat at h...> wrote:
> Well, ok - I take the "everybody" back, but as regards Harry, 
> we are specifically shown that he does have cruelty in him. He 
> imagines torturing Snape with Cruciatus, and he actually does 
> it to Bella. There is also a description in OoP where Harry 
> says something to Hermione or Ron, or yells at them, and feels 
> satisfaction at hurting them. Sorry not to be able to pinpoint 
> that further. 
> 
> You know what? In light of this, I think that I would say that 
> for JKR at least everybody does have cruelness in them (this, 
> based on my understanding of Harry as Everyboy).

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Tonks here:

I still disagree. Harry is not a cruel person. Yes he may have had 
thoughts and feelings about hurting someone when he is angry, but 
that is not the same as being cruel. Remember it is our actions.. 
our choices .. even when he choices to respond to his feelings of 
rage, the strongest feelings he has had in his life, he can't even 
do a proper Cruciatus on Bella. Because he does not have it in him 
to really hurt another person, even the evil Bella. But Bella can do 
a Cruciatus because she IS cruel and sadistic. She ENJOYS hurting 
others.

Humans are basically kind/good, they are not basically cruel/evil. 
So it follows that EVERYBODY does not have cruelness in them.

Tonks_op