HP as "fairy-tale," Harry left with the Dursleys (Re: Snape and Harry again.)

[meriaugust]

No: HPFGUIDX 114038

> --- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "phoenixgod2000" 
<jmrazo at h...> 
> wrote:  
> > I agree that Rowling was using a fairy-tale trope with the 
> > Philosopher's stone but as the books became more realistic, 
> Harry's 
> > relatives stopped being the evil step-parents and started being 
> > abusive.  To me that makes Dumbledore look bad.  I don't see how 
> his 
> > leaving Harry with the Dursleys could have possibly, 
> *realistically*, 
> > be seen as anything other than a terrible act.  It stretches 
> credulity, 
> > but I'm still not sure how to justify it in my mind.
> 
> 
> Alla:
> 
> Yes, for me Dursleys are way past the point of looking at them as 
> evil step-parents.
> 
> When did it start, I am not so sure.
snip
> 
> It just felt like a rather realistic depiction of abuse, not the 
> fairy - tale like, when we know that hero is going to get out 
> eventually anyway.
> 
> Maybe it started even earlier, I am not so sure.
> 
snip

And, not to condone in any way the fashion in which the Dursleys 
treat Harry, but things have marginally improved for him since after 
PoA. He has his own room now, can leave the house, do his homework 
in the open, send letters with Hedwig, etc. I'm not saying the 
Dursleys will ever be a paradise for poor Harry but he's not 
sleeping in the cupboard under the stairs anymore, and after the 
scene at the end of Order I'd like to see Aunt Petunia try to feed 
him through that damn catflap. 

So yes the Dursleys have treated him...well basically like shit. But 
as DD said, Harry arrived at school alive and relatively intact, and 
without the one thing that DD feared the boy would get if he had 
been raised by a WW family: a humongous bighead. And I get the 
impression that as the WW situation gets worse, Harry's situation 
will probably get a little better. I mean, now the whole world knows 
he was telling the truth about LV, the school will be on his side 
again, his friends are all still standing with him, there will 
probably be no draconian new teachers at Hogwarts, and now at least 
he knows what he's got to do. (Well, that last bit'll be debated by 
us till the end of time, won't it?) Anyhow, of course Cinderella 
never had it quite as bad as Harry, but then again I don't see any 
fairy godmother swooping down to save him, and if that was the end 
of the last book I doubt I'd be the only one who was a mite ticked. 

Meri - in her first post in a good bit...hoping it makes sense and 
is not condoning child abuse!