Unconcerned parents

[Geoff Bannister]

No: HPFGUIDX 128145


--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "cubfanbudwoman" 
<susiequsie23 at s...> wrote:

SSSusan:
> I wonder how much of this is the oft-cited British boarding school 
> literature tradition at work?  We've had many discussions here at 
> HPfGU about how, in that tradition, as shocking as it may be to 
many 
> 21st centurians -- especially us Americans <g> -- that parents 
expect 
> their 11-year-olds to be pretty much "formed" and mature and 
capable 
> of taking care of themselves.

<snip>

> So I guess for me it's a combination of the WW being a pretty rough 
> place where people are expected to be resilient, the lack of 
> information coming to the Grangers by choice and/or by virtue of 
> their being Muggles, and perhaps the "buck up – you're a young  
> adult now" attitude of the British boarding school.

Geoff:
It's not only the tradition of the boarding school, it's partly the
British "boys don't cry syndrome".

It may have lessened now but I can remember as an 11 year-old going
as a First Year to a grammar school where there were 
various "initiations" which we were supposed to undergo without
complaint and, in fact, many things which happened didn't reach my
parents' ears because I would probably have considered myself a wimp
for so doing. For my first three weeks or so in the school, I was
picked on by a Third Year who took every opoprtunity to push me
around if we met in the corridors (which only happened if I didn't
see him first!). He went on to be a champion boxer..... I kept mum on
this and just stoically put up with it.

As a teacher I can recall many times trying to sort out problems -
usually with boys - when lips were sealed and information was not
obtainable.

I think it is partly this that we see in Harry's dealings with
Umbridge over detention. He was /not/ going to be seen to be telling
tales (to McGonagall or some one similar) and he was damned if he
would let her see that she was getting through to him. Stiff upper
lip practice!