Is Harry arrogant?

[Geoff Bannister]

No: HPFGUIDX 123613


--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "M.Clifford" <Aisbelmon at h...> 
wrote:

Valky:
> I do agree with you both about Gryffindor courage and teenage boys, 
> but not about Harry. 
> Let me just point out that Harry was 11 when he marched himself 
into 
> battle with his first full grown wizard foe. I'm not just talking 
> about OOtP here, while Harry was already thinking, before he knew 
> *anything* about *anything*, that he should save the day, while his 
> classmates like Neville, Ron and Draco, were actively avoiding the 
> grown up thoughts Harry was having, like duty and self sacrifice.
> Now Ron and Neville showed when it came to the crunch that each 
> possessed one of these virtues, but it is Harry who had them both 
in 
> spades *all year*. And that is *just a little* extraordinary.

Geoff:
I agree with a lot of that analysis, but does that make 
Harry "arrogant"?

One dictionary definition gives -
arrogant > adjective having an exaggerated sense of one's own 
importance or abilities

Looking at the incident which Valky mentioned...

'"SO WHAT?" Harry shouted. "Don't you understand? If Snape gets hold 
of the Stone, Voldemort's coming back! Haven't you heard what it was 
like when he was trying to take over? There won't be any Hogwarts to 
get expelled from! He'll flatten it or turn it into a school for the 
Dark Arts! Losing points doesn't matter any more, can't you see? 
D'you think he'll leave you and your families alone if Gryffindor win 
the House Cup? If I get caught before I can get to the Stone, well 
I'll have to go back to the Dursleys and wait for Voldemort to find 
me there. It's only dying a bit later than I would have done because 
I'm never going over to the Dark Side! I'm going through that 
trapdoor tonight and nothing you two say is going to stop me! 
Voldemort killed my parents, remember?"
He glared at them.'

(PS "Through the Trapdoor" pp.196-97 UK edition)

To me, that doesn't smack of arrogance. There's almost a hint of 
resignation in it.