Stockholm Syndrome - was No sympathy for Kreacher

[Tonks]

No: HPFGUIDX 124600


--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "phoenixgod2000" <jmrazo at h...> 
wrote:
> phoenixgod2000:
> That very special thing about Harry is called Writers Fiat. The 
> author needs Harry to not be a complete basketcase so he is not. A 
> real child growing up in his surroundings would be a sociopath.  
> That's why I have a problem with DD leaving him with the Dursleys. 
> Because in a situation controlled by real world consquences 
instead of writers fiat Harry would be so messed up it wouldn't even 
be funny.
> 

Tonks now:
Well we are back to the fact that Harry's *abuse* was not that 
severe or that unusual. Many children in his situation, especially 
when placed with relatives after the death of a good parent would 
not be *sociopaths*. A child has to have an early life like that of 
Tom Riddle for that to happen. If a child were given love are good 
care from birth to age 2 they could be messed up later, but not 
become a true *sociopath* in the strict sense. They could be anti-
social personalities... the criminal type personality. But not all 
anti-social personalities are *sociopath or psychopath*. 

Harry is a strong person. Someone like Neville is raised in the same 
sort of home, I think. Neville is very sensitive and his Grands is a 
bit like Snape, so he is very unsure of himself. But other children 
like him have overcome that type of upbringing and we see in Book 5 
where he is doing so as well.

Physical abuse is another story. Children can over come that, but 
they are at some level, as you say, *messed up* for life.

Tonks_op