Harsh Morality - Combined answers

[severelysigune]

No: HPFGUIDX 121106


> Hickengruendler wrote:
"Just because Harry, the character, judges Seamus more harshly than 
he probably deserves, doesn't mean, that we, the readers, should, too.
(snip) but we are not supposed to agree with everything he does and 
says, and IMO JKR has made this absolutely clear in all of her books,
especially book 5."

> Del replied:
'Now that's funny, because I feel just the opposite way. I've always
felt that by putting us almost inside Harry's head, JKR's intention is
to make us agree with Harry pretty much all the time. This is even one
of the main reasons reading OoP was unpleasant for me : because I
found myself disagreeing with Harry way too often, separating myself
from him too much to be able to read about his reactions without
repeated twinges of annoyance.
 
I do think that we the readers are supposed to agree with Harry.
Especially considering the target public of the books : kids the same
age as Harry. They are (as a group) by definition as irrational as
Harry, so they wouldn't see anything wrong in the way Harry acts and
reacts.'


Sigune offers two Knuts:
Well, that seems to be the Parting of the Ways in this discussion, 
then :-). I agree with Hickengruendler, and OotP is my favourite book 
in the series, even though I couldn't at all agree with Harry's 
perspective most of the time. 
Book 5 bravely deconstructs all the fluffy feelings both Harry and 
the reader might hitherto have entertained about the wizarding world 
with its funny ways of dressing and mailing and living in general. 
Harry has to come to terms with a Brave New World that isn't as ideal 
as he could have hoped - it can no longer be squarely opposed to the 
Muggle world as represented by the Dursleys. It's no longer black and 
white.
I have no problem dissociating myself from Harry even though the 
point of view is his; the technique of the narrative is still 
to 'show'. What I like about OotP is that JKR doesn't smooth out the 
turmoil of the teenage brain (:-), but presents it to us, making 
clear what a flawed hero Harry is; and for me, it is his flaws that 
make him interesting. And there's absolutely nothing wrong with being 
annoyed with Harry. I was, too. But the only thing that mattered to 
me was that his behaviour made sense within the boundaries of "Harry 
Potter, Age 15, Apprentice Wizard, The Boy Who Went Through Four 
Adventures Previously And Bears The Marks" - and it did. 

Of course you can have the children's books/adults' books discussion 
again; but no matter in what category you place the series, they will 
be read by people outside that category, and that is a good thing, 
IMHO. If children can entirely sympathise with Harry, that's OK with 
me; but if HP is an enduring series they might come back to it as 
adults and find their opinion has changed. That's what's called 
growing up. And I don't think for one moment that we as adult readers 
are obliged to keep in mind that this is a children's series and that 
we should tailor our opinions to the fact. The great thing is that 
the books *can be* read by all ages, and that we have room for 
difference of opinion; otherwise the books would be a bore.

This said, Del, I share your fear concerning to two last books, to 
some extent. JKR has created (in my opinion) a very rich universe in 
which we as readers are invited to participate; but the question 
remains if she will be able to keep it up. If her endings aren't open 
enough, many of us will be severely disappointed... So I find myself 
both eager and reluctant to read the final two books.

Yours severely, 

Sigune