Blinded Harry WAS (Re: Harry's glasses and vulnerability)

[kjirstem]

No: HPFGUIDX 121516


 
 <most of post snipped...>
> Julie wrote:

> So what does blindness provide to Harry other than dramatic storyline?
>  Is it a vulnerability that makes him stronger in his fight, makes him
> think of alternatives?
> 

kjirstem:

Much as I think that Harry's physical sight being poor will come into
play in some future important scene, the possibility also exists that
Harry's glasses are a metaphor for his weakness in understanding
("seeing")events and people.

IMO there are abundant examples of Harry not understanding what is
actually happening in each of the books.  For example, there is his
misguided focus on Snape in PS/SS, his taking awhile to figure out Tom
Riddle had something to do with Ginny being in the Chamber of Secrets
in COS, and his insistence on a rescue mission to the MOM in OOtP.  

OTOH, during a crisis Harry's most effective actions are instinctual.
 Not a lot of thought went into plunging the basilisk fang into the
diary or booting Voldie out of his head by longing to be with Sirius
again.  I'm sure also that knowledge and understanding didn't play
much of a role in Harry's first defeat of Voldemort at age 15 months.

My view is that Harry's glasses represent his vulnerability in more
than just the physical sense.  

kjirstem - who thinks it is interesting that glasses act upon light