Harry's emotional scars (was: In Defense of DD)

[Chys Sage Lattes]

No: HPFGUIDX 126745


Lupinlore:
>> To take this in a slightly different direction, I think the 
series is on the edge of a series of revelations about JKR's view 
of these things (i.e. emotional scarring). We have hints we are 
going to learn a lot more about Voldy in the next couple of books, 
and Snape as well. Some have postulated that the theme of emotional 
scarring will be very big. Others that emotional scarring will have 
no place as a major theme in the narrative and that "free choice" 
will be the deciding factor. We have hints in both directions. 
Dumbledore's constant talk about "what's good over what's easy" 
points to free will, but then the talk about how "some wounds run 
too deep for the healing," points another way. <<


Chys:
JKR's done a pretty good job of showing the actual accumulation of 
emotional scarring in HP's case, beginning with GH event then after 
the abuse at the Dursleys, he has to take it at school too. (Taunting 
from children, the Daily Prophet, Snape looking down his hooked nose 
at him... Bad DADA teachers out to get him... something emotionally 
traumatic occuring like clockwork every year... emotionally messed up 
in my opinion, just from that, and not just the normal teenage angst.)

Then there's the matter of DD, and what he did to Harry which is 
unforgivable, really. And what he did afterwards that struck a nerve 
with me, though it was explained away in a fashion which didn't 
settle my stomach:

The worst thing you can do to a person is ignore them. 

I know this from experience. It makes them think they have no worth 
to you. For a whole year, DD did this to Harry, and we expect him to 
be a happy, normal, emotionally stable teenager as of the start of 
term next year and simply let it all slide? I think not. 

He's already starting to be moody in the sense that he's distancing 
himself from everything he's liked (school, friends... he's depressed, then there's the prophecy, and what he should have known 
all along- everyone he supposed to have trusted has LIED to him.) 
Just how far JKR goes with it in future books will make his 
emotional scarring (and behaviour afterwords) believable... or not.


Chys