[HPforGrownups] Re: Did DD Know that Harry Would Need Glasses?

[elfundeb]

No: HPFGUIDX 129437

 Sophierom:
> As for Harry's vision, didn't James Potter wear glasses?  While
> Rowling has indicated that glasses and eyes are both important to
> understanding Harry's vulnerabilities and powers, perhaps his bad
> eyesight is due to genetics?

Yes and yes.

> I wonder if Rowling's comment about Harry's glasses being key to his
> vulnerability refers to the fairly simple fact that, should his
> glasses be knocked away from him, Harry will be unable to see as well?

Actually, I think it's the opposite.  While Harry's glasses improve
his ordinary vision, I think he is vulnerable *because* he wears
glasses.  I think his eyes harbor a power that Harry will be able to
use against Voldemort, but the glasses block that power.  (Yeah, so
that means that somewhere in the final battle, Harry's glasses will be
knocked off, unlocking the means of defeating Voldemort. . . .)


> Sight does seem to be an important theme in the book.  There's
> Trelawney with her occasionally accurate sight (despite her fraudulent
> ways and big, huge glasses).  There's also the basilisk in CoS, whose
> sight is key to his powers. And I'm sure there are many more
> references to sight and blindness (and many posts dealing with the
> subject). Hmm, it will be interesting to find out how Harry's sight
> plays into this!

Very good observation.  While I'm having trouble coming up with a
clever theory as to the nature of the power I think is concealed
behind Harry's glasses (it's obviously not something so mundane as
Legilimency), logically it would involve inner sight.  Too often our
ability to truly "see" (i.e., to understand) is obscured by the sights
that demand our attention.  Taking away Harry's temporal vision (by
removing his glasses) might allow his magical vision to take center
stage.

Debbie