Did James wear glasses? (Re: Did DD Know that Harry Would Need Glasses?)

[madorganization]

No: HPFGUIDX 129660

> 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?
> 
> Jen: It's really not clear in canon if James wears glassses or not. 
> Harry sees him in the Mirror of Erised wearing glasses, but that's 
> also Harry's fantasy of his parents before he sees actual pictures 
> of them. Someone else made the point that Harry might conjure up
two 
> people he could immediately identify with in that scene, thus he 
> sees a father with untidy hair and glasses.
> 


Alisha:
I've heard several people use this argument in dealing with what
Harry 
saw in the Mirror of Erised, but I have yet to understand what would 
make someone think that what Harry saw came entirely from knowledge
or 
hopes containted within himself.  When Harry used the mirror to 
retrieve the Philosopher's Stone, it is not his intuition that shows 
him the stone in his pocket, it is the truth of the matter.  I think 
that all the people that Harry saw in the mirror were indeed Harry's 
relatives as they once existed.  IIRC, Harry did not at first even 
realize that they were his family members.  He had to look more 
closely.
As to why James was never again described wearing glasses:  they 
aren't really an important part of who James is to Harry.  After all, 
once we have seen a remarkable physical feature of any character 
described, we almost never see it again until it is important or 
relevant to the plot.  For instance, McGonnagal's glasses are only 
mentioned in connection with her animagus state.  This doesn't mean 
that she doesn't always wear glasses, just that we don't always need 
to know about them.

Alisha-
whose glasses have always been an important part of her character, 
even when she's wearing contacts