[HPforGrownups] Etiquette WAS Re: polite Dumbledore?

[Sherry Gomes]

No: HPFGUIDX 142689

Carol responds:
I'm perennially astounded by readers who see either the Dursleys' or
Snape's treatment of Harry as worse than Bellatrix's Crucios or
Umbridge's blood-drawing detentions. If we're wishing for vengeance,
it should be against the truly evil characters, not against a
magic-fearing family or a teacher who hasn't been taught that sarcasm
is not a method approved by modern Muggle teacher colleges.




Sherry now:

i can only speak for me, not for any other person, but as far as I'm
concerned, i haven't forgotten Bella or Umbridge.  However, your comment
about the Dursleys being merely magic fearing Muggles doesn't quite hold up.
Because of this quote from Chapter 3 of HBP.

I can't give you page numbers, because braille pages are different from
print.  However, this is from chapter three, HBP, as Harry is running
downstairs upon Dumbledore's arrival.

"Harry ran down the stairs two at a time, coming to an abrupt halt several
steps from the bottom, as long experience had taught him to remain out of
arm's reach of his uncle whenever possible."


That tells me that Vernon, at least, did a lot more than fear magic.  It
sounds like there was physical abuse of Harry by his uncle.  That doesn't
make him any less evil to me than Bella or Umbridge.

As for Snape, i've said many times, that my anger toward Snape for his
treatment of his students is more on Neville's behalf.  He is ruthlessly
cruel to Neville.  That doesn't make him a prince.  and since i believe he
murdered Dumbledore for his own purposes, whatever they may be--because I
cannot ever accept that deliberately killing one person can have a
legitimate excuse--then, yes, I expect Snape to get his just desserts, as
much as i hope that Bella and Umbridge do as well.

i cannot understand anyone feeling bad for the poor Dursleys, when we have
canon now to show that Harry's uncle has used his hands in some way on his
nephew.  Not only that, we know they made him live in a closet, starved him
and routinely let their spoiled rotten son beat him up.  Yeah, nice guys,
well deserving of kindness and politeness.  Dumbledore was sweet and kind to
them, when you consider what he did next to what Harry has suffered all his
life.  Though i agree that Harry's difficult life has made him strong, that
does not in any way excuse the Dursleys for all they did.  

I am not hoping to see more abuse of the Dursleys, because the less I see of
them the better.  And i do agree with something that you, Carol, said
earlier about the Dursleys being unreal.  I know I'm not quoting you
correctly, but I've deleted that message.  But I remember reading the first
book and thinking that if you'd asked a kid to describe a really horrible
family, the Dursleys are what you would get.  But that rather comic feeling
changed in COS, when Harry was locked in his room with bars on the windows
and starved.  It wasn't funny anymore, and i wish we need never see another
Dursley.


Sherry