Harry's character development

[Cathy Drolet]

No: HPFGUIDX 139724

CathyD:
> As to my opinion of - oops, I was going to write Frodo...now see
what you've done ;-) ...Harry, I think he's a bit of an idot. He
puts very little effort into his homework, pays little attention in
class, accomplishes learning only at dire need (Patronus, throwing
off the Imperius curse, or when cramming, with Hermione's notes, for
exams), never really tried to learn Occlumency (apart from what JKR
says that he would not accomplish it anyway) despite how important
it was for him to do so, yet he claims "it seems as though *I always
knew* I'd have to face him in the end..." Seems pretty stupid to me
although that is just my opinion. The only thing he has really
excelled at is Quidditch. Of course, maybe he's going to fly past
Voldie on his broom and plant a big wet kiss on his face and Voldie
will disintegrate, but somehow I don't think so.

Geoff:
>>Come on, the guy is a teenager. When I was Harry's age, I say
without being boastful that I was considered one of the brightest
kids on the block - my exam results bore that out. But I often
didn't put as much effort into my work as I ought to. I am
intellectually rather lazy and, as you suggest with Harry in your
remark above, I often only learned at dire need but still retain the
ability to pick up information at great speed when the crisis breaks
(!)

CathyD:
A teenager who has been plucked from his comfort zone (not that I think the Dursley residence is 'comfortable' but, at least, a known quantity) and dropped into a world where he knows absolutely nothing.  Ok, I'll give him that he didn't think to ask for books about Hogwarts, the WW in general while he was standing in a WW bookshop.  Fine.  But once he's on the Hogwarts Express, and knows this Hermione girl has read all these books he still shows no interest.  Even after they become friends at Hallowe'en he doesn't bother to borrow her books. 

I'll even give you that up until the end of book five he didn't "know" he was going to have to go after LV (though he does say he sensed it all along).  Here, in year six, he still isn't taking responsibility to learn anything. Instead he takes credit for Potions brilliance (to quote Hermione) that he doesn't deserve and still has Hermione doing his homework.  Who does he think is going to do the work for him when he starts his Auror training?  I don't think Hermione intends to be there. 

This young man is going to have to go out into the world and live as a wizard once the final battle is complete.  He is, at this point, hardly prepared for that world at all, IMO.  At this point, he's going to have to live with one foot in the WW and the other in the MW.  

My only hope for Harry is that JKR is going to write book 7 without him needing to know any of this stuff. By the end he won't be *living* in either world so he won't need to know it then, either.  


Geoff:
> >>Harry also spotted Peter Pettigrew on the map -
> and told Lupin


CathyD:
> When? It never happened in my book.

....Lupin found Peter on the map the night Ron was dragged into the
Whomping Willow by Sirius and Harry and Hermione followed. He had
the map open on his desk and saw HRH going to Hagrid's Hut then saw
Pettigrew with them when they left. I honestly can't fiind anywhere
that says Harry saw Pettigrew on the map and told Lupin about it.


Geoff:
>>My apologies. I had a bad attack of movie contamination. I am taking
the relevant tablets.

CathyD:
Hope you're feeling better! ;-)

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