Harry's study habits

[Cathy Drolet]

No: HPFGUIDX 139842

CathyD: <<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), >>

hekatesheadband
I always hate to disagree with an extremely thorough analyst... then
again, there are so many on all sides of every issue that it's quite
inevitable. But I do feel compelled to note the text does support a
reading of Harry as fairly intelligent and reasonably diligent.

>I don't have my books at hand, but several times in each book, Rowling
sets the stage with words to the effect of "Harry had been poring over
his Potions essay for an hour when..." or "Harry felt Crookshanks'
tail brush against his knee as he looked through his Transfiguration
notes" or "They found an empty classroom where they could practise
such-and-such a charm" or "Harry was satisfied that he had managed to
get three rolls of parchment for Binns' essay."


CathyD:
In a quick (very quick) glance through the six books yesterday, I found 23 instances of Harry goofing off in class, not paying attention in class, copying homework, making up stuff for Divination or Hermione doing his homework.  I won't bore you with all of the quotes.  And these were instances of only Harry not paying attention, not Harry and Ron, or Harry and Hermione, or instances where it seemed the whole class was goofing around (Charms comes to mind).

The only one of your references I found was the finding of an empty classroom which was when Harry was practicing a Summoning Charm, with Hermione, for the First Task of the TWT.  Dire need, as I said in my earlier post on this subject.  

Snape gave the DADA class a two rolls of parchment assignment on werewolves, but Hermione was the only one to complete it, as far as we know, although the assignment was given on Friday and due in on Monday.  What would the other nine Gryffindors have used as an excuse if Lupin hadn't been in class on Monday? 

I think I found five or six instances of Harry doing his own homework or reasearch in the library himself.  

One quote I do want to put in because it talks about bezoars again...I wonder if JKR forgot she did it (it certainly was hard to find!). "[Harry] found it hard to concentrate in Snape's Antidote test, and consequently forgot to add the key ingredient - a bezoar - meaning that he received bottom marks.  He didn't care though; he was too busy screwing up his courage for what he was about to do." (GoF pg 345 Can Ed)  Harry initially heard about bezoars in his first Potions class.  Easy enough to forget about between then and sixth-year Potions if they hadn't studied Antidotes throughout the first part of fourth-year (until Christmas), and used them, obviously, to make Antidotes.  Only two years since he studied Antidotes and still doesn't recall bezoars?

Obviously not a complete study on the subject, but IMO, Harry is not diligent in his studies.  I'm sure he has great potential, I'm sure he's not defective mentally, but he certainly puts very little thought or effort into his studies on a routine basis.

One of the things about Harry that has really bothered me for some time is how he doesn't even know the names of fellow students.  I didn't expect a first year to know all the names of all the kids in school, or even of all the kids in his house. I don't expect, a now sixth-year, to know the names of the kids in first year.  However, after Potions classes (either single or double periods), flying lessons, and Care of Magical Creatures with the Slytherins - 10 kids in addition to the 10 Gryffindors - Hermione has to tell Harry that the 'weedy looking boy' with Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle in the library, is Theodore Nott?  Four and a half years of classes with ten kids, and he doesn't know all their names?  (Argue, as some will, that there are more than 40 kids in Harry's year, JKR has specifically said otherwise.  That she created the 40 kids for Harry's year and that is what there is: 40.)


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