Judging Characters / Sociable Harry (was:Scene with likeable James...)

[horridporrid03]

No: HPFGUIDX 156395

> >>Betsy Hp:
> > In real life, yes, in a work of fiction? That's how it's done. 
> > Because the author gets to pick and choose what scenes she      
> > shares with us, so it's not really "five minutes in the life     
> > of". It's a key insight into various characters.
> <snip>

> >>Joe:
> Sure but once we start applying real life judgments then don't we 
> have to start taking it all together?

Betsy Hp:
Well, again, we're not judging real life people, we're judging 
fictional characters.  It's good to take all the known facts about a 
character under consideration when attempting to figure that 
character out.  But a large amount of weight will, and I think 
should, be given to things we as readers actually witness.  Good 
authors know this and write their scenes accordingly.

To understand James we *must* accept this scene as indicitive of an 
aspect of his character.  Of course we also have to remember that 
Lily married him, Dumbledore made him Head Boy, he saved the life of 
someone he had seen as lesser than, and he died defending his family 
from Voldemort.   
  
> >>Betsy Hp:
> <snip>
> > Harry was put off (and actually thought his father capable 
> > of rape) for a reason after witnessing it. Harry, being a boy 
> > attending Hogwarts, should have a fairly good idea as to what 
> > consitutes normal boyish rough-housing at his school, and what   
> > goes above and beyond.
    
> >>Joe:
> <snip>  
> Yeah Harry did misunderstand it but Harry lived under a cupboard   
> when he should have been interacting with people his own age. He   
> is behind on that sort of thing even after a few years at school.

Betsy Hp:
Honestly, I don't recall ever seeing Harry as *that* socially 
backward.  Sure, he didn't have friends in elementary school, at 
least, not anyone to have over for a visit.  But I got the sense 
that most of his school troubles boiled down to him sharing a class 
with Dudley rather than any social oddness of his own.

I don't remember Harry not knowing the proper way to interact with 
his housemates or his teammates, either.  He's a bit of an 
introvert, but I think that also has something to do with his 
natural personality.

Were there moments in the books that stood out to you as Harry being 
especially socially awkward?

Betsy Hp