Harry's ability to love- unusual or not? WAS: Re: JKR's dealing with emotions

[dumbledore11214]

No: HPFGUIDX 147580

> Shaun: 
<BIG SNIP>
> Even so, even if Dumbledore is right though, I still don't see 
> any signs that Harry is any more loving than the next person in 
> the novels. He seems to simply be a fairly normal boy capable of 
> fairly normal love. That's just my opinion, but I really don't 
> see Harry as different in that regard.

Alla:

I am in partial agreement with you, Shaun, I suppose. I don't think 
Dumbledore overstates the case simply because to me the indication 
that Harry's ability to love will help him defeat Voldemort means 
that Harry's ability to love is indeed unusual. IMO of course.

Where I am in agreement with you, sort of is that I don't see so far 
Harry's manifestation of love as something unusual, except for 
somebody who grew up in such horrible conditions. I think that it is 
more expected than not for Harry to grew up not able to love at all. 
THAT to me is unusual, but you seem to agree at least that Harry 
could have been growing up and not learning how to love at all, 
right?

Having said that, I am thinking that maybe I am not agreeing with 
you after all, because IMO JKR subtly shows that Harry's ability to 
love IS unusual. I mean, YES, he does not go around telling to 
everybody "I love you" and hugging everybody or something like that. 
he certainly is able to express negative emotions and I am thanking 
that JKR shows to us not a saint, but a normal human being, BUT 
after Pensieve lesson he expresses a BRIEF pity for Tom, as 
Dumbledore remarks.

Now, you can tell me that it was really brief and not that unusual, 
but personally I am NOT sure at all that I would be able to feel 
ANYTHING positive towards someone who ( G-d forbid) murdered my 
parents in cold blood, no matter how hard of childhood that person 
would have. So, TO ME that brief flash of pity Harry felt towards 
Tom IS unusual and could be a subtle showing of how great Harry 
could be.

Honestly, I am very pleased how JKR deals with Harry's ability to 
love so far. We also have Harry pitying Malfoy, THAT of course is 
not so unusual, but I also admire Harry for pitying even briefly 
someone who just minutes ago was readying himself to kill Dumbledore.

Again, Harry's attitude towards Malfoy I can imagine, but still I 
find at least a bit more than usual.


Shaun: 
> I think he has a heightened sense of justice, and perhaps in some 
> ways a heightened sense of duty - this to me is his 'saving 
> people thing' and that may have some link to a form of love.

Alla:

True, I agree that could be subtle showing of ability to love as 
well.

Shaun:
> But I don't see much reason to suppose that Harry loved Sirius 
> anymore than any normal person would have loved a parent, or 
> pseudo-parent figure.

Alla:
Yes, again, I guess. I think Harry truly loved Sirius , just as 
Sirius loved him very much, but I see it as a normal person's love 
to  the parent.

Harry pitying Tom and Malfoy I do not find to be so normal, 
personally.

JMO,

Alla