[HPforGrownups] Re: Real child abuse/ESE!lupin questions

[Magpie]

No: HPFGUIDX 145850

 Alla:
>
> I cannot speak for Amiable Dorsai of course, but I see very little
> similarity between Snape and Draco thinking that Harry gets a
> special treatment, entitlement, etc, AND readers like me getting a
> satisfaction out of reading about Draco's ego being smacked down.
>
> Why? Because I don't see a support in the text to Snape and Draco's
> POV, on the contrary IMO narrator emphasizes all the time that Harry
> does NOT want his fame, has NO sense of entitlement, would give it
> all up to have a real family, would give his money to Weasleys in a
> twinkle of an eye, etc. So, the way I see it, Draco and Snape may
> think along those lines as much as they would like, but I see that
> they are wrong, while when I read about Draco, I see exactly what
> Amiable Dorsai described - the boy thinking that he is above
> everybody else and THAT is IMO supported in the text as well. When
> school turns on Harry, we also see that they are wrong - Harry is
> NOT a Slytherin Heir, Harry did NOT put his name in Goblet of Fire,
> etc,etc, etc.

Magpie:

Harry sees himself the way Harry sees himself.  Snape and Draco see 
themselves the way they see themselves.  They all are pretty sure of their 
views of the other.  I think all their viewpoints are skewed.  I live in 
Harry's head in the text too, but I don't always agree with the way he sees 
things--including Draco.  I don't think Harry always has a view of others 
(including Draco) that is any more accurate than Draco's view of Harry.  I 
don't think either boy's view of himself is always accurate either.

Life would be great if we were always right and humble and did nothing to 
earn dislike while the person we hate is exactly the way we imagine him to 
be and deserving of all the hatred that I have so objectively feel for him. 
I just don't think it's true.

In this case, the facts actually do show Harry getting special treatment. 
Readers knowing good reasons for why Harry deserves or didn't ask for all 
the special treatment doesn't change that it's there--and the Slytherins 
aren't privvy to Harry's inner thoughts about how sometimes it sucks to be 
TBWL.  I can't help but find it interesting that the line of conversation 
goes from the idea that Draco gets special treatment to the idea that he 
thinks he should get special treatment, to the fact that Harry doesn't want 
the special treatment he (Harry) gets so Draco should not think of him as 
getting it.  This just makes it seem even more important that these idiots 
get some perspective on each other and on themselves.

-m