CAPSLOCKHarry

[Geoff Bannister]

No: HPFGUIDX 154881

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "eggplant107" <eggplant107 at ...> wrote:
>
> "Marion Ros" <mros@> wrote:
> 
> > I thought CAPSLOCKHarry was a product
> > of his 'mind-link' with Voldemort? 
> 
> There is no need to invoke a Voldemort mind link to explain cap lock
> Harry. After being tied to a tombstone and tortured Harry beats the
> most powerful Dark Wizard in a thousand years at magical arm wrestling
> and escapes, and for his trouble he is treated like a fool and a
> criminal and it attacked by hit squad of Dementors sent by the
> ministry. I think I would be in a bad mood too, wouldn't you? I can
> understand Harry feeling he had done his part, he's saved the world
> enough times; let somebody else take a crack at it and see how they
> like being tortured, I'm through with the world saving business! 
> 
> Eggplant

Geoff:
On this topic, I decided it was worth re-posting a message I originally sent as post 118574 
in a thread I began entitled "Harry's developing behaviour - average or unique?" back in 
November 2004.

I often wonder whether it reflects the demographic structure of HPFGU but to me it is 
noticeable that threads regarding Harry's development and the question of boys' 
behaviour seem largely to be posed and answered by women members of the group. As a 
result, I sometimes feel that this puts a wrong spin on the matter because looking at the 
matter from my perspective, I feel that wrong conclusions are drawn as to whether Harry's 
behaviour is fairly normal or unique to him.

What is my perspective? Firstly and obviously I am a male and was a teenager some little 
time ago, my current age being 21+++. Additionally, I have had a great deal of experience 
dealing with young people. For over 30 years I taught in South London at the same school. 
Over the years it moved from being an 11+ to 16 boys' school to a 13+ to 18 mixed and 
then finally to a 12+ to 16 mixed so I was dealing with teenagers for my entire 
professional career. I also have three children, now grown up, of whom two are male and, 
although I took early retirement several years ago, my wife and I still work with teenagers 
in our church Boys' Club.

So, is Harry's journey from 11 to nearly 16 unusual? Is the move from "Too Good" Harry to 
CapsLock!Harry a reasonable progression? And do we expect him to calm down and 
become pleasanter after this? I would say yes and want to set out comparisons between 
Harry's progress and that of a typical real world guy.

We meet Harry as a naïve, uncertain 11 year old in 1991. At that time, many boys of that 
age would be in the same situation. Up to that age, their thinking had been very much 
guided by their family; they usually conformed to the structure of the family. Boys of that 
age still see the world very much in black and white; things are good or bad. I remember, 
when my school was about to change from 11+ intake to a 13 year old intake, having a 
conversation with my Headmaster, who was a very wise old bird – definitely in the 
Dumbledore mould. I said that I could see potential problems with boys coming in at Third 
Year level because we usually gained the loyalty and support of the First Years without any 
hassle but I could anticipate that, being two years older, they would probably be more 
streetwise and likely to question what was going on. My headmaster's perceptive comment 
about the First Year boys was something like "True. When they are at the age of 11, they 
haven't lost their sense of wonderment or magic."

In my opinion therefore, Harry was not unusual at this age. He was quiet and reserved, not 
many close friends. So was I. I was a bit of a swot; I enjoyed finding out about things and 
wasn't particularly athletic. Harry also wasn't completely angelic. Although he kept his 
head down, metaphorically and physically, at Privet Drive, he obviously had his views 
which were sometimes a little "wicked". We see him in PS thinking of Dudley as a pig in a 
wig and he allowed himself to visualise Dudley resembling one of the gorillas at the Zoo. 
When he is annoyed or stressed, his wandless reflex magic surfaces from time to time. In 
COS, he has great fun frightening Dudley with his wand and he certainly produces a couple 
of sarcastic replies for Aunt Marge in POA. So there is certainly a spark present
waiting to be triggered off!

What about him in OOTP? I said earlier that at 11, things are black and white. It is as we 
approach our teens that the grey areas begin to creep in. People we have looked up to as 
marvellous – maybe even parents or grandparents – suddenly have occasions when they let 
us down, embarrass us and try to continue directing our lives as they did when we were 
younger. Teens want room to flex their muscles –physically, behaviourally and socially – 
and like to spend time pushing at the barriers and seeing if they can be prised open a little 
further. And with it can come the tempers and the outbursts. I know about that – I had red 
hair (then!). Both my sons went through spells like this in their mid-teens. My elder son 
was dreadful; we didn't dare take him anywhere. He was angry, moody, sullen and anti-
social. Today, he is happily married and working towards a doctorate in Theology as a 
mature student. My younger son lived on a short fuse for years (as did our nerves). 
Something would displease him and there would be a minor volcanic eruption. He would 
address us in capital letters and then stomp off to his room; you could tell by 
The diminishing sounds of doors being slammed hard where he was. He is now a highly-
paid computer consultant used to making measured decisions for companies. OK, so Harry 
had extra reasons for blowing his top over and above the usual pressures of adolescence 
but much of what he does and thinks are in part the normal behaviour and
development of average teenage males.

Will Harry revert to being like he was before his outburst years? No. But he will return to 
being more civilised. He will not return to the unquestioning and naïve Harry of 11 but he 
will be the experienced and worldly-wise Harry of 17 or 18 growing into adulthood. This is 
How it works out in the real world and I see this as being the same for the Wizarding 
World. Let's stop trying to label Harry as a freak and consider him as a normal teenager for 
whom the screw has been turned a notch or so tighter than normal.