[HPforGrownups] JKR and "Think of the Children!"(was: Sending Voldie through the Veil...)

[Lynda Cordova]

No: HPFGUIDX 162067

Betsyhp:

But here's the thing. *Harry never cracks a book either*!! For some
reason that tickled me. I picture Harry being all "stupid lump never
reads," while he carefully avoides the crowded bookshelf himself. <bg>

Lynda:

Now that's an interesting assertion. We know from later in the book (SS that
is) that Harry at least reads enough to have looked over his schoolbooks.
The text when he's in his first potion's class tells us that. And since the
narrator doesn't give us blow by blow of Harry's every activity I cannot say
"Harry doesn't read". I can say, "The text doesn't state that Harry reads,"
and apparently he doesn't come from a household that models reading as a
leisure activity. He doesn't belong to the library, but usually, children in
primary grades are taken to the library by their parents and apparently,
this isn't someplace Harry was taken by the Dursleys. So perhaps Harry's
lack of reading is more of the neglect from the Dursleys than anything else.

Lynda


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