Respecting the Dursleys( was:Re: Hi everyone -- banning the books)

[pippin_999]

No: HPFGUIDX 159519

 
> Alla:

> Could somebody who indeed feels that Dursleys are horrible, but feel 
> something for Dudley explain why?
> 
> I mean if for you all Dursleys are great, ( for hypothetical you, or 
> like for Betsy, they are just not abusive, I get it), I am just 
> trying to feel something for Dudley and cannot, assuming that I am 
> hundred percent sure that his parents are abusive monsters. I mean 
> the fact that he is  a bully to Harry obviously does not help, but I 
> am trying to imagine what if he would not and only his parents 
> abused Harry, and he was indifferent and still cannot find any 
> sympathetic scenes.
> <snip>
> 
> I want to buy Dursleys as abused child and want to sympathise with 
> him. Help me?

Pippin:
How to put this...the Dursleys are to parenting what bleeding and purging
are to doctoring--in most cases you'd be better off to let nature take its
course. They do not know how to set limits, and they have consistently
given Dudley more presents, more food, more priveleges and more
stimulation than he can handle. He has never learned to be satisfied
with what he has, and until he does he can't really ever be happy.
If it weren't for the school nurse and the boxing team he'd be well
on his way to eating himself to death, and yet he doesn't take
pleasure in his food, not like Slughorn does. It's never good enough.

When he bullies we don't see him taking pleasure in scaring or hurting 
people the way Draco does --  Dudley does it to impress his gang and keep 
them entertained. Maybe that was the point of naming the victim Evans? 
It could be Dudley's not as different from James as you might think.


Pippin