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

[horridporrid03]

No: HPFGUIDX 159644

> >>Pippin:
> > The bullies in JKR's books all scare and hurt people but
> > they  don't all have the same motives for doing it.
> > 
> > JKR shows Draco lighting up when he thinks someone is going to
> > get hurt. That's not something we see in either James or
> > Dudley, though we do see it in Pettigrew. 

> >>Magpie:
> > But what's the important distinction?

> >>Pippin:
> I think there's an important distinction, especially for DDM!Snape
> theorists,  because we have to ask, if James was a bully but got
> over it,  then why didn't Snape, if he truly returned to the right 
> side? JKR's answers could be that some bullies  get
> a charge out of  bullying, perhaps because they are damaged
> in a certain way,  while others do not. If the bully's conduct
> is being reinforced internally and by society, then he will not
> able to feel that he is doing anything wrong, and he will not
> see any reason to change his ways.

Betsy Hp:
Do we really see Snape, especially young!Snape as a bully though?  
I'd always seen him as a victim that took the wrong path in search 
of vengence.

I'm not sure that I really do see a strong, identifiable, difference 
between certain forms of bullying and/or bullies.  I'm not sure JKR 
is being that methodical.

I can see various links and similarities between various characters, 
but I don't think they're that consistant.  Actually, I think the 
links can be frustratingly *in*consistant for people looking for 
that sort of thing.  (Even Harry falls down in trying to link 
characters together.)

As to Draco lighting up when someone is going to get hurt, yes 
Pettigrew does the same thing, but so do Harry and Ron.  It just 
depends on who is getting hurt.  In many ways I think JKR is 
remarkably sloppy about things like that.  Which is also 
frustrating.  And I'm still uncertain about how much of that 
sloppiness is deliberate.

Betsy Hp