don't think that Harry will die (now Harry as Role model)

[Barb Roberts]

No: HPFGUIDX 160742


>
>   > Sarah:
>  > My question is, is she writing to give people a role model, or 
> writing
>  > to tell a story? I believe the latter. If Harry is meant as a role
>  > model, he's already got some problems.
>
>  Geoff:
>
>  Harry comes from a disadvantaged background...  He is a fairly
>  ordinary guy. He wears glasses, he is described as small and skinny,
>  untidy and we know that he is not a great academic. ...
>
>   But because exciting things happen to him, he is a model for the 
> great
>  majority of young people who do not fit the poster boy CV of my 
> previous
>  paragraph. Youngsters see that someone ordinary, whom you might pass
>  in the street without noticing can achieve great things.
>
I would prefer to say Harry gives hope to average people. Role model 
does sound a bit preachy, I think. Uck.

  Anyway, I ran across a interesting article concerning prodigies that 
relates to Harry. According to the author (Eric Wargo) most (many?) 
child prodigies do not become great. Rather they usually become  just 
OK or above average as adults. In other words, many of the children in 
gifted programs do not become gifted adults. The author differentiates 
between precocity and giftedness.  He quotes another (Malcolm Gladwell) 
“I think we take it as an article of faith in our society that great 
ability in any given field is invariably manifested early on, that to 
be precocious at something is important because it’s a predictor of 
future success.” According to the author this is wrong. It's often the 
OK ( average, or above average) who children bloom late and go on to 
great accomplishments. Precociousness usually means that a gifted child 
is a good mimic, or "a gifted learner."  "A gifted adult is a gifted 
doer."  Link to the article:  
http://www.psychologicalscience.org/observer/getArticle.cfm?id=2026

Rowling with her background in education (college student and 
teaching), I'm sure has witnessed average students blossoming in 
college and going on to world class achievements, while bright students 
often settle for becoming competent professionals or worse. Why do I 
think this? Because precocious Hermione herself tells Harry that he 
will be great--not her. (not sure in which book?) All her learning 
comes from books, but not so with Harry.  I think Hermione will grow up 
to be a competent professional. Perhaps a Healer? I think Harry will 
become great--the sorting cap told him that he has it in him to become 
great.  Harry is the gifted doer.

And of course there are other examples of  late bloomers such as the 
squib who will display talent late-in-life and Neville, who in the 
later books, looks like he will be more successful adult than Draco.

I have wondered if Harry' s success in potions is a sign of a 
blossoming gift.  I didn't take his using the notes as cheating, but 
rather as a sign that Harry is "thinking outside the box" or "thinking 
beyond the text."

I've also wondered if the Potter family business is somehow related to 
potions.  it would be the ultimate irony.




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