Dahl and the Dursleys (was:Re: Cruel, Mean, and Nasty/Follow the

[Bruce Alan Wilson]

No: HPFGUIDX 158914

Tonks:
"I agree that the Dursleys, if you take Harry away, would seem 
like an ordinary middle class family next door. Except for the 34 
presents for Birthdays, of course. I also think that JKR did use 
Hyacinth Bucket as a model. All of Hyacinth's sisters have flower 
names. So the names Lily and Petunia and Petunia need to "keep up 
appearances" just seems to have come straight from that show (which 
we get on PBS here in the States)."

BAW:
If we are permitted to talk about the films, I was hoping that 
Patricia Rutledge would be D.U.; I don't know the lady who got the 
job, so I'll reserve judgment, but PR would have been great IMHO.

Marion:
"then don't even the decency to *ask*, but simply resort to 
*dumping* the brat on their doorstep."

BAW:
DD said that Aunt Petunia agreed to take Harry in.  This implies 
that she had the opportunity to refuse.  But once she agreed--
however reluctantly--she agreed.  We know how the WW feels about 
contracts, and as the sister of a witch she would have (or should 
have) known.

The fact is that we don't know everything that was in the Letter 
or any other communications that DD may have had with Lily, and 
any judgment we may make would be what a certain famous fictional 
detective would have called theorizing ahead of our data.

BAW