How do the books affect children? (was: Why down on all the characters?)

[stephab67]

No: HPFGUIDX 179600

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "sistermagpie" 
<sistermagpie at ...> wrote:
 
Magpie:
So except for all those times random strangers are throwing 
themselves at him or he's being chased by hoards of girls. Or when 
something spectacular happens, which is once a year. Harry's a 
totally nobody in between the times he's front page news, the stuff 
of legend or the school sports star. Iow, he's never a nobody. If 
nobody cared about Harry he wouldn't have the dramatic shunnings he 
does--that's even spelled out in canon in PS when Harry gets the 
brunt of the reaction to the loss of points because Hermione and 
Neville actually aren't important (rather than just having periods 
where the crowd's attention gets down to a dull roar or turns 
nasty). Harry is far more high-profile all the time. Even if Hannah 
Abbot has twice as many people to her birthday party.
> 
Fame is a whole greater level of importantance and Harry's got it. 
When the head of the government is showing up to try to get you on 
his side, and the new teacher is sucking up to you, and when the 
world goes to hell the whole world is looking to you as a savior 
because you kind of are their savior--come on, how on earth is this 
kid not important? I can't even come up with somebody who's Harry's 
level of importance in our world. Chosen One. Literally. I think 
Harry's central to his universe even more than most fantasy heroes.

Steph:
I never once said Harry wasn't important.  I said he wasn't always 
popular. Huge difference.  There are many people who are important 
who aren't popular.  I'm suggesting that Harry wasn't always one of 
the "cool kids" until HBP.  And yes, I do say that he became popular 
in that book.  Everyone at school new why Harry was important, it 
doesn't however mean that they wanted to be his friend.  You can 
also appreciate someone for their sporting skills but not want to be 
friends with them.  
> 

Magpie: 
> His importance doesn't come from how many people are in his 
circle. 

Steph:
I know.  That's what I said.  Again, importance isn't the same thing 
as popularity.  Harry doesn't have a lot of friends up to HBP.  You 
can even say that everyone in the DA wasn't his friend, but they 
recognized his value as a Dark Arts teacher.  That doesn't mean that 
he's their friend.

Magpie:
The fact remains when it came to connections, it was Ron who made a 
good one in that scene and not Harry. 

Steph:
Just because he made a good connection doesn't mean he went 
*looking* for a connection.  I never got the impression that Ron had 
that motive.  Draco was certainly looking for that, but Ron wasn't.  
Again, I make a distinction between being important and being 
popular.