On the trivial and the profound

[colebiancardi]

No: HPFGUIDX 165455

 "eggplant107" <eggplant107 at ...> wrote:

<big snip>
 > People love to criticize Harry (I don't pretend to know why), if 
one
> reason for doing so gets shot down try another. If there had been a
> scene in one of the books of Snape in his chambers consulting a very
> rare old potions book I doubt we would have heard one word of
> criticism from anybody because Snape has that all important Free 
Pass,
> Harry has never even seen one.
> 

colebiancardi:

I guess the "criticism" is because Harry is the Hero of the Story.  
What is a Hero?  I c&p this from 
http://www.geocities.com/doctorpeace/hero/whatishero.html and edited 
it, as this person was talking about a game ;) but it fits:

A hero is someone unusual qualities, who is working for the greater 
good of their society, who is searching for new truths and 
revelations, and who has flaws that, must be overcome in order to 
prevail.  The hero will need Allies, Followers, Contacts, and other 
relationships.  They will take charge; act instead of react.  They 
will need to be creative.

Ok, so, I thought this was a pretty good definition of a Hero for the 
HP stories.  Nothing new.  Therefore, the criticism around the HBP 
book & Harry is the flaw.  It isn't a big one as far as flaws go, or 
life threatening.  However, if Harry doesn't learn from this flaw, 
will he pick up and run with it - i.e. continuing to repeat this 
character flaw over & over again, which may lead to a tragic end.  
The flaw is not the use of the book, but the stealing of credit.

I do not have a problem with Harry using the HBP book as a reference, 
a tool.  What I do have a problem with, and even Harry acknowledges 
this to himself, is that he is taking credit for SOMEONE ELSE'S HARD 
WORK.  I cap'd that not to yell, but to stress that point.  Sure, I 
can go to the library or ask my friend for help on a project, but 
would I EVER take credit for someone else's work?  Would I just stand 
by and not correct the assumption that others have made about me?

I don't view Harry as "consulting" the HBP book - he is using it, in 
totality, without experimentation of his own - he is using it without 
understanding what he is doing.  Hermione goes to the library to 
consult and I am sure NO ONE would call her a cheater - everyone 
knows she goes the library and I am sure she footnotes like crazy.  

If Snape didn't come up with those potion refinements, didn't create 
those hexes & curses, but took credit for it - I would call him a 
liar & a cheat.  I have no problem stating that.  If 
Snape "consulted" another book to improve on a potion and understood 
what that improvement did and why, I have no problem with that.  If 
Harry had used the HBP book to understand what those potion 
improvements did & why, I would have no problem with that either.  

I think what it boils down for me is this:

a)  Harry read the HBP's notes and used them without showing the 
least bit of curiosity about the why's and how's.  He didn't 
really "learn" anything - if he did, the book could have been taken 
away from him and it wouldn't matter.  The knowledge would be in his 
head.
b) Harry let people assume he was brilliant in Potions.  Snape knew 
better, Hermione knew better.  He took credit for someone else's hard 
work and experimentations.  And that is a fake, a fraud in my book.


colebiancardi
(who does get miffed when a co-worker takes credit for my ideas and 
code)