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mary_j_59These are just a few questions I have had about physical appearance as it relates to character in the Potterverse. The first two points are things I noticed, and the third is a response to j.K. Rowling's recent comments on eating disorders.
Point one: Along with many other fans, I've been struggling with Harry's character after "Half-Blood Prince". Who is this boy, really? Why is he so incapable of introspection, and how will he ever survive his journey unless he learns to think? Then I noticed something in the very first book:
"The only thing Harry liked about his appearance was a narrow scar on his forehead that looked like a lightning bolt" (Page 26 of the Carlsen paperback, German edition.)
This is interesting to me - the only thing this young boy likes about his own appearance is something external to him; something that is a remnant of the greatest tragedy in his life; something that may - if my speculations and those of other fans are correct - actually hide a portion of Lord Voldemort's soul. What does it mean that this is the only thing about himself that Harry actually likes? For one thing, it indicates that, as arrogant as he may seem at times, Harry actually has rather low self-esteem. He doesn't like himself much, when he bothers to think about himself at all. This is a natural result of his aunt and uncle's abuse, but it is also a very serious problem. Harry really needs to learn introspection - to see and recognize his own faults and to forgive himself for having them. Otherwise, those faults are likely to control him, as they seem to be doing at the end of HBP. Not that Harry is an evil character by any means, but he has consistently been vengeful and prejudiced throughout the books, and those characteristics are particularly marked at the end of HBP. I firmly believe that he will be able to defeat Voldemort only by conquering those failing in himself. One more thing I noticed is that Harry shares these failings with a couple of other young men (but a generation older than he). One of them is Severus Snape, and the other is Sirius Black. It may be pertinent that the first of these characters may also have suffered abuse, and the second one definitely did.
Point two: This is really a question. What is going on with the physical resemblance between four characters in these books - Tom Riddle, Albus Dumbledore, Severus Snape, and Harry Potter? On the surface, these four do not look alike at all - Dumbledore, who was auburn-haired as a young man, has different coloring than the other three; Tom Riddle was strikingly handsome before his horcrux experimentation, Dumbledore and Harry pleasant looking but not exceptional, and Severus homely; Dumbledore and Riddle are notably tall, while Harry and Severus would seem to be average height or a bit over, and so on. In short, if you saw all four standing together at the age of 20, for example, you wouldn't have the slightest problem telling them apart. Still, there seems to be almost a family resemblance. All four are slender; all four have large hands and noticeably long fingers; at least three of the four have remarkable eyes. Are these merely the shared traits of powerful wizards in Rowling's universe, or is something else going on?
Finally, a repsonse to J.K.Rowling's recent essay on her website. I liked the essay, for eating disorders are a real danger and the mass media are still doing nothing to combat them. But is Rowling herself sending a mixed message, as she seems to be doing about bullying? Yes, some of the evil people in her books are slender and beautiful. But is there a single unambiguously good character who is heavy? Unless you count Molly Weasley (and she is capable of being narrow-minded and unforgiving, and is also merely slightly plump) there are no truly overweight heroes or heroines in these books. No - instead, we have the Dursleys. I always thought that Dudley, Uncle Vernon, and Aunt Marge were a slap at overweight people, and this is one of the reasons I find it painful to read about them. Yes, Neville is plump, and he is one of my absolute favorite charactes, but Rowling does not dwell on his weight as she does on Dudley's. Dudley's obesity seems to define him as much as any other characteristic, and all his other characteristics are bad. Just a thought -
BTW, I know Slughorn is also obese. He is not unambiguously good; indeed, I'm not sure he's good at all.
Point one: Along with many other fans, I've been struggling with Harry's character after "Half-Blood Prince". Who is this boy, really? Why is he so incapable of introspection, and how will he ever survive his journey unless he learns to think? Then I noticed something in the very first book:
"The only thing Harry liked about his appearance was a narrow scar on his forehead that looked like a lightning bolt" (Page 26 of the Carlsen paperback, German edition.)
This is interesting to me - the only thing this young boy likes about his own appearance is something external to him; something that is a remnant of the greatest tragedy in his life; something that may - if my speculations and those of other fans are correct - actually hide a portion of Lord Voldemort's soul. What does it mean that this is the only thing about himself that Harry actually likes? For one thing, it indicates that, as arrogant as he may seem at times, Harry actually has rather low self-esteem. He doesn't like himself much, when he bothers to think about himself at all. This is a natural result of his aunt and uncle's abuse, but it is also a very serious problem. Harry really needs to learn introspection - to see and recognize his own faults and to forgive himself for having them. Otherwise, those faults are likely to control him, as they seem to be doing at the end of HBP. Not that Harry is an evil character by any means, but he has consistently been vengeful and prejudiced throughout the books, and those characteristics are particularly marked at the end of HBP. I firmly believe that he will be able to defeat Voldemort only by conquering those failing in himself. One more thing I noticed is that Harry shares these failings with a couple of other young men (but a generation older than he). One of them is Severus Snape, and the other is Sirius Black. It may be pertinent that the first of these characters may also have suffered abuse, and the second one definitely did.
Point two: This is really a question. What is going on with the physical resemblance between four characters in these books - Tom Riddle, Albus Dumbledore, Severus Snape, and Harry Potter? On the surface, these four do not look alike at all - Dumbledore, who was auburn-haired as a young man, has different coloring than the other three; Tom Riddle was strikingly handsome before his horcrux experimentation, Dumbledore and Harry pleasant looking but not exceptional, and Severus homely; Dumbledore and Riddle are notably tall, while Harry and Severus would seem to be average height or a bit over, and so on. In short, if you saw all four standing together at the age of 20, for example, you wouldn't have the slightest problem telling them apart. Still, there seems to be almost a family resemblance. All four are slender; all four have large hands and noticeably long fingers; at least three of the four have remarkable eyes. Are these merely the shared traits of powerful wizards in Rowling's universe, or is something else going on?
Finally, a repsonse to J.K.Rowling's recent essay on her website. I liked the essay, for eating disorders are a real danger and the mass media are still doing nothing to combat them. But is Rowling herself sending a mixed message, as she seems to be doing about bullying? Yes, some of the evil people in her books are slender and beautiful. But is there a single unambiguously good character who is heavy? Unless you count Molly Weasley (and she is capable of being narrow-minded and unforgiving, and is also merely slightly plump) there are no truly overweight heroes or heroines in these books. No - instead, we have the Dursleys. I always thought that Dudley, Uncle Vernon, and Aunt Marge were a slap at overweight people, and this is one of the reasons I find it painful to read about them. Yes, Neville is plump, and he is one of my absolute favorite charactes, but Rowling does not dwell on his weight as she does on Dudley's. Dudley's obesity seems to define him as much as any other characteristic, and all his other characteristics are bad. Just a thought -
BTW, I know Slughorn is also obese. He is not unambiguously good; indeed, I'm not sure he's good at all.
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Date: 2006-04-06 02:54 pm (UTC)Absolutely.
I think Harry wouldn't call Neville fat, because he likes him. It's Neville with the friendly round face for him, no matter if he gained or lost weight, which he very well may have.
Harry uses the weight issue against Dudley, whom he hates. That is an interesting fact. JKR seems to know that "fat" is a better insult than "cruel", after all she lets Harry call Dudley fat all the time, in thoughts and words.
I would say that Harry had a very low self confidence in the beginning of the books but it shot up throughout the series and now he overcompensates in arrogance.
Why do you think that Sirius definitely suffered abuse?
why I think Sirius suffered abuse-
Date: 2006-04-06 04:04 pm (UTC)As for Severus, I think it's possible he was abused physically, emotionally, and psychologically, although we don't know for sure. What makes me think this is that he is, on at least a couple of memorable occasions, emotionally/psychologically extremely abusive - and it's easy to imagine him saying to himself: "I didn't do anything to the little brats! How can you say I abused them?" He doesn't seem to understand that yes, he really is abusive, because he is not *physically* abusive. Hope this is clear - I'm not sure I'm putting it very well.
You say: JKR seems to know that "fat" is a better insult than "cruel", after all she lets Harry call Dudley fat all the time, in thoughts and words.
Yes, exactly! That really bothers me, especially if she is serious (as I think she is) in her dismay about eating disorders. It is such a mixed message, and it has always bothered me terribly. As to Harry's low self esteem leading directly to his present arrogance, we agree completely. Thanks for your comments.
Re: why I think Sirius suffered abuse-
Date: 2006-04-18 11:03 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-05-26 04:29 am (UTC)Thanks!
Date: 2006-05-30 02:40 am (UTC)