Uncle Vernon just may be right about Harry . . .

[KBIG104]

Yes they certainly can act badly when placed together: Like baking soda and vinegar, in the fourth grade science lesson on acids and bases, both Harry Potter and Uncle Vernon (Dursley family in general) fizz uncontrollably when they are within the the confines of 4 Privet Drive.

However, as I turned on the audio version of Harry Potter and The Order of The Pheonix for a second time in three weeks, I began to notice many tidbits in the novel I hadn't picked up upon the first time I had listened to the novel - as is inevitable with any "first read."

But, none stood out more than [b]Harry's general bad attitude[/b], that has never appeared to such a level of negativity in any of the Harry Potter novels prior to this one.

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Let's all look at Harry's relationship with the Dursleys. Sure, they are probably one of the meanest families a person of the Magical community could be forced to endure.

But as many of our mothers taught us when we were young: we cannot control other's actions, but we can control our own actions and reactions.

Perhaps Harry never learned this important principal to life, whether it be in the magical or "muggle" world, from his Aunt Petunia, but he's treatment in return for even what little the Dursleys gave his, is shameful.

Yes, the Dursleys have treated him like trash at times - yet [b]they fed him, and gave him shelter for nearly eleven years[/b], excluding the briefs stays between the various school years.

[b]Not once has Harry shown even an ounce of thankfulness for this.[/b]

He's never been polite to his Aunt and Uncle, and while they may deserve it, you "catch for flies with honey than with vinegar."

If Harry wanted his relationship with the Dursleys to improve, he needs to improve on his end of the relationship. It's not going to happen the other way around.

A truely admirable character, capable of being a hero, would be one that would treat even his "enemies" with the utmost respect and curtoesy.

Much like Professor Dumbledore. Althought we'll never have the oppotunity, I could see that even if Voltimort tied Dumbledore up to a chair, Dumbledore would not hesitate to thank Voltimort for the opportunity to be able to sit.

We see this in the way he treats Fudge, and various other Ministry members.

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The second issue, is the way Harry treats his friends.

His [b]temper[/b] is one that is seconded only by Votimort's own, and perhaps Mrs. Weasley's.

It's quite uncalled for, and most disgraceful the way Harry snaps into anger about not being written to for four weeks.

That's it: four weeks. And that's deserving enough to attack your friends in a manner that could quite possible alienate your friendship to them?

Four weeks . . . a flimsy twenty-eight days! That's quite uncalled for.

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So perhaps Uncle Vernon is right? Harry is quite ungreatful for what he does have? Sure, Uncle Vernon telling him is the pot calling the kettle black, but still, I think it deserves for merit than it's given by the average reader, who automatically sides with JK Rowling's main character.

There are many possible reasons: Likely that JK Rowling is showing a "darker" period of Harry's character that she can build on to eventually make him a respectable hero by the end of book seven. Remember, he's only fifteen, and likely going through the rebelliousness stages that almost everyone suffers throught.

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Anyway, I'd appreciate other's perceptions on the matter.


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(Rats! If only I could've written this thorougly on the AP English test, oh well. Why is it that writing is easier when it's interesting? Must be dear old Uncle Murphy . . . you know, the one who made the law?)

[highsorcerer]

Some of Harry's attitude is understandable, since from day 1 the Dursley's have treated him like he was something somebody left on the doorstep. Come to think of it, he WAS something somebody left on their doorstep. Plus, he's a teenager, and they are naturally rebellous. It's not just Vernon and Petunia, Dudley kept Harry from having any real friends.

Actually, it's shown in other households in the book as well; Fred and George fought Mrs. Weasley over their choice of careers, and Hermoine has pretty much abandoned her parents, spending her summer with the OotP and ditching them at Christmas as well.

All that said, Harry does need to learn to appreciate that the Dursley's did take him in. It reminds me a bit in some ways how T.V.'s Michael Stivock of "All in the Family" fame treated his father-in-law. Archie Bunker provided him with room and board at his house, and was treated with complete disrespect over their political positions.

Someday Harry will grow up and realize he should thank them for taking him in.

[Scellanis]

i see what you mean, thats a very good point....but i can also appreciate why he doesnt behave better, after that many years of being treated like that by the Dursleys it must be hard to even consider the idea of being nice to them.....he was under alot of stress, i mean watching cedric die, nearly getting killed himself, seeing voldemort come back, all that stuff by rita skeeter, then the dursleys.....but i still think he was a bit over the top with his friends....

anyway, i dont mean to be rude or anything KBIG104 but you repeatedly spelt Voldemort wrong (in exactly the same way every time) so i thought id point it out.....maybe cos you listen to it rather than read it.....

[AccioNiffler]

Harry was acting like quite a jerk this time around. I suppose I understand it, but only to a point. Harry wasnt polite to his family because they treated him like dirt. and since he's never really had any normal, loving family members he doesnt understand why he should be nice to them just because they are family. If I were Harry, and after all those years of being treated like that, I could just imagine being nice ("good morning aunt petunia, uncle vernon, I hope you slept well ") and having them say something like "wipe that silly grin off your face boy! what are you up to?" you know, to Harry, its probably just like, whats the point?

[Ju-DedoH]

about the dursleys :
remember that they did "keep" him in the cupboard under the stairs, never gave him a birthday party or anything !

Then about his friends :
the dursleys are the source of his anger against his friends, imagine him in a comprehensive, aware of magic muggle family, would he have been so angry and sour with his friends ?
but I totally agree that he should'nt have reacted like that concerning his friends.

[KBIG104]

I'm not trying to say that the Dursley's deserve to be treated nicely. But a truely noble character would be one who treats even those who are cruelest to them, with utmost respect and graditude. (See Albus Dumbledore).

[Ju-DedoH]

I think that DD only has the ability to hide his hatred and angriness and stay "cool" in all situations as wise men are supposed to do, I can't imagine that DD treats VD with "utmost respect and graditude" and also, the person that you describe cannot exist, even in a story : his life would be boring and frustrating to hear about

[KBIG104]

Surely nobody is going to be perfect, but the whole anger-thing needs to be resolved, and probably will be in the next two books.

Sure, DD gets upset, as would anybody. But he has a way to not let it effect his conversation.

My favorite line, as I take it with pure sincerity, " 'Go ahead and keep breaking my possisions, as I dare say I have too many.' "

I don't think it was sarcasm. I think that line alone really develops DD's character. Something I hope Harry can learn from in books to come.

I mean, someone is smashing up all your stuff, and you sit calmly, and don't let yourself become hyperactive and angry - that's quite an attribute.

[jaco]

HArry is still growing up and he does have to do things he will regret and make mistakes ( as we all do) he can't be the image of social decorum 24-7.

we must remember that he just saw a boy die. he was responsible for an inocent boy dying, if he had taken the up first then cedric would be alove still. he has a lot of grief inside him still and teenage boys tend to react to most things with anger (especially towards family members) so even if the dursleys had been nice harry would probbably be bad to them. and the fact that his friends didn't write even to see how he was would seem like such a big thing. it would be a reason fofr his anger. he feels anger and doesn't want to look for the true cause so he blames anything he finds. them not writing, and then them not writing enough.

[KBIG104]

Well, I guess a charater with flaws is a lot more interesting to read about, but it still annoys me.

[Ju-DedoH]

sure is, but still a little frustrating too, how many times did i think "what a jerk, he's only making this situation worse, if I were him ..."

[June]

I like your theory, KBIG104, and actually I have little more to add on. I too, am annoyed with Harry's behaviour in Book 5, but you hit right on the spot when you say that he's only 15. Granted not all 15- year olds behave in this way, but he has his reasons and provocations. It doesn't absolve him totally, but at least we can understand where he's coming from.

As for Dumbledore, he is 150 years old after all. It takes lots of practice and experience for someone to be able to control his emotions like he does... so it's hardly fair to compare Harry to someone who is 10 times older and probably has 20 times more experience than him...[/i]

[2F2Type_R]

lol! u go girl...

onli sonkem is usually that assertive

[han lin]

assertive is one word

[han lin]

cripes i just read that i didn't mean it like it sounds!

good on you for having such strong opinions. i agree totally with what you said.

( ahh i really only ment the post before as a joke, but i can see how it kinda doesn't come across that way! whoops!)