Active Users:380 Time:27/04/2025 03:47:26 AM
Re: The Dursleys. Seriana Sedai Send a noteboard - 26/07/2010 06:02:14 AM
Another, related, thing that struck me was that the Dursleys' preoccupation with keeping Harry from Hogwarts seems to suggest they actually care for him, in a warped, twisted way -- if not they would just leave him to magical life, surely? It would be less of a liability for them to have him at Hogwarts 10 months out of the year, than locked up in his room in their house (where he might suddenly lose control and start magicking the neighbours?


I don't think they want to keep him away from Hogwarts as a way of caring for him. I think it's all about themselves. What if people found out that the boy who has lived with them for 11 years was one of Those Weird People? It's (strangely) better for people to think that he's just a wild, disturbed child than someone who is part of a world so outside their understanding. And I think there's some malice in it as well: trying to prevent Harry from doing something he enjoys.

Petunia's a bit more complex than that. I think there is some love for Harry deep (deep) down. (Of course, we do see a glimpse of that later in the series.) But any love she does have for him is only because he's her sister's child.

I agree with all. I just wonder about Petunia. I don't know why she is so at war with herself about caring for Harry. I know she was very conflicted about her sister being a witch. I wonder if Petunia was going to mend the rift with Lily "one of these days" and then Lily died and Petunia was left with all that guilt or something like that.
I know I'm rambling, but I've always wanted to understand her better. I understand Vernon's motivations for why he treats Harry badly and I agree totally that he is trying to keep Harry from Hogwarts because it is something he enjoys, but Petunia I just don't understand.
Reply to message
The Great Harry Potter re-read: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - 19/07/2010 09:32:22 AM 2466 Views
Chapters 1-3 - 19/07/2010 09:32:52 AM 1693 Views
Dobby - 19/07/2010 02:39:06 PM 1639 Views
Re: Dobby - 20/07/2010 06:42:21 AM 1815 Views
I hate Dobby. - 20/07/2010 11:32:58 AM 1761 Views
I'm not a huge Dobby fan either. *spoilers from end of book* - 20/07/2010 03:18:27 PM 1657 Views
Me too. - 20/07/2010 05:56:27 PM 1578 Views
Boo! - 21/07/2010 12:44:33 AM 1708 Views
I hate "movie Dobby." Book Dobby I'm neutral on. *NM* - 21/07/2010 03:42:29 AM 1028 Views
I don't like him either. - 21/07/2010 02:26:47 PM 1660 Views
It looks like all us cool kids hate Dobby - 23/07/2010 07:13:19 PM 1658 Views
Excellent. - 23/07/2010 10:17:16 PM 1653 Views
- 24/07/2010 12:35:44 AM 1642 Views
Stuff - 20/07/2010 05:54:26 PM 1691 Views
The Dursley's and the Twins - 21/07/2010 02:22:41 PM 1597 Views
The Dursleys. - 23/07/2010 11:35:31 PM 1725 Views
Re: The Dursleys. - 26/07/2010 06:02:14 AM 1553 Views
she reminds me a bit of snape - 26/07/2010 01:01:35 PM 1630 Views
Re: The Dursleys. - 26/07/2010 02:58:31 PM 1597 Views
Chapters 4-6 - 19/07/2010 09:33:18 AM 1631 Views
Another character we love to hate! Gilderoy Lockhart. Plus Weasley vs Malfoy. - 20/07/2010 03:29:39 PM 1685 Views
Yes! - 20/07/2010 09:41:09 PM 1748 Views
Re: Yes! - 21/07/2010 07:05:13 AM 1693 Views
I can't remember how much I hated him the first read - 21/07/2010 03:44:15 AM 1758 Views
I don't think I ever truly "hated" Lockheart - 26/07/2010 06:09:20 AM 1574 Views
My problems with Dobby are very different from my problems with Lockhart - 21/07/2010 07:02:55 AM 1671 Views
I can see that and I understand completely. - 21/07/2010 02:06:27 PM 1823 Views
Exactly. - 21/07/2010 07:20:33 PM 1739 Views
More stuff - 21/07/2010 07:00:04 AM 1613 Views
I really noticed this time around - 21/07/2010 03:10:43 PM 1540 Views
Yeah. - 23/07/2010 10:15:21 PM 1653 Views
This section really brought home to me how well Rowling writes about love and relationships. - 21/07/2010 07:22:43 PM 1690 Views
That last remark made me check out the names in the French translation... - 26/07/2010 05:18:36 PM 1717 Views
Don't get me started on the Norwegian translation. - 26/07/2010 09:52:09 PM 1640 Views
Ahahahahaha! - 26/07/2010 09:55:17 PM 1496 Views
That is indeed genuinely awesome. - 27/07/2010 12:24:07 AM 1645 Views
Re: That is indeed genuinely awesome. - 27/07/2010 09:07:35 AM 1640 Views
McSnurf? MCSNURF?? WTH? *NM* - 27/07/2010 08:47:55 PM 979 Views
Nono. McSnurp. - 27/07/2010 08:48:58 PM 1618 Views
Read it wrong. - 27/07/2010 09:15:07 PM 1479 Views
Chapters 7-9 - 19/07/2010 09:33:44 AM 1604 Views
Deathday Party - seemed like filler to me. Not a big fan. - 21/07/2010 02:33:53 PM 1655 Views
Yeah, I didn't like that either. - 22/07/2010 06:56:39 PM 1607 Views
It is a plot device - 23/07/2010 10:11:45 PM 1576 Views
Heh. - 23/07/2010 10:16:48 PM 1548 Views
Colin Creevey. - 22/07/2010 06:55:17 PM 1656 Views
I don't know. He's always annoyed me. - 22/07/2010 09:23:36 PM 1614 Views
Re: Colin Creevey. - 23/07/2010 10:13:33 PM 1610 Views
Suspect I'm more patient with young people than you are. - 23/07/2010 10:18:24 PM 1630 Views
Infinitely more so, I think - 23/07/2010 10:21:09 PM 1619 Views
Even more stuff - 23/07/2010 10:10:39 PM 1674 Views
Mrs Norris. - 23/07/2010 10:13:51 PM 1714 Views
Re: Mrs Norris. - 23/07/2010 10:15:18 PM 1621 Views
Re: Mrs Norris. - 23/07/2010 10:17:41 PM 1573 Views
Chapters 10-12 - 19/07/2010 09:34:13 AM 1506 Views
Three good chapters - 22/07/2010 02:28:20 PM 1583 Views
Re: Three good chapters - 23/07/2010 10:34:40 PM 1666 Views
Yup. - 23/07/2010 11:32:03 PM 1625 Views
Re: Yup. - 26/07/2010 03:01:15 PM 1604 Views
And then some... - 23/07/2010 10:31:56 PM 1468 Views
Hermione - 23/07/2010 11:29:22 PM 1655 Views
Another example - 24/07/2010 12:56:26 AM 1525 Views
Re: Hermione - 24/07/2010 04:58:14 AM 1424 Views
Something I don't like: - 23/07/2010 11:24:59 PM 1507 Views
I disagree. - 24/07/2010 01:01:17 AM 1448 Views
Re: Something I don't like: - 26/07/2010 03:01:54 PM 1453 Views
Those students are 12 years old, though. - 26/07/2010 05:35:13 PM 1483 Views
Chapters 13-15 - 19/07/2010 09:34:50 AM 1387 Views
Heh. I'd forgotten how near the end of the book the spiders are. - 23/07/2010 11:26:43 PM 1468 Views
"Goodbye friends of Hagrid..." - 26/07/2010 01:58:25 PM 1469 Views
Re: "Goodbye friends of Hagrid..." - 27/07/2010 08:50:34 PM 1750 Views
Re: "Goodbye friends of Hagrid..." - 27/07/2010 09:08:24 PM 1530 Views
And... - 26/07/2010 02:54:54 PM 1602 Views
Chapters 16-18 - 19/07/2010 09:35:20 AM 1557 Views
Lockhart & Dobby get what's coming to them. - 26/07/2010 02:26:42 PM 1589 Views
Finally... - 26/07/2010 02:55:39 PM 1582 Views
He is one indeed, sort of anyway. *NM* - 26/07/2010 05:39:12 PM 958 Views
Harry was a horcrux - 27/07/2010 02:57:42 AM 1411 Views
Yes - 27/07/2010 09:09:38 AM 1553 Views
Voldemort's (sometimes) hilarious names in translation. - 26/07/2010 06:14:58 PM 3784 Views
- 26/07/2010 06:45:55 PM 1655 Views
Overall thoughts - 19/07/2010 09:36:06 AM 1645 Views
Character development - 19/07/2010 09:37:01 AM 1474 Views
Re: Character development - 20/07/2010 06:45:43 AM 1499 Views
Similar to the first, but a nice step up in complexity. - 19/07/2010 07:56:45 PM 1997 Views
I found an error i the POA preview in the back of my book - 20/07/2010 10:51:42 AM 1473 Views
Yeah i have that edition too *NM* - 21/07/2010 12:43:12 AM 882 Views
Thoughts on the movie quality - 21/07/2010 04:15:20 AM 1393 Views
I wonder if Rowling ever looks back and wishes she could change some stuff - 21/07/2010 06:44:41 PM 1505 Views
I think this book isn't as deep or as thoughtful as the first. - 23/07/2010 11:36:17 PM 1551 Views
I feel the same way. - 24/07/2010 01:04:39 AM 1416 Views
Agreed. - 26/07/2010 03:22:48 PM 1515 Views
Suggestions for the re-read? - 19/07/2010 09:37:32 AM 1457 Views
Re: Suggestions for the re-read? - 23/07/2010 10:37:37 PM 1565 Views
OK. - 23/07/2010 10:43:00 PM 1562 Views
Re: OK. - 23/07/2010 10:43:56 PM 1586 Views
Do we want a wee break before the next book? - 24/07/2010 10:47:07 AM 1434 Views
I'm indifferent 'cause I can't find my copy of POA *NM* - 26/07/2010 01:27:05 AM 967 Views
Nonononono! - 26/07/2010 03:12:56 PM 1483 Views
Nooooooooo! - 27/07/2010 02:32:56 PM 1588 Views
we need an impatient smiley that taps its foot while looking grumpy. *NM* - 27/07/2010 08:51:30 PM 876 Views
More than anything! *NM* - 27/07/2010 09:01:33 PM 882 Views
It's not Wednesday yet! *NM* - 27/07/2010 09:26:21 PM 796 Views
But it was a question: - 27/07/2010 10:25:27 PM 1454 Views
Yes, but the two possibilities in Rebekah's post were either Wednesday or next Monday. - 27/07/2010 10:33:10 PM 1797 Views
Aaaah - 27/07/2010 10:34:51 PM 1528 Views

Reply to Message