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Ok, conversation has been had. We are going to shoot for biweekly analysis so two per week, hopefully on Sundays and then Wednesday or Thursdays. That will speed up the entire series a bit. Again, if anyone wants to jump in, please do so! And if you want to jump and do a chapter analysis yourself (or two or three..biiiiiig series guys) drop me a line and I can work you in.
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*this message has been delivered to you by an Owl*
[adrotate group="5"]"He was a lot of things to me" "The only conclusion was love"Back to the present day of the story, it’s just heartbreaking how strong Petunia’s prejudices are. Yes, we get more of Vernon’s viewpoint on it more than her, but Petunia is quietly in the background, the linchpin in this absurd family. It’s her family, her blood, she prejudices, too. It’s just unfathomable.
Vernon is the guy you hate on sight and from the very first. He’s loud, gruff, in your face and wears his prejudices on his sleeve. But it’s Petunia who is the one who is quietly…evil (ugh, not sure I want to use that word but going for it). Vernon is very verbally abusive and “man of the house” but Petunia has the quiet rage and anger and utter resentment toward Harry that I think cuts deeper. He is literally her blood and her rule is not to ask questions, to humiliate him, to lock him in a dank cupboard with spiders, to sneer at him, to be quietly hateful of his very existence. It’s like what if Harry died. Just picture that for a second. Vernon would be glad that his life went back to normal and there was no longer any fear about anyone finding out about Harry’s “otherness.” But I don’t know that Vernon would delight in Harry’s death. But Petunia would be glad for all of that as well, but I can’t help but wonder if she’d be glad that he was just dead. The final reminder of her sister finally gone.
THIS. I mentioned it earlier, but without any pictures of Harry, he doesn’t have a room, the stories that they tell people about him. If he had died early on, nobody would have known or cared. The Dursleys would have moved on with their lives and been glad. People would have hardly noticed or they would have made up some story about him.
Also, it’s a good thing that Harry doesn’t have an issue with spiders………
Keeper of the Cheshire Cat’s smile, Baelfire’s sword, Snow’s backpack, Robin Hood’s bow, Ariel’s purse, Ariel’s smile, Henry’s heart, Belle’s shoe collection
Harry’s relationship with the Dursleys has always reminded me of Cinderella’s relationship with her stepmother and stepsisters. Petunia and Vernon are the wicked parent figures forced into taking him in, Dudley is the spoiled wicked sibling, and they abuse him both physically and mentally. Another comparison I could make are many of the abusive adults in Roald Dahl novels such as Matilda’s parents and Miss Trunchball from Matilda; and especially Aunt Spiker and Aunt Sponge from James and the Giant Peach. J.K. Rowling is British just like Roald Dahl, so I’m sure she’s read plenty of his novels and was possibly influenced by them.
Harry’s relationship with the Dursleys has always reminded me of Cinderella’s relationship with her stepmother and stepsisters. Petunia and Vernon are the wicked parent figures forced into taking him in, Dudley is the spoiled wicked sibling, and they abuse him both physically and mentally.
*nods emphatically* And I think we should keep this point of comparison in mind when we hit chapter 4. In the meantime I’ll zip my lips.
Mrs. Trunchball scared the living daylights out of me so yes, definitely another point of comparison. Umbridge
ETA: holy moly. I just realized that the same woman who played Trunchbull in the Matilda movie played Aunt Marge. Was that deliberate?
"He was a lot of things to me" "The only conclusion was love"I mentioned Dahl in Chapter one. His influence is one of the reasons I read JKR. She has that morbid cheekiness of Roald Dahl, one of my favorite all time authors. His books do not talk down to children. In James and the Giant Peach, James’s parents are killed by a rhinoceros at the London zoo in the first chapter. Charlie lives in abject poverty in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Harry fits right in with his characters. Ironically, Dahl’s widow put down Harry Potter once in an interview.
Keeper of Rumplestiltskin's and Neal's spears and war paint and crystal ball.
Another passing note, but Harry dreams of a flying motorbike. Infants don’t exactly retain memories at that young of age. I think the general consensus is that we start to form lasting memories around 3? Either JKR is using literary license or Harry’s abilities have manifested way earlier because of his trauma.
If Hagrid kept buzzing the house for years trying to check up on Harry, it would explain a lot about the Dursleys’ attitude.
The memory might come from Harry riding his toy broomstick when he was very young. Or maybe it’s the Other Guy who is remembering the motorcycle ride.
Gaultheria's fanvids: http://youtube.com/sagethrasher
Another passing note, but Harry dreams of a flying motorbike. Infants don’t exactly retain memories at that young of age. I think the general consensus is that we start to form lasting memories around 3? Either JKR is using literary license or Harry’s abilities have manifested way earlier because of his trauma.
If Hagrid kept buzzing the house for years trying to check up on Harry, it would explain a lot about the Dursleys’ attitude. The memory might come from Harry riding his toy broomstick when he was very young. Or maybe it’s the Other Guy who is remembering the motorcycle ride.
The first image made me laugh way more than it should.
However, your secondary point inside tags makes a lot of sense.
"He was a lot of things to me" "The only conclusion was love"Going with the idea that Harry’s magicalness is a metaphor for “otherness”, in this case being gay, then it’s interesting to note where he sleeps: in a cupboard under the stairs. A storage cupboard which would other wise be known as a closet. Harry’s magicalness is kept from the outside wide, in other words, Harry is literally “in the closet”.
Also of point is how Harry’s skinniness is mentioned. The fact that he has to wear clothes that are too big for him makes him look skinnier. The phrase “skin and bone” springs to mind. Harry is treated as the Dursleys’ dirty secret. He is literally their “skeleton in the closet”.
Skipping ahead briefly, the fact Harry is later upgraded to an actual room in the Dursley house is not only harsher in hindsight (why was Harry in the cupboard at all if there was a room available he could’ve slept in?)but also suggests that the secret surrounding Harry is becoming too big to contain.
On a side note, who took Harry to get his glasses? Provided they’re prescription ones, he would’ve required an eye test and will require regular eye sight tests to makes sure his glasses are doing their job properly. Even if they were just cheap off-the shelf ones from a supermarket, he would’ve had to try glasses on to find the best fit. Either Harry’s eyesight is slightly askew from wearing improper glasses or someone at the opticians should’ve picked up on how mistreated Harry is.
All magic comes with a price!
Keeper of FelixThe glasses issue was actually addressed by JKR. I don’t have the exact quote, but I remember her saying they were patterned after the standard glasses the NHS used to issue and she, herself, had a pair much the same style at that age. I would assume U.K. schools are similar to American schools where kids are given yearly vision screenings.
As for them not picking up on his abuse, as a teacher I’ve seen a number of kids come to school dirty, in wrinkly or ill fitting clothes, no coat, etc. The systems are so overtaxed that these aren’t given a high priority for neglect and abuse by Social Services. Sad, but true.
Keeper of Rumplestiltskin's and Neal's spears and war paint and crystal ball.
UK schools aren’t given yearly vision screenings.
Also something that might be worth considering is when does the story of Harry Potter take place? It is timeless in the sense that it doesn’t feel dated, however, times do change so what might’ve been acceptable then might not be considered acceptable now. Example: People are more aware of the signs of abuse now than they were back in the day.
If Harry went to school now, his plight would probably be picked up sooner.
All magic comes with a price!
Keeper of Felix
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