Harry Being Angry..and Death Omens: Book Club Talk

One of my favorite parts of the whole series is in this section. Harry wanders the happy, wizarding shop-land, young and eager and cared for, and free. There is no drama, no dark lurking shadows of evil, just bright afternoon magic and summer sunshine.  Though even in this scene, I just can't see Harry as a Leo at all. I love the mirror in his room at the Inn, but oh my goodness how awkward would that be! Especially at thirteen, I would never want to be dressing before a mirror that provided it's own commentary on my looks.

But Harry needs a chance to cool down after his time with Aunt Marge. At this point in the series, I'm sympathetic to Harry's emotions and lack of control, his tendency to rage is an understandable failing in an abused child (still very much a child), and while I'm disappointed that there are in no way consequences for his actions, I'm used to the 'golden-boy' treatment he learning to expect from his new society. That said, causing physical harm to another (even repairable harm, unintentionally caused) is not something to ignore, in any situation, and I'm not surprised Harry never really ends up learning to control himself, with the unbalanced jump from neglect and abuse in the one society to catering and over-excusing  in the other. 

Reading this section makes me want a bowl of hazelnut gelato and a book of medieval magic, though, along with a mirror that alters my looks for the better instead of just commenting on my faults.

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I know nothing about Modern British politics, so the Margaret Thatcher reference sort of escapes me, though it seems Rowling enjoys mocking the conservative mindset in general, and I can see how enthusiastic fans could pretend to be their own little Harry's. It's a stretch, but why not..I mean, people start churches based on Sci-fi novels, so why not, right? Jenna reminds us that:

           Once anyone starts tying something like this too specifically to modern politics, however,    it gets mean. Maybe some of the Marge and Vernon Dursley statements are a fair parody of some of the more extreme and mouthy conservatism, but it's certainly not a fair presentation of conservatives in general. 

And I think Rowling does a decent job of keeping it in the fuzzy area of uncertainty for those of us not in with the Harry-fandom-crowd, it's not essential to see that scene and Rowling hating on conservatives in her book, and I like to pretend she had no ulterior motives and leave it at that.. mainly because the whole conservatives vs. liberals thing bores me, and at least on of my co-hostesses..Christie, are you interested?

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We'll talk about death omens and divination later..after Harry gets his taste of Rowling's version. Because I love omens, and don't so much love people who mock them. Though for all her mockery, Rowling's got something of a sense of divination, in a mocking, superior, and modernist sort of way..I almost like it. Almost.

I couldn't resist stealing this, Jenna! And, I don't think I'm going to be able to resist hunting these down for MY tax returns either!