The Dursleys' treatment of Harry is simply abuse. They prefigure the Death Eaters' treatment of muggles and squibs (in that they have powers that muggles don't). The powerful who use their power to dominate and abuse those weaker than them are painted as in the wrong from the very first. Not just scary, but fundamentally misguided and not worth aspiring to.
It's a very clever way of introducing that element, I think. The Death Eaters are quite a difficult concept, and grounding their "evil" in something that is unfortunately so common was a good way to make them easier to handle.
I love your analysis of things. It's stuff that I've noticed but can never quite explain in a coherent way.
It's my job
*MySmiley*
structured procrastinator
structured procrastinator
Harry Potter Re-read: The Philosopher's Stone - Final section underway! (& next book plans)
12/07/2010 08:27:51 AM
- 2935 Views
Chapters 1-3: Introducing Harry
12/07/2010 08:28:49 AM
- 1507 Views
Characterisation *NM*
12/07/2010 08:29:02 AM
- 859 Views
My thoughts, such as they are.
12/07/2010 04:09:55 PM
- 1556 Views
Re: My thoughts, such as they are. *spoilers*
12/07/2010 07:43:49 PM
- 1522 Views
Writing style *NM*
12/07/2010 08:29:18 AM
- 837 Views
It is very clear it is a children's book at this time
12/07/2010 07:18:14 PM
- 1571 Views
Vernon's slow descent into madness is great.
13/07/2010 04:03:26 AM
- 1553 Views
Re: Vernon's slow descent into madness is great.
13/07/2010 08:54:40 AM
- 1499 Views
Early themes *NM*
12/07/2010 08:29:37 AM
- 864 Views
Chapters 4-10: Making Friends at Hogwarts *NM*
12/07/2010 08:29:58 AM
- 791 Views
Impressions: thoughts about the school, the teachers, the enemies and the friends. *NM*
14/07/2010 08:29:38 AM
- 831 Views
I'd forgotten how annoying Hermione was
14/07/2010 01:48:13 PM
- 1425 Views
Yep. I like seeing her transformation in this story though.
14/07/2010 04:58:04 PM
- 1429 Views
Re: Yep. I like seeing her transformation in this story though.
14/07/2010 06:13:13 PM
- 1418 Views
Yes and, I think, this may be another candidate for early themes (from above)
14/07/2010 07:43:14 PM
- 1528 Views
Re: Impressions: thoughts about the school, the teachers, the enemies and the friends.
14/07/2010 04:22:54 PM
- 1563 Views
Agree. I loved the instant tension between Harry and Malfoy and with Harry and Snape too.
14/07/2010 05:03:20 PM
- 1686 Views
Some thoughts before I run off to the library again
14/07/2010 06:11:45 PM
- 1564 Views
It's interesting to look at the beginning of the story from Draco's point of view.
26/07/2010 03:08:38 PM
- 1644 Views
Re: It's interesting to look at the beginning of the story from Draco's point of view.
26/07/2010 03:18:02 PM
- 1302 Views
What about the magic?
14/07/2010 08:58:51 AM
- 1433 Views
The magic wasnt really developed at this point
14/07/2010 02:13:41 PM
- 1351 Views
Re: The magic wasnt really developed at this point
14/07/2010 08:53:08 PM
- 1585 Views
I think
14/07/2010 04:34:30 PM
- 1353 Views
Diagon Alley - Olivander's Foreshadowing
14/07/2010 05:11:40 PM
- 1634 Views
I really need a remembrall.
14/07/2010 08:57:10 PM
- 1460 Views
But it doesn't tell you what you've forgotten!
15/07/2010 02:51:47 AM
- 1633 Views
Chapters 11-17: Harry the Hero *NM*
12/07/2010 08:30:29 AM
- 805 Views
What'd you think of the ending? *NM*
15/07/2010 05:21:38 PM
- 772 Views
Two separate things:
15/07/2010 07:14:08 PM
- 1399 Views
Lovely
15/07/2010 09:00:11 PM
- 1478 Views
Haha
15/07/2010 09:16:16 PM
- 1568 Views
Re: Haha
15/07/2010 09:24:06 PM
- 1459 Views
But I thought all girls were made of sugar and spice and everything nice?
15/07/2010 09:26:53 PM
- 1364 Views
Oh, we are.
15/07/2010 09:35:17 PM
- 1267 Views
Honestly, dumbledore is a bit of an ass...
15/07/2010 10:48:32 PM
- 1264 Views
The decades of manipulation of a child doesn't bother you, but the House Cup does? *NM*
15/07/2010 11:37:54 PM
- 749 Views
Overall thoughts for the book
12/07/2010 08:31:37 AM
- 1431 Views
Foreshadowing and setting up the future
12/07/2010 08:32:10 AM
- 1350 Views
Harry's anger management issues?
12/07/2010 07:14:58 PM
- 1422 Views
Heh.
12/07/2010 07:40:40 PM
- 1466 Views
Nah, not deliberate.
12/07/2010 09:14:20 PM
- 1522 Views
Re: Nah, not deliberate.
12/07/2010 09:55:32 PM
- 1433 Views
I noticed a lot of this.
12/07/2010 07:22:54 PM
- 1543 Views
Re: I noticed a lot of this.
12/07/2010 07:39:25 PM
- 1476 Views
Re: I noticed a lot of this.
12/07/2010 07:45:32 PM
- 1463 Views
On Ginny:
12/07/2010 10:36:47 PM
- 1487 Views
This was my interpretation too and why I didn't pay much attention to it at the time. *NM*
13/07/2010 02:53:08 PM
- 710 Views
I've noticed a lot of the same things, probably because I've reread this book so many times...
13/07/2010 04:45:28 AM
- 1688 Views
Re: I've noticed a lot of the same things, probably because I've reread this book so many times...
13/07/2010 08:58:10 AM
- 1428 Views
So much (chapters 1-3) *spoilers*
12/07/2010 07:35:57 PM
- 1640 Views
I missed the school roof thing this time around too! Good catch there. *NM*
12/07/2010 09:22:21 PM
- 788 Views
The thing that tipped me off
12/07/2010 09:53:01 PM
- 1419 Views
Imagine how easy his test would have been if he remembered he'd done it as a child! *NM*
13/07/2010 03:20:27 PM
- 777 Views
You have to wonder why Hagrid and Dumbledore didn't suspect the truth about Sirius.
26/07/2010 04:04:05 PM
- 1347 Views
I re-read a couple weeks ago, and I was highly amused by all the little things she worked in
14/07/2010 04:09:19 AM
- 1505 Views
Some stuff (chapters 4-11)
14/07/2010 09:18:35 PM
- 1617 Views
Re: Some stuff (chapters 4-11)
14/07/2010 10:30:23 PM
- 1419 Views
I can answer your consistency question!
15/07/2010 02:35:42 AM
- 1544 Views
More stuff (chapters 12-17)
15/07/2010 08:55:34 PM
- 1301 Views
Tiny tiny inconsistency (?) in Ch. 12
17/07/2010 04:23:15 PM
- 1535 Views
What made this book (and the rest of the series) such a success?
12/07/2010 08:33:00 AM
- 1514 Views
I think it was mostly because it was a simple narrative with an identifiable protagnonist.
13/07/2010 11:59:06 PM
- 1532 Views
It has tons of things in it that every kid dreams of doing
14/07/2010 01:56:05 PM
- 1525 Views
It's a simple, well-done little book.
12/07/2010 07:46:48 PM
- 1520 Views
you don't read instructions, do you?
12/07/2010 07:49:24 PM
- 1550 Views
When did you pick up this book?
12/07/2010 11:30:46 PM
- 1448 Views
I was 10.
13/07/2010 04:13:44 AM
- 1600 Views
Ah book orders...man you just brought back nostalgic memories. I miss being a kid
13/07/2010 04:42:12 AM
- 1656 Views
1999
13/07/2010 09:03:03 AM
- 1521 Views
What do you mean by adult version?
13/07/2010 02:15:40 PM
- 1624 Views
They started publishing copies with 'adult' covers so people wouldn't be caught out reading
13/07/2010 11:53:46 PM
- 1577 Views
Got a boxed set for Christmas when Order of the Phoenix came out in hardback.
13/07/2010 03:06:42 PM
- 1571 Views
The first five were out, waited for HBP.
14/07/2010 06:20:39 AM
- 1648 Views
Very early. Beginning of 1999, so it had just come out in the States. *NM*
14/07/2010 08:54:06 AM
- 970 Views
I held out quite awhile because I don't like "fads"
14/07/2010 02:04:37 PM
- 1497 Views
I did the same thing.
15/07/2010 06:39:16 AM
- 1590 Views
I would have, if I had known there was hype. I know I would have.
15/07/2010 03:28:50 PM
- 1610 Views
Aged 13 or 14 - a while before the first movie (which was Christmas 2001). *NM*
26/07/2010 04:13:55 PM
- 950 Views
Jesus Christ.
26/07/2010 05:04:46 PM
- 1621 Views
^That was me. *NM*
26/07/2010 09:55:49 PM
- 944 Views
Aw. I was just feeling flattered as I didn't think Tor had read that many of my posts. *NM*
27/07/2010 12:15:52 AM
- 968 Views
Suggestions for the Re-read
12/07/2010 08:33:25 AM
- 1552 Views
This is my first official time participating and its been fun so far!
14/07/2010 05:16:48 PM
- 1490 Views
Unfortunately, no. (Silly me, pretending someone's still going to read all my posts... ) *NM*
26/07/2010 04:20:35 PM
- 968 Views
Inconsistencies Re: the Potter's death...
15/07/2010 05:16:45 AM
- 1873 Views
Because they were tricked? They considered Peter and Sirius to be brothers.
15/07/2010 07:05:27 AM
- 1531 Views
That's nonsense..
16/07/2010 01:08:40 AM
- 1445 Views
Take it up with Rowling, since you don't believe me. *NM*
16/07/2010 08:19:58 AM
- 865 Views
What's there to believe?
18/07/2010 06:03:13 AM
- 1536 Views
Peter + Sirius = family. I don't know how to explain it more simply. *NM*
18/07/2010 08:58:20 AM
- 991 Views
Re: That's nonsense..
16/07/2010 09:37:59 AM
- 1661 Views
Also
16/07/2010 11:17:51 AM
- 1892 Views
Huh?
18/07/2010 05:57:58 AM
- 1462 Views
But Camilla explained it!
18/07/2010 09:27:55 AM
- 1772 Views
I'm fairly certain you guys have that totally wrong...
18/07/2010 05:42:18 PM
- 1472 Views
Re: I'm fairly certain you guys have that totally wrong...
18/07/2010 05:51:36 PM
- 1491 Views
Re: I'm fairly certain you guys have that totally wrong...
18/07/2010 06:17:04 PM
- 1793 Views
Re: I'm fairly certain you guys have that totally wrong...
18/07/2010 06:28:27 PM
- 1486 Views
That bothers me too.
18/07/2010 07:17:14 PM
- 1556 Views
Re: That bothers me too.
18/07/2010 07:20:44 PM
- 1406 Views
Again...
18/07/2010 07:35:10 PM
- 1718 Views
Re: Again...
18/07/2010 08:00:55 PM
- 1512 Views
Re: Again...
19/07/2010 06:33:13 AM
- 1709 Views
Re: Again...
20/07/2010 04:45:16 PM
- 1519 Views
Yet another load of bosh.
21/07/2010 01:00:14 AM
- 1512 Views
It was just the sort of things these two daredevils would do...
14/09/2010 12:11:20 AM
- 1960 Views
Re: It was just the sort of things these two daredevils would do...
14/09/2010 09:20:46 AM
- 1421 Views
You have to wonder if that's actually true.
26/07/2010 04:23:31 PM
- 1505 Views
Since Lily and James were unable to leave the house
18/07/2010 07:14:21 PM
- 1467 Views
Re: Since Lily and James were unable to leave the house
26/07/2010 05:07:48 PM
- 1811 Views
^ And this, too, was me.
26/07/2010 09:58:07 PM
- 1531 Views