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.
*MySmiley*
Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read. - Groucho Marx
Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read. - Groucho Marx
The Great Harry Potter re-read: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
19/07/2010 09:32:22 AM
- 2266 Views
Chapters 1-3
19/07/2010 09:32:52 AM
- 1497 Views
Dobby
19/07/2010 02:39:06 PM
- 1477 Views
I hate Dobby.
20/07/2010 11:32:58 AM
- 1599 Views
Stuff
20/07/2010 05:54:26 PM
- 1507 Views
The Dursleys.
23/07/2010 11:35:31 PM
- 1568 Views
Chapters 4-6
19/07/2010 09:33:18 AM
- 1458 Views
Another character we love to hate! Gilderoy Lockhart. Plus Weasley vs Malfoy.
20/07/2010 03:29:39 PM
- 1502 Views
I can't remember how much I hated him the first read
21/07/2010 03:44:15 AM
- 1602 Views
You're right. It's not as bad the second (or third) time around with him.
21/07/2010 01:54:01 PM
- 1393 Views
My problems with Dobby are very different from my problems with Lockhart
21/07/2010 07:02:55 AM
- 1497 Views
More stuff
21/07/2010 07:00:04 AM
- 1440 Views
This section really brought home to me how well Rowling writes about love and relationships.
21/07/2010 07:22:43 PM
- 1518 Views
That last remark made me check out the names in the French translation...
26/07/2010 05:18:36 PM
- 1559 Views
Don't get me started on the Norwegian translation.
26/07/2010 09:52:09 PM
- 1484 Views
That is indeed genuinely awesome.
27/07/2010 12:24:07 AM
- 1499 Views
Re: That is indeed genuinely awesome.
27/07/2010 09:07:35 AM
- 1429 Views
McSnurf? MCSNURF?? WTH? *NM*
27/07/2010 08:47:55 PM
- 902 Views
Chapters 7-9
19/07/2010 09:33:44 AM
- 1432 Views
Colin Creevey.
22/07/2010 06:55:17 PM
- 1474 Views
Re: Colin Creevey.
23/07/2010 10:13:33 PM
- 1437 Views
Even more stuff
23/07/2010 10:10:39 PM
- 1506 Views
Chapters 10-12
19/07/2010 09:34:13 AM
- 1355 Views
Three good chapters
22/07/2010 02:28:20 PM
- 1402 Views
Yup.
23/07/2010 11:32:03 PM
- 1457 Views
I agree. And plain jealousy that Harry's hogging the spotlight time and again.
26/07/2010 05:28:09 PM
- 1535 Views
Chapters 13-15
19/07/2010 09:34:50 AM
- 1225 Views
Heh. I'd forgotten how near the end of the book the spiders are.
23/07/2010 11:26:43 PM
- 1301 Views
"Goodbye friends of Hagrid..."
26/07/2010 01:58:25 PM
- 1321 Views
Chapters 16-18
19/07/2010 09:35:20 AM
- 1395 Views
Overall thoughts
19/07/2010 09:36:06 AM
- 1487 Views
Thoughts on the movie quality
21/07/2010 04:15:20 AM
- 1231 Views
I always felt that the first two movies were the best, and the others bungled the atmosphere. *NM*
21/07/2010 03:08:29 PM
- 821 Views
I wonder if Rowling ever looks back and wishes she could change some stuff
21/07/2010 06:44:41 PM
- 1321 Views
Suggestions for the re-read?
19/07/2010 09:37:32 AM
- 1291 Views
Do we want a wee break before the next book?
24/07/2010 10:47:07 AM
- 1276 Views
we need an impatient smiley that taps its foot while looking grumpy. *NM*
27/07/2010 08:51:30 PM
- 789 Views
It's not Wednesday yet! *NM*
27/07/2010 09:26:21 PM
- 721 Views
But it was a question:
27/07/2010 10:25:27 PM
- 1296 Views
Yes, but the two possibilities in Rebekah's post were either Wednesday or next Monday.
27/07/2010 10:33:10 PM
- 1634 Views