Dudley Demented, What Fear Does Dudley Relive When He Is Attacked? |
 Feb 20 2008, 11:30 AM
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Just Through the Brick Wall Posts: 8 Joined: 12:44am October 31, 2006  |
Hello all!
I am interested in your theories here... On page 33 of OOTP, Aunt Petunia, Dudley, Harry and Vernon are discussing the attack by the Dementors in the alley... Dudley is trying to explain what happened and Aunt Petunia says "what sort of things did you hear popkin?" Harry is then thinking "what would spoiled, pampered, bullying Dudley have been forced to hear?" And this has been bugging me for ages now!! Does anyone have any ideas on this!? |
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Feb 20 2008, 11:56 AM
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#2
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In Charge of Invisible Books of Invisibility Posts: 1,153 Joined: 12:36am January 18, 2008 Location: Waterloo, ON - getting Butterbeer for Hagrid's "Support Harry Potter" party |
QUOTE(mollyweasly @ Feb 20 2008, 11:30 AM)  Hello all! I am interested in your theories here... On page 33 of OOTP, Aunt Petunia, Dudley, Harry and Vernon are discussing the attack by the Dementors in the alley... Dudley is trying to explain what happened and Aunt Petunia says "what sort of things did you hear popkin?" Harry is then thinking "what would spoiled, pampered, bullying Dudley have been forced to hear?" And this has been bugging me for ages now!! Does anyone have any ideas on this!? In one of her interviews (I can't remember which one), Jo says that Dudley relived the moments when he was a bully, but in a way that showed him how mean he is. This has been widely believed to be his turning point in getting him to change his ways, as we see a very different Dudley in DH (we don't really see enough of him in HBP to know how much he's changed at that point). -------------------- "Tell me why, why must we fight?
And why must we kill in the name of what we think is right? No more! No war! 'Cause how do you know?" -- P.O.D. - from their new album When Angels and Serpents Dance -- |
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Feb 20 2008, 11:58 AM
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#3
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The Leaky Limerick Lollapalooza Posts: 3,843 Joined: 2:58pm November 12, 2007 Location: Somewhere over the rainbow.  |
QUOTE(harrypottergeek2 @ Feb 20 2008, 11:56 AM) QUOTE(mollyweasly @ Feb 20 2008, 11:30 AM) Hello all! I am interested in your theories here... On page 33 of OOTP, Aunt Petunia, Dudley, Harry and Vernon are discussing the attack by the Dementors in the alley... Dudley is trying to explain what happened and Aunt Petunia says "what sort of things did you hear popkin?" Harry is then thinking "what would spoiled, pampered, bullying Dudley have been forced to hear?" And this has been bugging me for ages now!! Does anyone have any ideas on this!? In one of her interviews (I can't remember which one), Jo says that Dudley relived the moments when he was a bully, but in a way that showed him how mean he is. This has been widely believed to be his turning point in getting him to change his ways, as we see a very different Dudley in DH (we don't really see enough of him in HBP to know how much he's changed at that point). Well that makes sense then. I was thinking along the lines of. "No, Dudley, you can't have a fortieth helping of pudding." 
--------------------  W.L.Y.J. We love you Jo |
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Feb 20 2008, 01:27 PM
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Saucy Sorceress of the Shrinking Solution  Posts: 641 Joined: 3:03pm January 11, 2008 Location: New Jersey |
QUOTE(Alysaw @ Feb 20 2008, 11:58 AM) Well that makes sense then. I was thinking along the lines of. "No, Dudley, you can't have a fortieth helping of pudding." Oh my that was so funny!!!!  I wondered too what he could have seen since he was so babied at home and feared else where so I guessit makes sense that he would feel what it was to like to fear. I was so glad in DH when he said he didnt think Harry was a waste of space. Though how sad is it that all he can muster is that? Well that and a cup of tea left outside Harry's bedroom door. It is a shame that Petunia at least (I think Vernon is hopeless) couldnt muster a little of the love she felt for her sister before the Hogwarts letter to show to Harry as she leaves him knowing he could very well be killed. -------------------- The most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched, they must be felt with the heart
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away |
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Feb 20 2008, 01:52 PM
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#5
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In Charge of Invisible Books of Invisibility Posts: 1,153 Joined: 12:36am January 18, 2008 Location: Waterloo, ON - getting Butterbeer for Hagrid's "Support Harry Potter" party |
QUOTE(wendybird3 @ Feb 20 2008, 01:27 PM) QUOTE(Alysaw @ Feb 20 2008, 11:58 AM) Well that makes sense then. I was thinking along the lines of. "No, Dudley, you can't have a fortieth helping of pudding." Oh my that was so funny!!!! I wondered too what he could have seen since he was so babied at home and feared else where so I guessit makes sense that he would feel what it was to like to fear. I was so glad in DH when he said he didnt think Harry was a waste of space. Though how sad is it that all he can muster is that? Well that and a cup of tea left outside Harry's bedroom door. It is a shame that Petunia at least (I think Vernon is hopeless) couldnt muster a little of the love she felt for her sister before the Hogwarts letter to show to Harry as she leaves him knowing he could very well be killed. Good point. I think this further highlights what I've said about the Dursleys in other threads: that they are absolutely terrible parents. In Dudley's defense, I think his parents should take all the blame for the way he's turned out. They have him so undisciplined that he can't muster a proper thank-you to someone who saved him from an absolutely horrible fate. There are other side-effects to this lack of discipline of course, but I don't think I need to go into details here - perhaps someone else can rant about them for me  .
-------------------- "Tell me why, why must we fight?
And why must we kill in the name of what we think is right? No more! No war! 'Cause how do you know?" -- P.O.D. - from their new album When Angels and Serpents Dance -- |
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Feb 20 2008, 02:17 PM
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Grand Pooh-Bah of the Poking Sticks Emporium  Posts: 6,839 Joined: 3:53pm January 4, 2008 Location: Fine-tuning her Spambot Magnet |
I agree with harrypottergeek2 that the Dursleys were horrible parents. With Dudley, their parenting created a mean, bullying, manipulative spoiled brat. With Harry, the Dursleys down right treated him with no less than what I call child abuse. And what is very intersting to me, is that both Harry and Dudley turn out to better people either because of this treatment by the Dursleys or possibly despite it. I think living under such conditions honed in Harry a very strong sense of self preservation. Ultimately, Harry becomes the complete antithesis of the Dursleys.
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Feb 20 2008, 05:05 PM
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Neville's Biggest supporter Posts: 11,825 Joined: 8:51am January 28, 2006 Location: On V.S.D.G.  |
I always wondered what dudley's worst memory would be. Pre-Hallows I thought it might be something about seeing Petunia talking to a witch and wizard. Or actually seeing Hagrid bring Harry to Privet Drive, after James and Lily were killed. However, when Jo said Dudley saw himself as others saw him, it makes so much more sense
QUOTE(Alysaw @ Feb 20 2008, 04:58 PM) I always wondered what dudley's worst memory would be. Pre-Hallows I thought it might be something about seeing Petunia talking to a witch and wizard. Or actually seeing Hagrid bring Harry to Privet Drive, after James and Lily were killed. However, when Jo said Dudley saw himself as others saw him, it makes so much more sense QUOTE(harrypottergeek2 @ Feb 20 2008, 11:56 AM) QUOTE(mollyweasly @ Feb 20 2008, 11:30 AM) Hello all! I am interested in your theories here... On page 33 of OOTP, Aunt Petunia, Dudley, Harry and Vernon are discussing the attack by the Dementors in the alley... Dudley is trying to explain what happened and Aunt Petunia says "what sort of things did you hear popkin?" Harry is then thinking "what would spoiled, pampered, bullying Dudley have been forced to hear?" And this has been bugging me for ages now!! Does anyone have any ideas on this!? In one of her interviews (I can't remember which one), Jo says that Dudley relived the moments when he was a bully, but in a way that showed him how mean he is. This has been widely believed to be his turning point in getting him to change his ways, as we see a very different Dudley in DH (we don't really see enough of him in HBP to know how much he's changed at that point). Well that makes sense then. I was thinking along the lines of. "No, Dudley, you can't have a fortieth helping of pudding."  I can so see Petunia saying that to Dudders!
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Feb 20 2008, 09:41 PM
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Daily Prophet Photographer Posts: 861 Joined: 10:04am June 8, 2005 Location: Yes, it's a stuffed Homer in towel. You can stop staring now. |
When I wrote a fanfiction taking place on book six, I tried to explain this from my interpretation: Dudley's worst memory was the moment when his parents' attention got divided, no matter how little, to feeding, comforting, and raising another person. In another words, to egoist and childish Dudley, his worst moment had been when Harry had arrived to his life.
Now that I think about it, I think Dudley oughta have been way too little to notice! Or could it be correct? I dunno!
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Feb 21 2008, 04:17 AM
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#9
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Just Through the Brick Wall Posts: 1 Joined: 4:09am February 21, 2008 |
Haha how funny to find both Molly and myself in the same forum!
I'm just on my way to work - I have a new project that I am working on.. I am turning an old Ford Anglia (a muggle car) into one that can fly! Oh I do hope that Dudley was forced to see something really nasty - something like a pidgeon pooping on his head - yes, that would be really nasty. |
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Feb 21 2008, 04:40 AM
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#10
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Just Through the Brick Wall Posts: 8 Joined: 12:44am October 31, 2006 |
Thanks for everyone's replies so far!!
I think that makes sense and I like that idea of Dudley seeing himself as other see him... and coming to think of it you do see a different side of him in DH. That has cleared that up for me! |
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