Happy Birthday, Harry!, A reading group style birthday discussion |
 Jan 27 2008, 04:27 PM
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#31
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Sundae-Nut-Chopper at Florean Fortescue's Posts: 948 Joined: 12:30am December 18, 2006   |
QUOTE(vandy @ Jan 26 2008, 09:51 AM)  Of all the gifts Harry gets for his birthdays, which of the Dursleys' gifts to him do you find the most insulting? vandy, you took the words right out of my mouth! It is that single tissue paper.. What do you think is the most useful present Harry receives for his birthday, and who is the giver? Most of the presents that Harry gets from Hagrid are useful..For instance Hagrid's moleskin pouch and Hedwig.. Oh, and also that birthday cake that the trio and Hagrid sends during his 14th birthday.....  That single tissue paper from the Dursleys was not even worth the time and energy it tood to UN-wrap it, much less wrap it and post it in the first place!I think that the Dursleys continue to send "gifts" to keep up appearances to their neighbors and their martyrdom with their relatives--possibly also just to remind Harry about how very little they care about him (compared to their "representation" of how much they love Dudley, on his birthdays). I also agree with vandy that Hagrid's birthday gifts to Harry are usually very useful. Hands down, I would say Hedwig was the most useful birthday gift (although I'm with Dumbledore--should a living thing really be gifted?)--she was not only functional, in terms of communication and errands, but she was also a warm and loyal companion who was quite intuitive when it came to Harry. I think that was an important relationship for him, particularly during the summers. Hagrid is very practical, and also very sensitive (in some ways), and I think that his gifts on Harry's 11th birthday just represented that, perhaps, he had never stopped thinking and worrying about Harry, and that he also knew what it was like to feel alone in the world a bit. -------------------- "...the world isn't split into good people and Death Eaters" - Sirius Black (OOTP14)
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Jan 27 2008, 08:19 PM
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#32
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Mischievous Manager  Posts: 5,436 Joined: 9:14am February 16, 2006 Location: Behind the sofa, watching Doctor Who |
You know, I've given a lot of thought to what so many of you have said with regard to Ginny's kiss, and I think it's not so much the kiss itself as the sentiment behind it that is striking a chord with me. Love is the best give any of us can give, and while that doesn't have to take a physical form, it is the love from his friends and family and for them in return that ultimately equipped Harry to do what needed to be done.
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Jan 28 2008, 06:05 AM
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#33
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Leaky Lounge Over Achiever  Posts: 9,321 Joined: 4:57am January 28, 2005 Location: near Muggleswick, UK |
QUOTE(becky920 @ Jan 28 2008, 01:19 AM) You know, I've given a lot of thought to what so many of you have said with regard to Ginny's kiss, and I think it's not so much the kiss itself as the sentiment behind it that is striking a chord with me. Love is the best give any of us can give, and while that doesn't have to take a physical form, it is the love from his friends and family and for them in return that ultimately equipped Harry to do what needed to be done. It is also somewhat of a commitment given what Ginny says in the lead up to it implying that she won't go looking for another boyfriend any time soon, because she wants Harry to remember her and not going chasing after any Veela he might meet, so she is staking a claim for him.
--------------------  W.L.Y.J. We love you Jo |
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Jan 28 2008, 10:05 AM
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#34
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Pimply  Posts: 37 Joined: 12:08am October 29, 2005 Location: Watching Harry Take a Bath |
*cries* Ginny gave Harry a kiss for his birthday? How DARE she! And how insensitive of all of you to be discussing it here RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME when I have never even been kissed once! *sob*
I think the best gift Harry got was the use of my bathroom in his second year, where he could have time to reflect on death and possibly join me there. --------------------  |
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Jan 28 2008, 11:39 AM
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#35
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Spellotaping Monster Books of Monsters  Posts: 2,482 Joined: 11:46am June 29, 2007 Location: K'nexing Lirene |
Ahhh, Myrtle, I'm so sorry that you have never been kissed. That was insensitive of us to talk about it in front of you. What about Draco then? You give him support when he is in despair. Maybe, he will give you a kiss in thanks for all your help. I really think that Harry is pretty well sewed up by Ginny. And that red hair denotes a terrible temper, so I wouldn't take her on if I were you. I definitely think that Draco is safer, don't you? --------------------  wonderful signature is courtesy of atschpe  Thanks Mokey |
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Jan 28 2008, 03:56 PM
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#36
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Smart Cookie  Posts: 3,332 Joined: 1:26am September 30, 2006 Location: Somewhere in time and space |
QUOTE(roonwit @ Jan 26 2008, 09:14 AM) I don't think we can be sure that Hagrid never really met Harry before his 11th birthday. I can see Hagrid visiting Harry when the Potters were still alive, and I also think Hagrid was good friends with Harry's parents, so he would feel a bit of an obligation to Harry. But I do think it is significant that Hagrid knows that it is Harry's birthday, so either he knows it from previous events or has taken the trouble to find out. But in any case, Hagrid is under no obligation to give Harry either a cake or an owl, so it does show his generous nature, and Hagrid continues to send Harry birthday gifts (such as the biting book and a cake when Dudley went on a diet). On the contrary, I think, Hagrid had to know when Harry's birthday is: I think, there are words in one of the books that the first Hogwarts letter has to be delivered before a witch's or wizard's 11th birthday. That is why, I think, Hagrid broke into that shed (or what it's called in English) in the sea - he had to give Harry the letter and he couldn't wait any longer.However, as you say, Hagrid didn't have to give all those presents to Harry. To me, this shows (as some have also mentioned) that Hagrid is a good and caring person, and he's undoubtedly fond of Harry from the moment he sees him (in the wreckage of the Potters' place) - remember how he cired when he had to leave the child at the Dursleys'? I also think that Hagrid sort of sees himself in Harry: I think, it was in GoF when he said something like that they were both orphans, both different and in a way unaccepted by society. So, Hagrid wants to make Harry's life better. QUOTE(Jeaneai @ Jan 26 2008, 12:12 PM) Why do you think the Dursleys continue to bother giving him presents at all? I agree with you. I think, the Dursleys kept giving Harry presents because you have give something to the person who's birthday it is. But later (and I'm not sure when), they seem to start to even ignore this tradition, and only send Harry something for Christmas. I've also always looked at this as a physical symbol of how much Harry is mistreated, unliked and unloved at the Dursleys' place. It seems to me that they give him those things simply to mock Harry and to make fun of him - you know, perhaps they wanted to see how he'd react at those presents, or something.They're sticklers for formality. And becky, same here. To me, the most touching and striking thing about Ginny's gift to Harry (the kiss) is not the kiss itself, but what she means with that kiss. It's sort of telling: I'll be waiting for you, I don't care that you might not come back. And just now, I'm strongly reminded of Arwen and Aragorn in the LotR films: when she gave him that jewell and told to keep it, no matter, that she had to sail away (which in the end she didn't do). Another present that touched me most is the watch given by Mr and Mrs Weasley (I assume), for it had belonged to Molly's brother. Throughout the books she in different ways mentions several times that Harry is as good as a son to her, and acts like his mother, too: makes him a birthday cake, kisses him before he boards the Hogwarts Express. And this watch is sort of like the one last thing, a symbol that Harry really belongs to this family. (I think, I'm getting teary  )
-------------------- Images from cutting_onions, maddythevampire, artic_fox @LJ.
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Jan 28 2008, 04:52 PM
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#37
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Leaky Lounge Over Achiever Posts: 9,321 Joined: 4:57am January 28, 2005 Location: near Muggleswick, UK |
QUOTE(Mary Wanguard @ Jan 28 2008, 08:56 PM) On the contrary, I think, Hagrid had to know when Harry's birthday is: I think, there are words in one of the books that the first Hogwarts letter has to be delivered before a witch's or wizard's 11th birthday. I don't see why. The timing surely has much more to do with the approaching start of term than with Harry turning 11, because the school would ideally like to finalize book lists etc. before sending out the letters. Probably also the Statute of Secrecy would mean it made sense to tell muggle-born witches and wizards near the start of term so that they don't spend too long knowing that they could do magic without any training. So I still think it is significant that Hagrid knows Harry's birthday.QUOTE(Mary Wanguard @ Jan 28 2008, 08:56 PM) Another present that touched me most is the watch given by Mr and Mrs Weasley (I assume), for it had belonged to Molly's brother. Throughout the books she in different ways mentions several times that Harry is as good as a son to her, and acts like his mother, too: makes him a birthday cake, kisses him before he boards the Hogwarts Express. And this watch is sort of like the one last thing, a symbol that Harry really belongs to this family. (I think, I'm getting teary Yes, there is a lot of meaning in that watch, because it would usually be the parents that give this traditional present, and it was a family possession of Molly's, which is saying to Harry "you are one of the family".
)This post has been edited by roonwit: Jan 28 2008, 05:50 PM -------------------- W.L.Y.J. We love you Jo |
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Jan 28 2008, 05:03 PM
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#38
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Disgruntled House-Elf at The Leaky Cauldron Posts: 423 Joined: 2:00pm April 8, 2007 Location: disapparating to london to go to hogwarts, because it really does exist!! |
I agree that the only reason the dursleys give harry gifts is formality, and perhaps they know Hagrid wants his present somehow. I also think they want to remind him while he is away having the time of his life at school that they DON"T WANT HIM. this can be easy to forget away from home, but the dursleys haven't forgotten him- they worry at all times about awkward questions, etc. It's like when they ask him to stay at hogwarts all summer- they're saying "remember, this is all you mean to us. we DO care if you come back, we haven't forgotten how much we hate you. just stay where you belong." It's such a sad meaning.
-------------------- Thanks to ravenclaw1028 for the awesome avatar!
"just one more, master harry, for luck?" "an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth" "yeah, but then all you end up with are a bunch of toothless blind people." |
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