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Maternal vs. Paternal Love in the HP Series, Which Dominated?

Which type of love dominated?
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Total Votes: 88
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lirene View Member Profile	Jul 1 2008, 01:15 PM Post #1
Grand Pooh-Bah of the Poking Sticks Emporium Posts: 6,856 Joined: 3:53pm January 4, 2008 Location: Fine-tuning her Spambot Magnet	Throughout the HP series, the theme if Love is interwoven brilliantly and it is a major theme in the story. There is also an undercurrent of maternal vs. paternal love as well. To many readers it seems as though maternal love played a more prominent role in the series than paternal love and it was almost as if paternal love was left more to the wayside. Wasn't it after all Lily's sacrifice that enabled an infant Harry to survive Voldemort's attack? This poll is about how you as a reader, feel how maternal and paternal love were portrayed, and if one type of love was highlighted more in Rowling's story than the other. Do you feel that both maternal and paternal love had equal importance in the story? You may choose from more than one of the options given above in the poll, and vote for "other" if your choice reflects something other than has been given in the poll. You are encouraged to support your views with canon evidence, and pose your own questions as well. This post has been edited by lirene: Jul 9 2008, 09:57 PM --------------------

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Replies (10 - 19)

Ex Libres Cogito View Member Profile	Jul 16 2008, 11:37 AM Post #11
Buying a Half-Kneazle Posts: 515 Joined: 1:37pm September 7, 2007 Location: Azkaban, Practicing my Patronus	If this poll takes only the reader's perspective (regardless of any religous, political, or other agenda overtones into consideration), then I have to admit that I was initially troubled by the thread. It is, however, a fantastic way to look at love, from the point of view of the reader's "feelings" and thoughts. My reading of the series awoke within me my own experiences (as a child, and as a parent). I remember the feelings I had when reading of Neville's "Grand", and the fear/love she armed him with. (Btw, would his parents' sacrifices have given him some protection?) Luna's father and mother were very kind to her. What kind of love did she receive from them? Thestrals? Severus Snape and Tom Riddle never wanted their "muggle" fathers' affections -- or did they? And how can you equate or weigh the love of either Arthur or Molly Weasley for their children, for Harry, or for the many other needy souls they adopted? Therefore, I chose the 4th option. "Maternal Love" and "Paternal Love" -- to me as a reader -- can neither be qualified, evaluated, or measured. They are symbols, and are part of a language that helps me to understand others, and myself, a little bit better. ELC -------------------- In troubled times, it is often better to remember simple pleasures - family, virtue, and character - rather than to succumb to the woesome distractions of desire, defeat, and disillusionment. ELC

Lemmy View Member Profile	Jul 16 2008, 12:25 PM Post #12
Getting Fitted for New Dress Robes Posts: 51 Joined: 12:58pm August 22, 2005	I voted for Maternal, as it always seemed to me that Paternal love, with the exception of A Weasley, was something longed for in the books.

harrypottergeek2 View Member Profile	Jul 16 2008, 02:21 PM Post #13
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(Ex Libres Cogito @ Jul 16 2008, 12:37 PM) I remember the feelings I had when reading of Neville's "Grand", and the fear/love she armed him with. (Btw, would his parents' sacrifices have given him some protection?) I don't think so; they weren't really sacrificing themselves for Neville's benefit. They were undoubtedly brave, but there are a lot more requisites for the protection . -------------------- "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 --

silviera View Member Profile	Jul 25 2008, 05:58 AM Post #14
Cauldron Bottom Measurer Posts: 115 Joined: 9:11am January 22, 2008 Location: Gazing at the azure sky ....	QUOTE(harrypottergeek2 @ Jul 10 2008, 11:17 PM) Even though the number of paternal sources seems to be more than the number of maternal sources, I don't get the impression that Jo was trying to show one form as more important than the other; she only seems to make the point that these two forms are very different, and are expressed in different ways. In fact, if you think about this a little bit deeper, this could be one of Jo's ways of illustrating a more general concept about love as a whole - no form of love has greater value/importance than another; each of love's vast forms are equally valued, and are equally important to human development. Wonderful topic Lirene. I think the same way harrypottergeek2 does. There are examples of both maternal love and paternal love over the series, but I couldn't say that one was more emphasised than the other. They both have their own importance, and if you go deep, there is no difference. Love is Love, whether it be as between parents and children, friends, siblings, or lovers. I voted for 'both' as well as 'other'. That's because I do think they were shown equally but also that they were shown in different ways. Ever since Harry was told that his parents had died to save him, he knew for certain how much they loved him. I don't think Harry saw any difference in James taking on Voldemort to give Lily time to run, and Lily refusing to step away from Harry when specifically told to. They each did what they could to save the people they loved. The only difference I can see is that Harry wanted his father's presence and strength to come from within himself, whereas he wanted Lily's presence strengthening him from outside himself. Harry wanted to be like his father and even die like him in GOF and was very upset when he saw James tormenting Snape in OOTP. He risks a lot to talk to Sirius and Remus to clarify his doubts. with Lily, it is a different case; Harry asks his mother to stay close to him while he walked into the forest in DH, showing that he needed her presence very near to him even if he knew that the power of her sacrifice lived on in his body. I know I have just taken Harry's example and not anyone else's, but it was easier because we know a lot about what and how Harry thinks rather than anyone else; and I'm sure he regards both types of love as being different, equally important nonetheless.

VoodooPadfoot View Member Profile	Jul 25 2008, 07:06 AM Post #15
Stocking Snitches at Quality Quidditch Supplies Posts: 661 Joined: 6:46am January 1, 2008 Location: At A Desk! x	I think that there is a lot more emphasis on the love of a Mother which is a serious influence in the Harry potter series. Tonks, Molly Weasley and of course Lily Potter are all examples of miraculous mothers who will do anything for there children. They are very brave and caring and very strong willed women. However when it comes to Paternal love, it's more vague. Arthur Weasley is an automatic example of a superb father, a very good person and a very good example of Paternal love. However in the case of Paternal love it is actually the LACK of it in many cases which shines through. You can understand many of the characters actions have been decided from a lack of paternal influence, like Voldemort. He resented his father, but still there is the fact that if his father had stayed he would have been happy with a whole and loving family. I personally believe that Harry has had many more surrogate Dads than Mums. I am not sure why this is, but his only really surrogate mother is Molly Weasley, who truley treats him like her own son. But on the father figure side he has had; Albus, Sirius, Remus and Arthur. And those are only the ones that I can think of off the top of my head! -------------------- "Harry Potter isn't everything ... but it's right up there with Oxygen!

Henrietta View Member Profile	Jul 25 2008, 09:23 AM Post #16
Buying a Half-Kneazle Posts: 527 Joined: 12:24pm January 7, 2007	I voted for equal portrayal because while Lily's sacrifice (and Merope's abandonment) resonate through the whole book Harry himself spends seven books demonstrating paternal love as he protects and sacrifices for those he takes responsibility for. In fact the books by following the classic Heros Journey and taking Harry from child to man also take that paternal love in him and mature and expand it. Book 1 Harry acts out of a general feeling of responsibility - without really truly understanding what he is risking or asking of himself he does what he feels is right. Book 2 Harry saves a specific person - Ginny Book 3 (one of the more interesting) he goes further on his emotional journey by choosing not to act, protecting both Sirius and Wormtail Book 4 Harry as savior really comes forward and throughout the story he steps up - Hermione, Ron, Gabrielle, Fleur etc all receive Harry's protection and at the end of course he brings Cedric back (the film having him cradle Cedric, four other major father figures looking on - Hagrid, DD, Mr Diggory and Mr Weasley; in fact the whole idea of paternal love is emphasized again in the film with Mr Weasley's, "That's my son!" and at the end Mr Diggory's heartbroken, "That's my boy...") Book 5, a terribly dark book for Harry but an essential one for the paternal journey as he takes on the father role to save the man whom he looked to as a father-figure - Sirius. Book 6 naturally with Dumbledore's death Harry loses the last father-figure who could shelter and protect him, who could conceivably take on the tasks that Harry feels responsible for (Yes there is still Hagrid and Mr Weasley but neither is in that particular position of authority that DD has) Book 7 completes the circle by giving a paternal sacrifice to mirror the maternal one.

katihpfan View Member Profile	Jul 25 2008, 09:06 PM Post #17
Cauldron Bottom Measurer Posts: 116 Joined: 10:29pm June 14, 2007	I was shocked to see so few votes for paternal love! I checked both maternal and paternal instead of "equally" since I felt both were dominant, but at different times. Maternal love is definitely dominant in the night where Lily sacrificed herself. But it is the paternal love that Harry longs for in the majority of the series, up until James's flaws are revealed in the fifth book and Harry's perfect image of his dad is somewhat slighted. It is paternal love Harry seeks in both Sirius and, eventually when the two get closer, Dumbledore. Harry desperately wanted a father's love and guidance and repeatedly must lose his father figures. I feel paternal love dominated for most of Harry's school life. In both times with the AK however, at the beginning and what could have been the end of his life, it was Lily's maternal love Harry depended on and wanted the most - with her sacrificing herself the first time and with him asking her to stay close to him the second. -------------------- "The fact remains he can move faster than Severus Snape confronted with shampoo." "I'll join you when hell freezes over," said Neville. "Dumbledore's Army!" to Fred, Tonks, Lupin and Dobby rest in peace

blue4t View Member Profile	Jul 28 2008, 10:18 PM Post #18
Ron Weasley's #2 squeeze Posts: 2,811 Joined: 11:00pm July 13, 2007 Location: Ottery St. Catchpole	In my opinion, maternal love dominated. Harry is more touched by the love Mrs. Weasley shows. When she hugs him he feels it as if a mother is hugging him. It is Lily's love and protection that saves Harry. He does have more paternal love, but it is the maternal love that has the greater impact. -------------------- Win-gar-dium Levi-o-sa Ron Weasley: He Does it Anyway.

Wandguardnoodle View Member Profile	Jul 30 2008, 06:01 AM Post #19
Smart Cookie Posts: 3,122 Joined: 1:26am September 30, 2006 Location: Somewhere in time and space	Wow, this topic really got me confused. So that after reading all the posts, I just voted "Other" and will try to make up my mind here. QUOTE(harrypottergeek2 @ Jul 10 2008, 07:41 PM) If we look at it from the perspective of Harry in particular, I would have to say that paternal love is the more dominant love. Aside from his late mother, Harry pretty much only has Mrs. Weasley as a source of maternal love. Admittedly, she's a great source of maternal love, but when you think of all of Harry's sources of paternal love (aside from his late father) - Arthur, Hagrid, Sirius, Remus, DD, and at one point, Fudge - I would say that Harry's paternal love is far more dominant than his maternal love. I've never looked at this in that way, but I think, it's really true. Though I think, it probably comes from the fact that Harry's a boy, I don't know, perhaps he wants / needs more paternal guidance. I can also kind of see that the father-figures for Harry (and in general) are generally more flawed, imperfect than the mother-figures. So, I think, it kind of makes sense that Harry has more father-figures to guide him - because they all have more flaws and I think, their roles and efforts all combined would make it a perfect guide. I mean, as we go through the books, we learn something about each of Harry's father-figures that puts them down in Harry's eyes, and Lily and Molly don't get tainted (for the lack of a better word). I think, that while the figures are different, both maternal and paternal love is important and they're actually quite similar. I mean, they both do the same thing. For example, James and Lily both just wanted to protect Harry, the only difference is that Riddle offered Lily to step away; and in the end of DH both Narcissa and Lucius did everything they could to get to Draco. I think, maternal and paternal love balance each other. I mean, while Harry's paternal figures change, his maternal ones - Lily and Molly - stay stable. And while emphasis often seems to be on the farther roles - I mean, for example, Snape always making Harry angry with his talks about James, Draco always banking on his father, - we can always sense roles of mothers as well, perhaps not as prominent, but if Lily hasn't sacrificed herself, there would be no Harry; Neville has only his Grandmother; if Narcissa hasn't said no, Draco would have gone to Durmstrang instead of Hogwarts; and there's, of course, Molly. So, we see that both kinds of love are at work, they just get represented in different ways. -------------------- I could easily forgive his pride, if he had not mortified mine. (P&P) Images from hallonpaj, phistolemon_, alata_elentari @LJ.

weaselyfan View Member Profile	Aug 4 2008, 09:51 AM Post #20
Flesh-Eating-Slug Catcher Posts: 146 Joined: 7:46pm June 22, 2008 Location: Springfield, Mo	I think that the theme might be best as parental love, i really felt that at the end, the moment when he walked toward death, when Harry turned to his mother and said stay with me was one ofthe most powerful and telling in the series, but I also felt through out the books his ability to see his dad as a person, with flaws, instead of the perfect hero he originally believed him to be showed Harry's ability to grow. The same with Sirius and even, Lupin, I felt like the parental love was showed to be at times flawed (even overbearing, in the case of the well meaning and wonderful Mrs. Weasley) but still powerful. I felt like the message about matrrnal love espescially is that it is powerful but he had to find his own way with it, the protection of love his mother gave him was enough for only so long, then he had to find his own way, just like with Mrs. Weasley-she could shelter her family for so long, but in the end she had to get out and fight -like she did with Bellatrix. Part of Harry's full circle growth was to understand his maternal and paternal influences and use both to become the person he did. Then pass those on to his own family. I felt like the paternal influences that were most influential on him were really Arthur Weasley and Lupin, which were excellent examples. They were the contrast to the anti paternal influence of Vernon Dursley. One of the things I loved about the books was that I flet like it was an empowering theme about parental love, which is why I felt they stretched across genrations and didn't paint parents as either martyrs or old codgers. -------------------- "Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?" Mr. Weasley was looking around. He loved everything to do with Muggles....

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