Silvertongue
Headmaster/Headmistress
I've got Slytherin Pride
Posts: 1,595
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Post by Silvertongue on Jun 13, 2012 15:13:32 GMT -5
And Dudley always punched him on the nose. He had no bruises or bleeding from that? It never broke once? His glasses constantly broke too.
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Post by G. Novella on Jun 13, 2012 18:19:24 GMT -5
Yeah, the handling was all wrong of that situation. Was I the only one who felt that Dudley's turn around in book 7 wasn't heartwarming? I thought it lacked a whole heck of development, for one thing. The kid went from beating Harry to pulp, to almost having his soul sucked out, to loving Harry? I'm sorry, but that needed development. I don't know, a bit more confusion on Dudley's part? A few mis-communications? Something that said, he's trying to reach out, trying to be forgiven, besides a bloody tea cup.
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sherza
Head Boy/Girl
Posts: 705
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Post by sherza on Jun 13, 2012 18:57:02 GMT -5
ahhh, but it wasn't love.
It was 'I guess you're not a complete freak and waste of space after all, and maybe treating you like shit was a bad idea'.
And Dudley did try to make some sort of overture ... remember, he left tea by Harry's door frequently. Not exactly the normal sort of overture a person would make, but we ARE talking about Dudley Dursley here.
Also, if I remember correctly, the year after the Dementor was the year he made the greatest changes physically, trimming down significantly. This is indicative of a change of mental state, since up until then, or if I'm wrong, the year previous, he was a complete, utter, and total SWINE, pretty much literally. We may not see much of it, but there ARE indications in the book that Dudley has undergone some sort of change.
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Post by lucyolsen on Jun 13, 2012 19:51:59 GMT -5
This is Harry's story, not Dudley's, so therefore we only see very few of Dudley's actions when Harry happens to be around him.
It starts with tea and "I don't think you're a waste of space" and ends with them on Christmas card terms.
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Post by G. Novella on Jun 13, 2012 20:02:18 GMT -5
Wait, when were they on Christmas Card terms?
And I know it's Harry's story, but I'd have preferred something that highlighted Dudley's struggling. I think I just wanted him to be shown as struggling to make up for what happened to Harry in a small way.
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Post by Trilonias on Jun 13, 2012 20:07:04 GMT -5
Extrapolating from when Harry and Dudley reconcile. Probably in nineteen years. Haha.
I think that exit scene in DH was suppose to be his struggling scene. Yeah, not much that we can see there.
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Post by lucyolsen on Jun 13, 2012 21:37:47 GMT -5
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sherza
Head Boy/Girl
Posts: 705
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Post by sherza on Jun 13, 2012 21:53:22 GMT -5
Thing is, Dudley is about as far from being intelligent as you can get and NOT suffer from mental retardation (remember, he couldn't add 2 to 36 to get the right number.) The Crabbe or Goyle of the Muggle world, if you will. Coming from him, tea and awkward 'you're not worthless' is the equivalent of a far more ... erudite, penitent, and heartfelt apology from a normal person.
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Post by Dimcairien on Jun 13, 2012 22:08:11 GMT -5
I wonder if Dudley has some sort of special need like Autism, but never got diagnosed …
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sherza
Head Boy/Girl
Posts: 705
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Post by sherza on Jun 13, 2012 22:16:49 GMT -5
It's possible he had some sort of issue. Not autism ... he seemed to have no problem interacting with the outside world ... but something else? Possible. Ot he could simply have had a low IQ.
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Post by kumainpink on Jun 13, 2012 22:30:26 GMT -5
I'm under the impression that he has dyscalculia and possibly dyslexia too. It would make sense, given that he wasn't very good with numbers. He might have been terrible with reading, too.
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sherza
Head Boy/Girl
Posts: 705
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Post by sherza on Jun 13, 2012 22:35:51 GMT -5
That's definitely possible, given his extreme dislike for reading (none of the books he was gifted with were ever touched). While it could just have been boyish dislike for reading, there is definitely a possibility of something like undiagnosed dyslexia. It's not like Petunia or Vernon would 'officially' notice such a thing, with their obsession with 'normal'.
You know, I'd actually feel bad for Dudley if something like that was confirmed, because can you *imagine* Petunia and Vernon's reaction to such a thing?
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Post by lucyolsen on Jun 13, 2012 22:39:37 GMT -5
Vernon and Petunia have two options when it comes to their son:
1) Believe their son is perfect to the exclusion of all else.
2) Acknowledge evidence of his shortcomings and blame it on the freak.
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Post by Dimcairien on Jun 13, 2012 22:44:16 GMT -5
Someone should write a story in which that happens.  It would make perfect sense if he did though and yes, Vernon and Petunia would not want to hear about it because it would be abnormal for them. |
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Post by kumainpink on Jun 13, 2012 22:55:59 GMT -5
Vernon and Petunia are horrid excuses for parents to begin with. If the situation was somehow reversed, Lily and James would have made sure Dudley was well taken care of. The fact of the matter is that while they do show love and/or care for their family at some points, (Vernon pulling a shotgun on Hagrid in defense of his family, and Petunia's general behavior toward him and Dudley), they still shouldn't be allowed to raise children.
Hell, Children's services should have interfered on Dudley's behalf, if not Harry's. Both are victims in their own way. Harry from abuse and neglect, Dudley from spoiling and pampering.
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Post by Kitty279 on Jun 14, 2012 2:44:04 GMT -5
The idea of Dudley having Dyslexia or something like that makes really sense. And the way he was raised didn't help. His parents would explain anything away - their Diddykins was normal! IMO he was abused, too, not that bad as Harry, but they didn't do him any favour. He will one day have to leave home and find out that not everyone will bow to his every whim, that people will say NO to him - and that temper tantrums won't get him anything save the boot.
As for Harry, others said what I always felt - it was strange that no teacher noticed the massive difference between the two boys. Even if they thought Harry was a troublemaker, they should have realised that something was amiss. It's really tempting to suspect a few well-placed Obliviate ...
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Post by kumainpink on Jun 14, 2012 7:20:04 GMT -5
*sighs* I really wish this whole abuse thing had been handled better. That's probably my biggest problem with the series, (not that I have many).
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Post by G. Novella on Jun 14, 2012 7:27:38 GMT -5
I bet you a teacher tried to point out that something was wrong with her Diddy-kins in that report card, it's said that she just brushes it off with lame excuses.
I mean really, "I don't want a swotty nancy boy for a son" and "He wouldn't hurt a fly" and "It's just puppy fat"
Petunia would have closed her eyes off to everyone telling her something was wrong, inadvertently harming her Diddy-kins. Vernon would have called the system flawed. I bet you anything Petunia convinced herself that Diddy was just smarter than everyone and was the next Einstein.
I think the abuse issue was my biggest thing with the series too. I was super disappointed no one ever learned of the cupboard.
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Post by kumainpink on Jun 14, 2012 7:29:54 GMT -5
I think many people were disappointed by that very fact. Which is why we have so many reactions to it in a majority of CRs.
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Post by lucyolsen on Jun 14, 2012 8:21:38 GMT -5
It sort of pissed me off a little that Rita knew in the movies. I'm like, what do you mean people know? No one's doing anything about it!? How did she find out anyway; Harry's not going around telling people, is he?
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Post by kumainpink on Jun 14, 2012 8:27:36 GMT -5
Yeah, that's a bit of a plothole there....  |
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Post by G. Novella on Jun 14, 2012 8:29:50 GMT -5
I don't remember this! When did she say she knew!?! Oh god, I need to rewatch the movies. I never saw GOF or DH1 actually. I saw half of GOF at a friend's place, but I do not remember this!
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Post by G. Novella on Jun 14, 2012 8:30:09 GMT -5
Oh, and I skipped HBP
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Post by kumainpink on Jun 14, 2012 8:32:42 GMT -5
Wait, nvm. I don't think she did know... I was thinking of a fanfic I read.
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Post by lucyolsen on Jun 14, 2012 8:35:36 GMT -5
From GoF:
Rita Skeeter: This is cozy.
Harry: It's a broom cupboard.
Rita Skeeter: Well you should feel right at home, then.
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Post by kumainpink on Jun 14, 2012 8:37:12 GMT -5
Oh, I forgot about that oneliner... |
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Post by ginnyrules27 on Jun 14, 2012 10:09:13 GMT -5
From GoF: Rita Skeeter: This is cozy. Harry: It's a broom cupboard. Rita Skeeter: Well you should feel right at home, then. I think she was referring to the fact that Harry was 14 and hormonal. Where do hormonal 14 year old boys (who aren't saviors of the Wizarding World) spend most of their time outside of classes? |
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Post by kumainpink on Jun 14, 2012 10:12:23 GMT -5
That's another good point.  |
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Post by G. Novella on Jun 14, 2012 10:40:34 GMT -5
Yeah, that makes more sense. I don't think Skeeter knew of the cupboard, otherwise she would have published it in any magazine, paper, book, etc that she'd written. She loves slandering important people, and I cannot see her as not telling the entire world to slander Dumbledore.
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Post by kumainpink on Jun 14, 2012 10:42:24 GMT -5
Exactly! And while on the subject of Skeeter:
CAN'T THE BITCH MIND HER OWN FUCKING MANNERS? I loathe that woman, though nowhere near as much as Umbitch. >=o
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It would make perfect sense if he did though and yes, Vernon and Petunia would not want to hear about it because it would be abnormal for them.
