Well, it's his fame, right? And the glory quickly fades with those who know him. He's not overly popular, even in his own House.
True. But the thing is, it happens. The first part of my post was intended to show what Sue-haters would see as reasons for Harry-bashing. This phenomena occurs in the real world, too, though - and if you don't believe me, put Bill Gates in a room full of normal people who have never met him. He'll leave with a room full of friends.
As for becoming the seeker, that's the one thing Harry feels he really deserves, as it's a result of his own abilities. He really doesn't think he's good at anything else, as he states quite clearly to the fake Moody.
Again, though, many people (including my mom, sadly) believe he was given this leeway because he's Harry Potter. And while Harry SAYS the only thing he's good at is Quidditch, both he and we know better - he can produce a Patronus at the age of 13 (when Lupin states specifically that it is high above O.W.L. level). He fought off a full grown mountain troll and was told he was lucky to survive. Ditto to Tom Riddle in book two. And what about that little time-traveling conundrum of Dumbledore's, which Harry solves almost immediately, in the third book? Trust me, Harry is either being overly modest or else he has serious self-esteem issues. (Actually, we already know that . . . )
Well, in PS he has to go through a traumatising ordeal with his friends in their fight againstr Voldemort. In CoS he has to bear the whole school hating and fearing him because they think he's the heir of slytherin, and then he has to fight a terrifying snake, and almost sees his best friend's sister die. In PoA, he's under constant danger of being killed (well, that's what they think anyway), has a run-in with a werewolf and loses his only chance to be free of the Dursleys.
All of these things are relatively minor when compared to Voldemort. In the first book, he meddled when he didn't have to (he would have been in danger if the Philosopher's Stone was recovered by Quirrell, but he didn't know that). In the second book he acted on his "saving-people thing"(why didn't he just alert the teachers?). In the third book, the danger didn't even really exist, mostly. Compare these to being tied up and helpless in a graveyard, or worse yet, facing Death Eaters two-to-one on turf you're not familiar with (and worse, many of them ARE familiar with it). You see my point in calling these things less important?
In GoF... He is forced to sacrifice blood to his worst enemy, to the very person to kill his parents! Don't you remember how he felt during this?
I might have been closer to what I meant if I said "strength and skill." I know if I had been in his position, I certainly wouldn't be sitting here now, because I'd be dead. I turn 17 in a week and I know full well that I wouldn't be able to do what he did, especially on a broken leg to boot. And while yes, he feels badly about it, he didn't do the stupid thing (cry, scream, try to claw Voldemort's eyes out). He kept his head until it was safe for him to let go - and that's a hard thing to do.
I have no idea. Harry is my favourite character, but I keep running into fans who really dislike him, and often for reasons I seldom even agree are canon...
Many people mix canon and fanon (the body of facts not stated directly in the books or by JKR, but generally agreed on in fanfiction or by fans), with results ranging from insignificant to astronomical. For example, almost everyone agrees that Remus has eyes that are either brown or blue even though Rowling never says so. Not really an important point, right? But then there is this huge fan base that agrees that Snape is watching over Harry because of his own interests, and not because he's in Dumbledore's service. Think about the impacts THAT could have if it were true in canon. Sadly, some people mix the two without differentiating, and that's where comments like "So-and-so from canon is a Mary-Sue" come into play.
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True. But the thing is, it happens. The first part of my post was intended to show what Sue-haters would see as reasons for Harry-bashing. This phenomena occurs in the real world, too, though - and if you don't believe me, put Bill Gates in a room full of normal people who have never met him. He'll leave with a room full of friends.
As for becoming the seeker, that's the one thing Harry feels he really deserves, as it's a result of his own abilities. He really doesn't think he's good at anything else, as he states quite clearly to the fake Moody.
Again, though, many people (including my mom, sadly) believe he was given this leeway because he's Harry Potter. And while Harry SAYS the only thing he's good at is Quidditch, both he and we know better - he can produce a Patronus at the age of 13 (when Lupin states specifically that it is high above O.W.L. level). He fought off a full grown mountain troll and was told he was lucky to survive. Ditto to Tom Riddle in book two. And what about that little time-traveling conundrum of Dumbledore's, which Harry solves almost immediately, in the third book? Trust me, Harry is either being overly modest or else he has serious self-esteem issues. (Actually, we already know that . . . )
Well, in PS he has to go through a traumatising ordeal with his friends in their fight againstr Voldemort. In CoS he has to bear the whole school hating and fearing him because they think he's the heir of slytherin, and then he has to fight a terrifying snake, and almost sees his best friend's sister die. In PoA, he's under constant danger of being killed (well, that's what they think anyway), has a run-in with a werewolf and loses his only chance to be free of the Dursleys.
All of these things are relatively minor when compared to Voldemort. In the first book, he meddled when he didn't have to (he would have been in danger if the Philosopher's Stone was recovered by Quirrell, but he didn't know that). In the second book he acted on his "saving-people thing"(why didn't he just alert the teachers?). In the third book, the danger didn't even really exist, mostly. Compare these to being tied up and helpless in a graveyard, or worse yet, facing Death Eaters two-to-one on turf you're not familiar with (and worse, many of them ARE familiar with it). You see my point in calling these things less important?
In GoF... He is forced to sacrifice blood to his worst enemy, to the very person to kill his parents! Don't you remember how he felt during this?
I might have been closer to what I meant if I said "strength and skill." I know if I had been in his position, I certainly wouldn't be sitting here now, because I'd be dead. I turn 17 in a week and I know full well that I wouldn't be able to do what he did, especially on a broken leg to boot. And while yes, he feels badly about it, he didn't do the stupid thing (cry, scream, try to claw Voldemort's eyes out). He kept his head until it was safe for him to let go - and that's a hard thing to do.
I have no idea. Harry is my favourite character, but I keep running into fans who really dislike him, and often for reasons I seldom even agree are canon...
Many people mix canon and fanon (the body of facts not stated directly in the books or by JKR, but generally agreed on in fanfiction or by fans), with results ranging from insignificant to astronomical. For example, almost everyone agrees that Remus has eyes that are either brown or blue even though Rowling never says so. Not really an important point, right? But then there is this huge fan base that agrees that Snape is watching over Harry because of his own interests, and not because he's in Dumbledore's service. Think about the impacts THAT could have if it were true in canon. Sadly, some people mix the two without differentiating, and that's where comments like "So-and-so from canon is a Mary-Sue" come into play.