To thing Harry Potter is an unlikeable character?

[Soubriquet]

I’ve just finished re-reading the books for the x amount of times, and each time I read it, I dislike Harry more and more.

I love the book series. It’s a good a series but I honestly think Harry is just an awful character

I think he's mostly alright.

The books would be fucking boring if he listened to advice, it is only his stubbornness that sets up the perilous scenarios.

I wouldn't have read a book about a kid who stayed in his dorm as he was told to, would you?

I think he drops his wand an astonishing amount. Literally, get a fucking grip Harry!

He's meant to be a flawed character, the books wouldn't work if he were the hero who saved the day. He needs his more likable, capable friends around him to get him out of shit. As someone else said, he's intended to be read by teenagers who see themselves in him, not adults who get annoyed by his teenagery-ness.

The books are hugely, wildly popular. There's something about them that speaks to a great many people.

For someone who's been through so much he's too bloody good and well behaved if you ask me. To righteous and annoying right. Would have thought he would have had more of an edge if I'm honest

I think that's the point, isn't it? He's the main character because it's his story, and all these things are happening to him. But all along he relies on friends, allies, organisations that help him, in direct contrast with Voldemort, who operates alone and trusts no-one. Harry grapples all the way through with his instinct to do things by himself (is that caused by the piece of soul in him? Who knows), and is constantly reminded by other people that he can seek and use help. The Battle of Hogwarts only turns around when all the families, friends and villagers turn up, and it takes seven people to destroy Voldemort in the end (including Voldy himself). It's a triumph for all of them.

He's very like Buffy in the early seasons in this respect. It ain't easy being The Chosen One.

😂😂😂

It's a triumph for all of them.

True, but mostly for hermione's tiny bag of bad bitch accoutrements ;)

I think the strength of the main characters in Harry Potter is that they all have good and bad sides, they are so much more interesting and believable than many book characters.

Look at James Potter, idolised by Harry for years, then revealed to be a bully. That is not to say he wasn't a great dad, but he was far from perfect.

And Snape, who Harry eventually named his son after!

The discussions I have had with school children about Harry Potter characters have centred around anger towards friends, forgiveness and moving on, as well as many other aspects of their characters

Harry Potter opens up a lot of these discussions, whereas 2D characters just have nothing to say

I love them all

Hermione definitely went too far with the spots. Harry was a good influence on her too - at least twice he was saved because he had earlier shown compassion. His compassionate side tempered her know-it-all, black and white world view.

Book Ron is so much better than movie Rob, I agree.

Same as Ginny. In the movie she’s very submissive and boring.

Book Ginny is just awesome

I mean not really. The things you mentioned are probably a lot more appealing to a child than to an adult. You see him as being rude and ignoring advice, kids might see him as independent and willing to speak up for himself/ challenge adults or authority.

Good point actually. Shows what age perspective does

Best thing about the Potter books is that all the characters have flaws. It’s better reading about a sanctimonious do-gooder like Sophie in the BFG or those prissy Enid Blyton kids.

The Hermione and the spots thing is great too. One of the key things about tyranny and authoritarianism is the idea that the end justifies the means. That if you behave badly for a cause you deem to be good, it's okay. And Hermione, who has a tendency towards self-righteousness, goes that way at that point. I'm glad the characters are all flawed.

This may be it

Indeed! Serves her right. Plus I expect Dumbledore probably put her right eventually.

It was written for children, try reading something else.

I'm sorry but this comment has made Mumsnet for me 😂

He absolutely is. I didn't realise it when I was reading it at my teen years and 20s. Only when I went through it again at my now 40s, found him really annoying.

I also just found how much I like Ron. The RL actor is likeable too, unlike DR and EW. Ron is a normal bloke who's flawed but never denied who he was and full of courage and loyalty too.

Good point .

It wasn’t fixed! From a chat with JKR:
Louie: Did mariettas pimply formation ever fade
J.K. Rowling: Eventually, but it left a few scars. I loathe a traitor!
Source

He's very mediocre I've been playing hogwarts legacy and the character in that is so much more talented than Harry. I feel like Hermione saved everyone's arse on multiple occasions, Harry was the chosen one but a bit crap..

But could you say she really was a traitor?

Yeah she broke the rules by telling Umbridge, but as Cho pointed out, her parents were in the ministry.

Umbridge probably threatened Marietta because of that

Teenagers, even the decent ones, can be a bit unsufferable at times. Of course he's going to be an annoying prat to an adult! I look back at my teenage self and utterly cringe at my emotional wailings of "you just don't understand!" to my entirely reasonable parents.

Harry has been "chosen" so thinks that with his limited smarts he needs to protect everyone else and do things himself. Part of him maturing is realising that you need other people, and perhaps stop being quite so whiny.