Interesting thoughts. I agree that Dudley is probably not at all popular at Smeltings. We do know he bullies kids there, too, and it's hard to say whether his classmates (the non-bullied ones) are tolerant of/amused by that or just disgusted by it. I doubt he can pull off the fun-and-popular bully who usually does well in secondary school (like Sirius and James were at Hogwarts).
As for the Dementors themselves, they only put you in memories of things that already happened, but I can see Dudley remembering particularly nasty treatment by his classmates, or them hitting a personal sensitive mark (like calling him a freak).
Some might think I’m crazy but I think Dudley is one of the more intriguing characters in Harry Potter.
Oh, me too. Interesting essay. I would say fear is at the root of most of the Dursleys actions. Possibly there could even be fear regarding his parents: he's seen how they treat Harry for being different (and encourage him to do the same) which could imply to a child that he'll be treated the same way should he deviate from normalcy (much like Vernon's comment about being pleased re: Dudley's grades, since he wouldn't want 'a swotty nancy boy' son.)
“I’m telling!” doesn’t work in secondary school.
I don't know - Dudley appears more adaptive than first appearances would suggest (much like his mother in that way, I suppose) - in OotP, he's seems to have shucked the more babyish image (chubby and spoiled, reliant on parents) in favour of what's 'cooler' - boxing/smoking/socialising with his 'gang'.
I really don't think I did a great job. I really wanted one of my point to be that at school Dudley can't compare himself to Harry. He has to make his own image and reputation. These are hard things to do at eleven when you haven't had to do it before
( ... )
Some might think I'm crazy but I think Dudley is one of the more intriguing characters in Harry Potter.
Definitely! It's a pity not many people agree with us on that.
I think your points are valid and very interesting. Having been an overweight child myself, I agree that it's hard at school, even if you're not a spoiled bully! These traits could make his schoolmates dislike Dudley even more.
Also, I think if this truly is the case (he being disliked and considered abnormal at school during the first years), he needs to "show off" during summer, he needs to prove to himself that he is normal and that he is superior, his target of course being Harry.
..I'm all ready sad about it! God, I love them... I'm so into Dudley-EVERYTHING right now...
I'm writing a fan fiction about him if you're interested-- it starts off in OotP, and shows his mates and his girlfriend... he's bullied himself at Smeltings, but by intellectuals in a purely mental sense. (Your words must have really stuck with me.. I never thought of him as popular, but never very unpopular. In the books, I know that everyone went along with him because they were scared of him, at least in nursery school/primary school.)
Oh, wow. Just...wow. You're giving me ideas for a story I'm writing -- two, actually. *glee* I'm very glad I found this speculation about Dudley's school life.
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As for the Dementors themselves, they only put you in memories of things that already happened, but I can see Dudley remembering particularly nasty treatment by his classmates, or them hitting a personal sensitive mark (like calling him a freak).
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Oh, me too.
Interesting essay. I would say fear is at the root of most of the Dursleys actions. Possibly there could even be fear regarding his parents: he's seen how they treat Harry for being different (and encourage him to do the same) which could imply to a child that he'll be treated the same way should he deviate from normalcy (much like Vernon's comment about being pleased re: Dudley's grades, since he wouldn't want 'a swotty nancy boy' son.)
“I’m telling!” doesn’t work in secondary school.
I don't know - Dudley appears more adaptive than first appearances would suggest (much like his mother in that way, I suppose) - in OotP, he's seems to have shucked the more babyish image (chubby and spoiled, reliant on parents) in favour of what's 'cooler' - boxing/smoking/socialising with his 'gang'.
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Definitely! It's a pity not many people agree with us on that.
I think your points are valid and very interesting. Having been an overweight child myself, I agree that it's hard at school, even if you're not a spoiled bully! These traits could make his schoolmates dislike Dudley even more.
Also, I think if this truly is the case (he being disliked and considered abnormal at school during the first years), he needs to "show off" during summer, he needs to prove to himself that he is normal and that he is superior, his target of course being Harry.
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I'm writing a fan fiction about him if you're interested-- it starts off in OotP, and shows his mates and his girlfriend... he's bullied himself at Smeltings, but by intellectuals in a purely mental sense. (Your words must have really stuck with me.. I never thought of him as popular, but never very unpopular. In the books, I know that everyone went along with him because they were scared of him, at least in nursery school/primary school.)
Here's the link:
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3493409/1/Recall_Alice_When_She_Was_Just_Small
Ah, this community makes me happy.
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