HP fanfic pet peeve
Lately, I have found myself reading (okay, starting to read) fics in which Harry is weepy. Harry should not be weepy.
This is not to say he cannot cry ever. I am perfectly okay with Harry crying -- eventually -- if someone, for example, dies. Or if he has been tortured extensively, with some thought given to psychological impact. Or if he rages himself into a complete loss of control and then something big hits him. Or for a lesser reason if he is heavily under the influence of chemical or magical substances. It can be done to good effect if it happens once during a story -- maybe two times in a novel-length story -- because it shows that something has broken.
Having him cry once or twice per chapter , just because he's upset (or worse yet, because he's relieved) is ridiculous. He is far too stoic for that. It also takes away any impact.
This is not to say he cannot cry ever. I am perfectly okay with Harry crying -- eventually -- if someone, for example, dies. Or if he has been tortured extensively, with some thought given to psychological impact. Or if he rages himself into a complete loss of control and then something big hits him. Or for a lesser reason if he is heavily under the influence of chemical or magical substances. It can be done to good effect if it happens once during a story -- maybe two times in a novel-length story -- because it shows that something has broken.
Having him cry once or twice per chapter , just because he's upset (or worse yet, because he's relieved) is ridiculous. He is far too stoic for that. It also takes away any impact.