Harry's Scar...
Another essay I wrote a few months ago and posted on another site about Harry's scar... being rich in psychology is this series is, I suspect Harry's scar has psychology in it...what does this mean, many may ask? Yes, Harry has a physical scar remaining from Riddle's attack on him that fateful fall night and it is very physically present. However, it is a magical scar like many others and has many psychological and emotional aspects behind it.
Although Harry doesn't fully remember it, he does have the psychological subconscious memory of that night and of Riddle's attack and it's affected him emotionally. Harry has always carried about the bereft feeling of not having his parents there; he still feels the loss, sometimes acutely (esp. scenes like the Mirror of Erisel in PS and his longing to know more about his mum and his being moved to tears by Dumbledore's telling him about Lily's lovely sacrifice, his frequent nightmares throughout the books about the night he lost his parents). His scar symbolizes that; it's the physical manifestation of the emotional scar within him that he's carried since that night. Harry carries the emotional scars inside and in his usually reserved way, tries to hide that scar and outwardly even tries to hide the physical scar beneath his thick bangs, but the physical scar is harder to hide.
For the second part...where Riddle comes in and what's behind Dumbledore's telling him that Riddle "left a little of himself" in Harry that night...it's the psychological trauma Riddle inflicted on Harry; the subconscious memory of the attack, which has impacted Harry emotionally and in his mind. That's the so-called "connection;" I for one, do not think Riddle has any unprecedented, unusual "bond" or "link" with Harry, not any more than Riddle is linked with other innocent victims Riddle's attacked.
Harry's scar hurting is also often an emotional reaction, which in turn, prompts a physical reaction. Even with a muggle illness like asthma or allergies, our stresses can cause our bodies to physically react. Harry's being in Riddle's presence and Riddle's attempt to possess Harry in OotP, prompted the painful subconscious memory of the trauma of losing his beloved parents, which in turn, caused his scar to physically hurt.
I do think that for Harry to heal, he and his friends will need to defeat Riddle and during that defeat or around that time, Harry will heal emotionally, which could lead to his scar vanishing and whatever part or mark, which I think is mostly psychological and emotional that Riddle left with Harry healing and leaving. I think that's what Dumbledore meant when he tells Harry that Riddle left a mark on Harry; I think it's DD's way of telling Harry that he's the only one who can heal from that trauma of that night his parents died and his being attacked, so he'll be free to move on with his life without the inner demons and scar haunting him for the rest of his life.
Part of Harry's healing will be to use his subconscious memory of his mum's love to defeat Riddle...let's not forget one important thing in OotP...Harry's love for Sirius, despite that fact that Sirius was dead, proved to be much stronger than anything the still very much alive and still-present Riddle put in Harry's mind...which lends credence to that fact that Riddle, as I've before stated, does not have this all-powerful "connection" with Harry after all, esp. if thoughts of dead Sirius was able to drive Riddle out.
So...I think that's what's behind the whole "connection" idea that has so many people enthralled and is probably the story behind Harry's scar and why it is so significant throughout the series.
Comments? Questions? Anything I missed?
Although Harry doesn't fully remember it, he does have the psychological subconscious memory of that night and of Riddle's attack and it's affected him emotionally. Harry has always carried about the bereft feeling of not having his parents there; he still feels the loss, sometimes acutely (esp. scenes like the Mirror of Erisel in PS and his longing to know more about his mum and his being moved to tears by Dumbledore's telling him about Lily's lovely sacrifice, his frequent nightmares throughout the books about the night he lost his parents). His scar symbolizes that; it's the physical manifestation of the emotional scar within him that he's carried since that night. Harry carries the emotional scars inside and in his usually reserved way, tries to hide that scar and outwardly even tries to hide the physical scar beneath his thick bangs, but the physical scar is harder to hide.
For the second part...where Riddle comes in and what's behind Dumbledore's telling him that Riddle "left a little of himself" in Harry that night...it's the psychological trauma Riddle inflicted on Harry; the subconscious memory of the attack, which has impacted Harry emotionally and in his mind. That's the so-called "connection;" I for one, do not think Riddle has any unprecedented, unusual "bond" or "link" with Harry, not any more than Riddle is linked with other innocent victims Riddle's attacked.
Harry's scar hurting is also often an emotional reaction, which in turn, prompts a physical reaction. Even with a muggle illness like asthma or allergies, our stresses can cause our bodies to physically react. Harry's being in Riddle's presence and Riddle's attempt to possess Harry in OotP, prompted the painful subconscious memory of the trauma of losing his beloved parents, which in turn, caused his scar to physically hurt.
I do think that for Harry to heal, he and his friends will need to defeat Riddle and during that defeat or around that time, Harry will heal emotionally, which could lead to his scar vanishing and whatever part or mark, which I think is mostly psychological and emotional that Riddle left with Harry healing and leaving. I think that's what Dumbledore meant when he tells Harry that Riddle left a mark on Harry; I think it's DD's way of telling Harry that he's the only one who can heal from that trauma of that night his parents died and his being attacked, so he'll be free to move on with his life without the inner demons and scar haunting him for the rest of his life.
Part of Harry's healing will be to use his subconscious memory of his mum's love to defeat Riddle...let's not forget one important thing in OotP...Harry's love for Sirius, despite that fact that Sirius was dead, proved to be much stronger than anything the still very much alive and still-present Riddle put in Harry's mind...which lends credence to that fact that Riddle, as I've before stated, does not have this all-powerful "connection" with Harry after all, esp. if thoughts of dead Sirius was able to drive Riddle out.
So...I think that's what's behind the whole "connection" idea that has so many people enthralled and is probably the story behind Harry's scar and why it is so significant throughout the series.
Comments? Questions? Anything I missed?