Dudley "Big D" Dursley: Character Analysis

[JohanT]

Originally Posted by mirrormere

Didn't he have to go on a diet at one point?

Indeed, the worst of his worst experiences. Another reason why I believe his boggart is a finely quartered grapefruit.

[horcrux4]

Originally Posted by JohanT

Indeed, the worst of his worst experiences. Another reason why I believe his boggart is a finely quartered grapefruit.

Wonderful!

Dumbledore said to Vernon & Petunia, "The best that can be said is that he (Harry) has at least escaped the appalling damage you have inflicted upon the unfortunate boy sitting between you." That sounds as though Dumbledore thought that the fat bullying Dudley was entirely the product of the way his parents brought him up, rather than Dudley's being intrinsically like that. I was wondering if that was the case? I can see he was overweight because his parents fed him excessively, but if he took after his father I can see that Dudley would have had a predisposition to fat, made worse by his mother's reluctance to refuse him anything he wanted.

As for his bullying, I wonder what Vernon was like at that age? He said at some point he didn't want a namby-pamby son (can't remember the exact quote) and could well have taught Dudley that pushing others around so you didn't get pushed yourself was the way to go. I don't really think Vernon thought his son was a little angel - I think he actually approved of the overweight bully he had bred. That may be because he had been like that too - if his sister is anything to go by.

[JohanT]

Originally Posted by horcrux4

Wonderful!

Dumbledore said to Vernon & Petunia, "The best that can be said is that he (Harry) has at least escaped the appalling damage you have inflicted upon the unfortunate boy sitting between you." That sounds as though Dumbledore thought that the fat bullying Dudley was entirely the product of the way his parents brought him up, rather than Dudley's being intrinsically like that. I was wondering if that was the case? I can see he was overweight because his parents fed him excessively, but if he took after his father I can see that Dudley would have had a predisposition to fat, made worse by his mother's reluctance to refuse him anything he wanted.

As for his bullying, I wonder what Vernon was like at that age? He said at some point he didn't want a namby-pamby son (can't remember the exact quote) and could well have taught Dudley that pushing others around so you didn't get pushed yourself was the way to go. I don't really think Vernon thought his son was a little angel - I think he actually approved of the overweight bully he had bred. That may be because he had been like that too - if his sister is anything to go by.

With regards to Dudley's weight, I see that as being somewhat symbolic of what Dumbledore called the "appalling" effect that the Dursleys had on their son. Essentially, by never denying and always encouraging, they were creating a child in their own rather abysmal image. The real damage was leaving Dudley in a hallucinatory world in which he was the center of.

As for Vernon, I do honestly think that he was somewhat similar to Dudley in his youth. Perhaps not as spoiled, but I think the values that he attempts to instill in his son (use of force, power, leadership, etc.) were engrained in him at a young age as well.

I've always had a strange theory regarding the overboard manner in which the Dursleys treat Dudley. I have always felt as though they were overcompensating for the fact that the abnormal, magical Harry Potter lived in what they wished was a normal home. It was as though they had to treat Dudley with extra amounts of everything, in order to give him the most average life possible for a young boy. Just a thought .

[merrymarge]

Yes, in GOF, Dudley was on a diet. He also became boxing champ at his school. His bad memory that the Dementors made him see was how he mistreated other people and how selfish he was. Jo mentioned this in one of her many interviews.
I am glad that Dudley tried to say good-bye to Harry. It made him seem more realistic and not one-dimensional.
Dudley thought that Harry saved his life, and Harry brushed it off, I don't know, I thought Harry saved his life.

[GrimeldaDursley]

Originally Posted by merrymarge

Yes, in GOF, Dudley was on a diet. He also became boxing champ at his school. His bad memory that the Dementors made him see was how he mistreated other people and how selfish he was. Jo mentioned this in one of her many interviews.
I am glad that Dudley tried to say good-bye to Harry. It made him seem more realistic and not one-dimensional.
Dudley thought that Harry saved his life, and Harry brushed it off, I don't know, I thought Harry saved his life.

Maybe not his actual life, but certainly the quality of his life, and perhaps his afterlife.