Vernon Dursley is one of the most interesting protagonists of the last thirty years.
I can see why so many people have encouraged me to read Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.
Vernon loves his wife, Petunia, their infant son, Dudley, and his work in manufacturing. But when Vernon is forced to adopt his wife's young nephew, Harry, his life starts to fray at the edges. Dudley has behavioral problems that Petunia is struggling to address and Vernon is reluctant to acknowledge, and when Harry is introduced to the mix, both are concerned that Dudley will miss out on the care he needs. They feed, clothe and shelter their nephew for a decade, but otherwise try to change their domestic routines as little as possible for fear of disturbing Dudley, even going so far as to put Harry in a windowless bedroom under the stairs rather than give up Dudley's toy storage room. The older Harry gets, though, the more obvious it becomes that he's everything Dudley isn't: quick-witted, funny and - especially - imaginative, though there are hints that his imagination may have a darker side. Vernon and Petunia can only afford to send one of the boys to a public school - what if Harry's needs are greater than Dudley's?
Embittered by the full realisation of their biological son's shortcomings, Vernon and Petunia find themselves directing their anger at Harry, who, in return, finds it impossible to bond with them, showing no gratitude for having been taken in. In his room under the stairs, Harry creates an elaborate fantasy life, in which he's rich, famous, important and has magical powers - and is miles away from the Dursleys. As Harry's fantasies slowly become delusions, Vernon tries his best to help, but to no avail. When Harry becomes fixated on the daily arrival of the post, Vernon at first hides all the correspondance the family receives, then nails the mail slot shut, then takes the family on a wild drive across the countryside. But he's clueless about mental illness, being a middle class factory manager in 1980s Britain. (No precise year is given, but the language, social mores and levels of technology make the setting clear.) Vernon only makes things worse. At first, Harry is aware of the line between imagination and reality. The novel begins with a dream sequence involving a flying motorbike. Harry knows it's a dream, but he mentions it to Vernon. Panicked by his adopted son's apparently deteriorating mental state, Vernon bellows, "Motorbikes can't fly!" Soon, Harry's certainty that it was a dream has evaporated.
The era is well sketched, but author JK Rowling makes the surprising and frankly bizarre choice to spend almost two thirds of the book in Harry's imagined world, which is largely lifted from popular novels of the thirties, forties and fifties (and some older myths). He sees himself travelling to a boarding school filled with other supernatural beings, most of whom love him unconditionally before even meeting him - and even the cartoonish few who hate him are obsessed with him. Here he doesn't have to compete with Dudley for attention. This is humourous, but has the effect of distancing the reader. It's unclear where Harry really is - a hospital? Stonewall High School? Still under the stairs?
There are clues that Harry cares for his adopted family, at least subconsciously. The name of his imaginary best friend, Ron Weasley, sounds a lot like Vern Dursley. The colours of his school house, Gryffindor, are red and gold, just like the petals on a Queen of Hearts Petunia, and like the red faces and blonde hair of his uncle and cousin. But Harry is blind, perhaps wilfully, to the emotional and financial toll that child-rearing has taken on them. (In one heartbreaking scene, they mail him a fifty pence piece as a Christmas gift, to which Harry gives no thought at all.)
Ultimately, the book leaves a lot not only unresolved, but unclear. It's not spoiling too much to say that Harry returns to the real world, but some delusions cling to him. Vernon, Petunia and Dudley seem anxious, all committed to being nice to Harry, but all aware that he could be dangerous. It's an ominous and somewhat off-putting conclusion, and an audience used to happy endings may balk. But I, for one, am looking forward to seeing where Rowling takes the series. Perhaps Harry will have children of his own, and finally understand what Vernon went through? Then all would be well.
Jack Heath is the author of Hideout.
Vernon loves his wife, Petunia, their infant son, Dudley, and his work in manufacturing. But when Vernon is forced to adopt his wife's young nephew, Harry, his life starts to fray at the edges. Dudley has behavioral problems that Petunia is struggling to address and Vernon is reluctant to acknowledge, and when Harry is introduced to the mix, both are concerned that Dudley will miss out on the care he needs. They feed, clothe and shelter their nephew for a decade, but otherwise try to change their domestic routines as little as possible for fear of disturbing Dudley, even going so far as to put Harry in a windowless bedroom under the stairs rather than give up Dudley's toy storage room. The older Harry gets, though, the more obvious it becomes that he's everything Dudley isn't: quick-witted, funny and - especially - imaginative, though there are hints that his imagination may have a darker side. Vernon and Petunia can only afford to send one of the boys to a public school - what if Harry's needs are greater than Dudley's?
Embittered by the full realisation of their biological son's shortcomings, Vernon and Petunia find themselves directing their anger at Harry, who, in return, finds it impossible to bond with them, showing no gratitude for having been taken in. In his room under the stairs, Harry creates an elaborate fantasy life, in which he's rich, famous, important and has magical powers - and is miles away from the Dursleys. As Harry's fantasies slowly become delusions, Vernon tries his best to help, but to no avail. When Harry becomes fixated on the daily arrival of the post, Vernon at first hides all the correspondance the family receives, then nails the mail slot shut, then takes the family on a wild drive across the countryside. But he's clueless about mental illness, being a middle class factory manager in 1980s Britain. (No precise year is given, but the language, social mores and levels of technology make the setting clear.) Vernon only makes things worse. At first, Harry is aware of the line between imagination and reality. The novel begins with a dream sequence involving a flying motorbike. Harry knows it's a dream, but he mentions it to Vernon. Panicked by his adopted son's apparently deteriorating mental state, Vernon bellows, "Motorbikes can't fly!" Soon, Harry's certainty that it was a dream has evaporated.
The era is well sketched, but author JK Rowling makes the surprising and frankly bizarre choice to spend almost two thirds of the book in Harry's imagined world, which is largely lifted from popular novels of the thirties, forties and fifties (and some older myths). He sees himself travelling to a boarding school filled with other supernatural beings, most of whom love him unconditionally before even meeting him - and even the cartoonish few who hate him are obsessed with him. Here he doesn't have to compete with Dudley for attention. This is humourous, but has the effect of distancing the reader. It's unclear where Harry really is - a hospital? Stonewall High School? Still under the stairs?
There are clues that Harry cares for his adopted family, at least subconsciously. The name of his imaginary best friend, Ron Weasley, sounds a lot like Vern Dursley. The colours of his school house, Gryffindor, are red and gold, just like the petals on a Queen of Hearts Petunia, and like the red faces and blonde hair of his uncle and cousin. But Harry is blind, perhaps wilfully, to the emotional and financial toll that child-rearing has taken on them. (In one heartbreaking scene, they mail him a fifty pence piece as a Christmas gift, to which Harry gives no thought at all.)
Ultimately, the book leaves a lot not only unresolved, but unclear. It's not spoiling too much to say that Harry returns to the real world, but some delusions cling to him. Vernon, Petunia and Dudley seem anxious, all committed to being nice to Harry, but all aware that he could be dangerous. It's an ominous and somewhat off-putting conclusion, and an audience used to happy endings may balk. But I, for one, am looking forward to seeing where Rowling takes the series. Perhaps Harry will have children of his own, and finally understand what Vernon went through? Then all would be well.
Jack Heath is the author of Hideout.
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