Let's talk about Harry's drastic personality differences and "emo phase" as so many fans refer to it

[Ruby]

He was also grouchy and mistrustful of pretty much everyone around him because so many of them thought he was a liar. A lot of these kids used to be his friends, and now they whispered about him because they thought he was attention-seeking and unbalanced. He felt really different from everyone else.

[A]

I refer to him as 'Caps Lock Harry' in this stage, because he spent so much time shouting.

When I was a young child and I first read OOTP,he really annoyed me, especially when he'd snap at Hermione when she was only trying to help.

However, as I got older and therefore more understanding and empathetic I realised it was totally justified. Not only was he going through the difficult ups and downs of teenage hormones and puberty, but he was doing so with out the love and care of his parents. He knew that Voldemort had returned to full power and therefore those he loved, and the world he loved, where in great danger not to mention the fact that he himself was the main target.

He'd witnessed a young boy die (Cedric) right before his eyes and been tormented with nightmares. He had everyone, as you've said, calling him a liar and there is NOTHING worse than being called a liar when you truly know you're telling the truth.

[Ruby]

The good thing about this moody spell Harry went through is that it didn't change much, except perhaps how some people saw him. I think that he had a reason to be mad at everyone, but by shouting and snapping at people who tried to help, he sort of dug himself deeper into his hole. How are kids supposed to know whether to believe you about something when you spend a lot of your time getting mad at people that challenge you? I'm glad he grew out of it (which happened when people realized he had told the truth and when he became "the Chosen One").

[Camille]

I completely understand why Rowling gave Harry such strong emotions in Order of the Phoenix. Trauma from the previous book plus continuous tension throughout OOTP would affect anyone. My problem is that the only prominent emotion Harry uses to cope is anger. That's just not realistic. Nor is it enjoyable to read solidly for 800 pages, give or take depending on your edition. I appreciate what Rowling tried to do, I just didn't feel like she did it very well. However, I did notice that her handling of character emotions is superb in Half-Blood Prince, so her emotional attempts with Order of the Phoenix must have been a major learning experience for her.

[Bookworm54]

I agree. I was trying to find someone who could put it into words properly, and I think you've just done it. I do remember an interview with Rowling saying that she herself was in a dark time while writing this, and I think it was evident in the text. I also remember her saying that she almost killed off Ron in this book, because she was bitter, and while Ron does get on my nerves a bit sometimes to be honest, I am definitely glad she did not kill him.

[Brooklyn]

Harry's attitude in this book annoyed the hell out of me at first, but on my second read, I slapped my forehead.

"Duh! He's a fifteen year old boy! Most realistic portrayal ever."

Not to mention all the craziness he's going through.

[Yarelly]

I understand why Rowling gave Harry such strong emotions in Order of Phoenix, because Harry was just a teenager, he´s a fifteenyear old boy!!

[Adele]

Wasn't Harry also disappointed and bitter about the fact that Ron and Hermione ignored him all summer so that the Order stayed a secret?

[[deleted user]]

Good grief, Harry somehow managed to break the rest of the series for me in this one. Regardless of what was accomplished for the sake of "realism", I lost interest in Harry, his successes, and his failures (which seemed to grow plentiful, at least socially speaking). Umbridge- and the Ministry of Magic in general- were the cherry to top off a bowl filled to the brim with irritations. The narrative lost my attention so completely that I even found myself indifferent to Sirius's death.

The Order of the Phoenix did get a few things right, like the introduction and inclusion of Luna Lovegood... forgive me, I've seemed to have gone off on a periodical rampage of frustration. I just felt that the themes being worked with could have proven powerful, but became lost on me in ways I never thought possible.