“I am what I am, an’ I’m not ashamed. ‘Never be ashamed,’ my ol’ dad used ter say ‘there’s some who’ll hold it against you, but they’re not worth botherin’ with.’ An’ he was right.”
In chapter 23 of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire we find out that Hagrid is part giant, a secret he rarely shared because of the reputation of giants as being brutal and murderous. We also saw that Madam Maxime, who is clearly like Hagrid, was so ashamed of that side of her that she outright refused to admit that she was part giant. In chapter 24 Rita Skeeter wrote an article about Hagrid, causing him to go into hiding for fear of being hated by the students and their parents. Finally, by the conclusion of the chapter, he comes to terms with the fact that he is what he is and people will still be able to love him.
The task of believing that you are worth loving and then loving yourself is one that we all have to work through. I appreciate that Rowling presented this issue in one of the most loved characters, showing us that no one is exempt from this issue, not even me. She also provides us with, not a solution, but hope.
Let me know in the comments about a time when you have seen this happen, either in yourself, or in someone else.
