Hi, I was just re-watching the movies and re-reading the books in anticipation of HBP coming out and I started to wonder about something...

Harry was so badly mistreated, neglected, abused, starved, yet he doesn't turn out to be the kind of person that his upbringing says he should be ie mean, nasty etc. He had no love to show him how to be loving or any other kind examples. In fact, he is the exact opposite: kind, loving, generous etc. Was is his mother's sacrifice that not only saved him but protected him from the mess that was the Dursleys? Any thoughts?