[HPforGrownups] Re: Ron and Harry!!

[Amanda Lewanski]

No: HPFGUIDX 7491

Susan McGee wrote:

> Of course she is, Amanda. Well, what relevance does Harry and Cho
> have to the story, then?

As I said in a different post: I'm
anti-distraction-for-the-sake-of-principle. If JKR's plot involves awareness
of feelings as a motivation or a distraction, then that *is* relevant and
just fine with me.

What this means is I don't think JKR should be doing anything but telling
the story she wants to tell. Harry's feelings and reactions to Cho have a
bearing on his behaviour, and hence are relevant to the story. The
developing emotional maturity of several characters, and their interaction,
will doubtless be relevant.

What I object to is any whisper of the thought that JKR (or any other
author), because of her success, must then begin to alter her creation to
fit or attempt to alter social norms. The idea that because she's so well
read, she should "use" her position to influence attitudes. She would stop
being the storyteller, start being the manipulator, and it would make the
tale she tells feel inauthentic, artificial. Sort of like the
artificial-feeling section where Hermione's explaining how to say her name;
that felt like something stuck in, not relevant, that JKR put in for a
non-story-related reason.

Again, I hope I'm making sense.

--Amanda