Introducing myself to the board

[zsenya at yahoo.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 5235

My name is Zsenya and I have been lurking here for a few days. It is 
great to see a board like this - I have been searching for something 
like this for a while now.

I am a big Harry Potter fan, but only started reading the books about 
4 months ago.  I was instantly obsessed and have read all four 
numerous times.  I have been reading the posts with interest and have 
quite a few comments on various things that I have read.  I will put 
them all here although I will follow all the conventions for subject 
lines in future posts


I have to say initially however, that I have a decided feeling about 
the whole series and that is that they are first and foremost 
children's literature.  It's not that I think that they are not
"real" 
literature, what I mean is that I think no matter how dark or serious 
books 5 - 7 get, JK Rowling is always writing for a certain target 
audience, and that audience is not 28 years old like I am.   That in 
mind, although the books are amazingly intricate and complex, they
are 
also in many ways (I think) quite straightforward.  I also tend to be 
a bit of a romantic and a Pollyanna, which is why
.

The Death Pool

I cannot see her killing off Ron, Harry, or Hermione.   It just isn't 
done and if she does do so, I would be very surprised.  Dumbledore I 
predict will die in some sort of Obi Wan Kenobi way, and he is quite 
old already.  I do not even think that Sirius or Lupin will die 
either.  Peter Pettigrew might, as well as Snape.  As far as the 
students go, I think that Cedric was enough, although I can also 
foresee that perhaps one of the other Weasley's will go (I really
like 
the theory of Percy going to the dark side), or perhaps even Arthur 
Weasley.  I think Colin Creevey is pretty much a dead man.  

Neville's Story

I think it is highly plausible that the kids of Harry's generation 
don't know all the details of the past 15 years.  Firstly, it seems 
that a lot of things were going on behind the scenes that not
everyone 
was aware of.  I read an interesting article in a book about
Baltimore 
(where I live) which discusses the loss of mass memory.  There was 
apparently a big mill worker's strike here in the 20s or 30s, yet no 
one who was alive at the time claims to remember it.  I have to look 
it up for more information, but that is sort of how I feel the adults 
have treated the past 20 years or so for their children.  They know 
about Harry Potter and Lord Voldemort in a sort of boogeyman way, but 
they don't know all the details.  Perhaps Bill and Charlie know, but 
they wouldn't have found out until they were older.  The one thing 
that I wonder is why Hermione hasn't researched all of this.  I would 
think that she would have read up on it, although perhaps the
official 
history books don't mention all the little details and I guess she is 
busy enough as it is!

Hermione

I love Hermione.  I don't consider her to be a braggart at all. I was 
a "smart" child myself.  More than that, I was book smart rather that 
overly naturally smart, which is I think Hermione's situation as
well. 
 In other words, I learned early on how to please the teachers and 
that I enjoyed getting good grades (since I wasn't good in other 
areas, like music or sports).   Hermione studies for hours and hours 
and gets excellent grades, but Ron and Harry study much less and pass 
reasonably well with little effort.  I think that she knows that she 
is bright but recognizes that the others would do just as well if
they 
would study as much as she does.  When you are the type of child that 
pays attention in class and no one else seems to know the answers, it 
is MADDENING to have to sit through that.   Also, I have to wonder,
if 
she was a boy would she be treated in the same manner?  She also has 
the usual girl issues (insecure about her bushy hair and big teeth), 
and, given the way she bursts into tears at the drop of the hat, is 
very, very sensitive (and obviously going through some major puberty 
in Books III and IV).  When I look at scenes like the problems with 
the Firebolt, I don't see it so much as Hermione being a tattle-tale 
as her being a practical, responsible child, who cares deeply about 
her friends and will do what she thinks is right to protect them.  
It's a behavior that took me well into my twenties to learn.


Ron

I love Ron as much as Hermione and will say up front that I am a
total 
and complete Ron and Hermione advocate.   OK, I have read several of 
the posts re: Ron and his, er, behavioural issues, but as I said 
above, I think that these books are pretty much straightforward and 
that Ron WILL find something to excel in and he WILL do whatever is 
necessary to deserve Hermione.  I truly can't see him as a parallel
to 
Peter Pettigrew.  Sure, he got upset and jealous of Harry in GoF, but 
that is completely natural. I was completely upset and stopped
talking 
to my best friend in 9th grade when she got a boyfriend before I did. 
 14 year-olds get upset over silly things.  He is Harry's truest 
friend, and a good guy and, if anything, I see him facing Voldemort 
together with Harry.  Also, didn't (sorry, don't have PoA in front of 
me) Sirius get some sort of familiar glint in his eye when Ron stood 
up for Harry in the Shrieking Shack?  Ron has done a number of brave 
things in all of the books and has shown that he will sacrifice 
himself for his friends if necessary.

Harry
Well, what can I say? These ARE the Harry Potter books after all and 
he is the star.  He has many faults and a good many issues to work 
out.   I can't comment any more than that right now, this message is 
already far too long, but I look forward to contributing in the 
future!

Thanks for reading, and I look forward to more wonderful theories and 
discussions!
Zsenya