Introducing myself to the board

[Demelza]

No: HPFGUIDX 5249

I'm new too. I don't have much to add presently because I want to read 
more of the threads before I add my two cents.

~Demelza
--- In HPforGrownups at egroups.com, zsenya at y... wrote:
> 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