[HPforGrownups] Hermione & JKR

[lrcjestes]

No: HPFGUIDX 3379

> Okay, this got *zero* response over on the PoU group, so I'm trying it
> out here in the hopes that someone (anyone!) will engage in
> conversation.  :--)  (So . . . if you're on PoU, you've read this before
> btw).

They're busy dressing characters over there.....

> The interviewer asks what "it" is.
> JKR says: "What irritates me is that I
> am constantly, increasingly being asked 'Can we have a strong female
> character, please?' Like they
> are ordering a side order of chips.  I am thinking, 'Isn't Hermione
> strong enough for you? She is the
> most brilliant of the three and they need her.  Harry needs her badly."
>

> She goes on to say that it would have been completely inappropriate for
> her (JKR) to have thrown
> in a few "feisty, gorgeous, brilliant-at-maths and great-at-fixing-cars
> girls."

I agree there....


>
> So, I think we learn a few things more about JKR's feelings about
> Hermione & about Hermione's
> place in the series from this interview.  We learn that really Hermione
> isn't *just* a caricature of
> JKR's younger self as is sometimes intimated.  She really *is* JKR.  I
> know Ebony has mentioned
> this to me before, but there can really be little doubt that Hermione is
> very much JKR's surrogate in
> this series.

I wonder who is asking her about wanting a strong female character.  In any
event this statement kind of seals it that she is central to the
books....and central to Harry. (whether JKR will develop that into any kind
of shippy stuff depends on how shippy she's planning to get...will she avoid
the whole relationship tangle, introduce new possibilities or develop the
existing females to a greater extent.)

> It's clear to me from the above statements that JKR cares very much
> about Hermione's character --
> perhaps as much or more than she cares for her hero, Harry.  I've always
> sort of shied away from
> referring to Hermione as the "heroine."   But, I'm starting to think
> more & more that maybe she *is* the heroine.

>
> This seems particularly relevant given our past discussions about
> whether Hermione is a strong female character or not.
>
> So . . . is she the heroine or not?  <g>
>

I'm not sure on this point...she has certainly done heroic things during the
series when she's helped Harry out of life threatening situations....but
then so has Ron...the books are still about Harry after all, even if JKR is
there as Hermione.  I see Hermione as a very strong female character, and
very central to Harry's development and progress through his trials, whether
she will emerge as *the* heroine...or as Harry's Heroine.....

Depends on what you mean by heroine...the one to come in and save the day
for Harry...no not that kind of heroine, the one to provide him with
motivation to do heroic things....hmmmmm

And if JKR is Hermione in disguise, what does that suggest for potential
romantic pairings....would you go for the hero or the hero's
sidekick?...personally I'd go for the hero's godfather...but then you all
knew that about me anyway  : )

carole