Hermione and JKR

[Cassandra Claire]

No: HPFGUIDX 3420

--- In HPforGrownups at egroups.com, "Simon J. Branford" <
simon.branford at h...> wrote:
> Penny wrote: "She also didn't seem to have the sense that Hermione
had made > it further in the final adventures of the first 3 books
than Ron had.  I > think there have probably been other critics who
have echoed this point & > caused JKR to be irritated by the whole
line."
> 
> Making something out of Hermione getting further in the three book
endings > that Ron is taking things a bit far. CoS and PoA have
Hermione and Ron at > similar levels. In PS the situation would not
have worked if we had had > Snape's puzzle before the chess. Part of
the point was that Hermione was to > go back and get help. Ron
sacrificed himself to get the others through the > chess game. I
think they have had equal involvement in the book endings 
> (this can be extended to include GoF as they did nothing to help
Harry get > away from Voldemort).


Hmm. I don't think making something of the fact that it was Hermione, 
not Ron, who was the last to leave Harry's side (eventually, he faces 
every final confrontation alone) in two of the books is taking things 
a bit far. I think you're right that Ron and Hermione have had equal 
involvement in the book endings, and I think that's exactly the point 
that Penny was making -- she was rebuffing the Salon author's 
assertion that Hermione was entirely left out. This could simply be 
because I have read the article that Penny was talking about "Harry 
Potter's Girl Trouble" and it was a ghastly piece of trash. The
author 
took quotes enormously out of context and just generally made such a 
hash out of the books that they were barely recognizable. I was 
surprised Salon even printed it, but I suppose they like controversy. 
I'd provide a link to it, but I'm not sure I'd feel right inflicting 
in on the list. <g>
As for Harry needing Hermione, JKR herself said in an interview
"Harry 
needs her (Hermione) badly." (Must go dig up link. Sigh.) Of course, 
he also needs Ron; no one denies that. Just in different ways.