[HPforGrownups] female characters - very long and very opinionated

[Peg Kerr]

No: HPFGUIDX 3510

Schlobin at aol.com wrote:

> I fear that I will be shot for this post, but here goes anyway.

<snip>

> But I must suggest that JKR is male-identified. That is, she sees Hermione
> (and probably herself) as the exception. Hermione is not like the other
> girls. She  doesn't giggle, run in packs, or do a lot of the other
> traditionally girl behavior that JKR doesn't  particularly like. She's
> brilliant, hard working, and takes things seriously. She is NOT just the girl
> who helps the boy slay the dragon (as someone suggests). Who helped
> save Sirius Black? She's adventurous; she's inventive. But she is the
> EXCEPTION.
> Just as many strong, intelligent women, she survives/flourishes by hanging
> out with men and bonding with men. She demonstrates that she can be feminine
> and attract men by attracting
> a GoF champion, and looking beautiful at the Yule Ball. She can do it all if
> she wants, but she has nothing in common with the vast majority of
> women/girls.

You have some points, but I honestly don't know what you mean by
"male-identified."
She is exceptional, yes.  And she is friends with boys, yes.  But as
someone
(Neil?) pointed out; she is probably friends with girls, too, but we
just don't see
that as much because the story is told from Harry's P-O-V.   Anyway, I
honestly
don't understand why you think her exceptional-ness and her friendships
with men
makes her less female--but perhaps I am just missing what you mean by
the term?

What is it about being an exceptional student that makes her less
female?  What is
about reading books and knowing what's in them that rearranges or
negates
Hermione's internal plumbing?  Please understand, I'm not trying to make
this come
across as a flame; I'm just honestly baffled by your reasoning.

This whole thread reminds me of Joanna Russ' book _How to suppress
Women's
Writing._  I don't mean you're trying to suppress JKR's writing; what I
mean is
that, you see a cool-headed, smart woman, and your reaction is, "she's
doesn't come
across as female."  It's like having the idea that you're praising a
woman novelist
by saying "she writes like a man."  Why?  Do you have any doubts that
Hermione
thinks she is a girl?  I don't in the least.  Is being cool-headed,
non-giggly,
and  competent inconsistent with feminity?  I just don't think it is.

> Just as many strong, intelligent women, she survives/flourishes by hanging
> out with men and bonding with men. 

No, no, no, no, no.  She survives/flourishes by being a good student and
a decent, kind-hearted, conscientious human being.  She would continue
to be the same person if she hung with Lavendar or Parvil instead.

I remember the story about a mother who reported being furious at her
son's
basketball coach, who jeered from the sidelines at a practice session,
"You're
shooting like a girl."  And she was so proud when her son, who had been
watching
the women's basketball lately, and just lit up like a firefly and said,
"You mean
I'm shooting like Sheryl Swopes?  Hey, thanks!"

Peg