Refreshing Innocence of HP Preteens

[Milz]

No: HPFGUIDX 24633

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "Mindy, a.k.a. CLH" <mindyatime at j...> 
wrote:
> One of the lovingly refreshing things about the HP books is that it 
is
> devoid of any lurid details and has absolutely zero sexual innuendo 
or
> encounters. It makes it appropriate for children to read as well. 
(GoF
> did have some things I found objectionable, but then again I am a 
real
> prude and don't read mainstream literature due to offensive 
content; HP
> is one of the books that I find acceptable to read.) I would hate 
to see
> JK reduced to a romance-novel-writer and put stuff like that into 
her
> books. Whenever I read the fanfics of HP and find lurid romances and
> slash romances I bristle, for this was not JK's intent - to turn her
> lovely characters into little sleazebags. I love the innocence of 
her
> books, reading about adolescents and preteens who are NOT involved 
in
> steamy relationships. I really hope she keeps up this standard, so 
that
> her books will remain suitable for young children to read as well. 
Let
> her concentrate on the one thing that sets her books apart from 
others:
> the MAGIC of it.

The sheer genius of Rowling's work is that its appearance of 
innocence hides the complexity of the beast, so to speak. There are a 
number of "mature" issues that she addresses: grief, death, betrayal, 
self-esteem issues, etc.

The relative sexual innocence of her characters IS refreshing in 
light of *real* world statistics of teen sexuality. The Potter books 
are a welcomed break for me. I see pregnant teens (as young as 12), 
teens with multiple sexually transmitted diseases, etc. come through 
the office everyday. The books are a nice fantasy world in which to 
retreat into after an afternoon of 15 year old girls with genital 
warts, 16 year old boys with gonorrhea, or a 14 year old mother of 18 
month old twins. Or worse, drawing a blood specimen on a 16 year old 
for an HIV test and discussing the 'what ifs' with them. 

While I understand that characters will grow up as the series 
progresses, I see too much real world consequences of teen sex and 
have no desire to read about it in the Potter world. But these ARE 
Rowlings books and her characters. If she chooses to go down the 
romance novel path, then that's that. Period.

Milz