One Last Thing About Children's Literature

[fourfuries at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 25259

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., Herald Talia <heraldtalia at j...> wrote:
> What I find refreshing about Rowling is her
> *realistic* portrayal of (so far) preteen sexual matters - it's a
> concern, but by no means the only one. 
> 	Is sex dirty? No. In fact, it's so holy and beautiful, it 
should remain
> more private than it does today. JKR doesn't play the sex card. She 
lets
> her characters mature normally, and doesn't sacrifice them on the 
altar
> of the avant-garde. 
> 	Basically, I'm all for including all the normal ticklish 
subjects -
> death, love, hate, prejudice, coming of age etc. But I'm not for
> freakishness. Let's not have all the  students capturing a Veela and
> raping her, please. Let's keep it in the realm of the normal (while 
being
> in the realm of the magical, of course.)
> Sorry to rant. It's getting late, and that brings out the worst in 
me. 
> 
> Robyn
> 

Thank you, thank you, thank you.  You have said in one post what I 
have failed to communicate in nearly 20 since I first posted.  HP is 
about the loss of innocense, the coming of maturity, the distinctions 
between right and wrong, the power of good in the face of evil, and 
the bonds of love and friendship.  In other words, its a children's 
book because it is about what childhood is about, growing up.

JKR, a mother, and a former child, has been extremely faithful to the 
needs of her target audience, which has always been the child in her 
and in us.  Her touch has been nearly perrfect, and that is why we 
adore her work.  She must be a wonderful person.  

I am certain that Harry will live, because the child in us needs to 
know there is a reward for right choices, for standing up to evil, to 
having faith in ourselves and in our compatriots.  She has added a 
spectacular chapter to the canon of fantasy works that communicate 
traditional values, where traditional means truthful, enduring and of 
great value.

4FR