SHIP: Character interpretations by the SHIPpers

[Penny & Bryce]

No: HPFGUIDX 31285

Hi --

heathernmoore wrote:

> I believe that there is an element of departing from canon in 
> discussions of how we relate to characters. One prominent example of 
> this tendency is the remarkably fanciful claim by some non-fanfic H/H 
> shippers that having Hermione end up with Ron doesn't "take her feelings 
> into account," as though Hermione were some Heinleinesque, quasi-real AU 
> puppet being run unwillingly through her paces by the Evil DarkLord 
> Rowling or RonHermShipFan. This claim is often accompanied by dark 
> mutterings about Hermione being "used as a consolation prize" for 
> second-string Ron.
> 
> ("Gimme back my Barbie! She goes with Ken, not GI Joe!")
> 
> In the face of this, it would seem obvious that Hermione's feelings 
> "are" whatever JKR thinks they ought to be. If JKR intends to write 
> Hermione as attached to Ron, Draco, Harry, or that cute boy who lives 
> two doors down in her neighborhood at home, one would assume tha JKR is 
> "taking Herm's feelings into consideration." 

Ahem.  As one of those H/H shippers, please let me step into the fray if 
I may before we get misconstrued all over the place.  I'm not sure what 
you mean by "non-fanfic H/H shippers," Heather, but I'll proceed on as a 
H/H shipper who reads & writes fanfic but bases her shipping positions 
in canon.

The position of the H/H shippers is *not* that the mere fact that 
Hermione might end up with Ron doesn't take her feelings into account. 
Au contraire!  Our position is that Hermione should be free to choose to 
be romantically entangled with Ron, Harry, Draco, the Giant Squid or 
whoever she chooses.  Her "choice" as it were is *obviously* Rowling's 
choice.  That's the point.  However, many R/H shippers (not all, not 
all) tend to argue their position solely by citing evidence in canon 
that *Ron* has romantic interest in Hermione.  They make the logical 
leap that if Ron has interest in Hermione, well, gosh, *surely* *surely* 
she wouldn't deign to reject him.  Gasp!  No, never.  R/H is *destined* 
to happen by virtue of Ron's obvious interest ... or so goes the 
"argument" of some R/H shippers.  It is the obvious problem with this 
position that led many H/H shippers to accuse those people of failing to 
take Hermione's feelings into account.  As hard as it might be to 
imagine, it is possible that JKR could be setting up an "obvious" R/H 
romance as a red herring.  Especially since the evidence that Hermione 
would choose to date Ron is not overwhelming.

As for the consolation prize business, I assure you that at least one 
R/H shipper used that very wording at one point (Harry's the hero so Ron 
deserves to get something).  As though Hermione is some prize to be won. 
  Grr.......

When the shippers have parsed & argued their way through all available 
evidence about Hermione's feelings, it has become evident to all 
involved that there's no clear answer.  There is arguable evidence that 
she does return Ron's budding interest.  There is also *just as much* 
arguable evidence that she has interest in Harry.  Most shippers choose 
to accent the evidence that favors their preference.

Just trying to clear up things that have been obviously misconstrued & 
not trying to start up another shipping war --

Penny