Yawn....Harry again... :--)

[Kathleen Kelly MacMillan]

No: HPFGUIDX 11874

Oh boy, I knew I should have left well enough alone and kept my mouth 
shut...but here we go again. ;)

I (probably unwisely, only because I don't think I have the time or energy 
required to defend it) wrote:
> Well...as an unnamed crewmate mentioned recently, the only reason she
>could stand PoU Harry was that he had so many Ron-like qualities in him.

To which there were a bunch of responses I won't quote but which basically 
said "you're crazy" <g>.
My reaction upon hearing this statement at first had more to do with my sense 
of canon-Ron and a vague impression that it fit my feelings.  After thinking 
about it more, I think it has a lot to do with PoU Harry's utter focus on 
Hermione, which I see as a distinctly Ron trait.  And I also think that PoU 
Harry enjoys public displays far more than canon-Harry would ever do, but that 
this is something else I could see in Ron.

Of course, we can argue until the cows come home (and have) about different 
interpretations of characters and different readings of canon, and much of 
this is based on that.  If we disagree on the readings of the original 
characters, it stands to reason we would disagree on the extrapolated 
personalities of the characters as they age.

I invite anyone who can be more coherent about this perspective to come forth, 
because I am way overworked and overtired at the moment.

Penny wrote:
>Are you thinking that PoU Harry has characteristics that would apply to an
>adult fanfic Ron?

Actually that's a really good observation, Penny.  I think this is a big part 
of it.  I am rather taken with the scenario that Harry settles down and does 
something besides saving the world once Voldemort is taken care of, while Ron 
has his chance to shine by doing something Important and Useful like fighting 
evil.  (Have I mentioned "The Best Man" series recently? <g>  Incidentally, I 
just heard Mrs. Weasley is working on "The Best Man 3" right now.I could 
sing!)

Penny again:
>IMO, PoU is not just well-written from a technical perspective.  It's
>also *believable* -- that's what has made it one of the most followed
>and beloved HP fanfics.

I am not knocking PoU.  I do hope you realize that comparing PoU Harry to Ron 
is a compliment coming from an R/H-er.  (Hey, at least it's better than "You 
killed Ron!  You bad, evil person!" <g>)

carole wrote of Harry:
>If you don't see the depth of his soul...I'm not sure what book you are
>reading.

I never said that Harry didn't have depth of soul; I merely pointed out that I 
think Ron does too.  The two are not mutually exclusive.

carole again:
>Ok I missed something between arguing for a Ron personality and making a
>leap to therapy needing Harry.  You seem to be implying that if Ron has a
>personality, then Harry would inevitably end up as a basket case? And how
>would a fanfic that implys this support the argument that Ron has depth and
>personality? I missed the in between there...Does one have to be bad to make
>the other good?  Can we like both Ron and Harry?

Of course, which is what I have been trying to say.  See above.  And about the 
basket-case thing: no, one does not imply the other.  I was trying to explain 
my reasons for finding Ron more interesting than Harry.

Penny again:
>Like Carole pointed out, you won't get the perspective of any other
>characters from canon.

Well, of course I know that.  What I meant was I am interesting in thinking 
about the other characters' perspectives.  We already have Harry's; I really 
enjoy trying to figure out what's going on the other characters' minds.

Penny again:
>I thought you just said yesterday that Harry wasn't all that
>boring or you wouldn't be trudging through all these emails every day.
>I must admit to a bit of confusion.  I think you're saying that he's
>boring as a potential romantic partner but not so boring as a character
>that you can't stand to read about him????  Can you clarify?  I confess
>to being a bit confused about the whole "Harry is boring" line.

Just what I've already said: I love Harry.  Of course I love Harry or I 
wouldn't be drafting this post instead of sleeping like I should be.  But I am 
also interested in the other characters, and at the moment, I am more 
interested in them.  I identify with Hermione and Ron much more than I do with 
Harry, and I find them more interesting.  I think I have mentioned before that 
I am one of those R/H-ers who is mildly H/G, because to be honest I don't 
really care who Harry ends up with.  Saying "I'm starting to find Harry kinda 
boring" was my glib way of saying all that. (Although, if I had known I would 
have to write so much more about it, I probably would have kept my mouth shut.
 Actually...I'm me, so I probably wouldn't have. <g>)

Cassie wrote:
>I don't think anyone said or implied that. I hope not. The outpouring
>of support for Harry and the statements that we don't find him
>boring, but instead very loveable, were not meant to denigrate Ron by
>extension.

Just like my (or any R/H-er's, for that matter) support or defense of Ron 
doesn't mean denigration of Harry.  (My flippant "boring" comment 
notwithstanding, but I've already explained that, so let's not go there again. 
;)


Hoping this cleared the fog a bit
(and hoping the fog doesn't turn out to be the smoke from the gunfire of the 
next Shipping War! <g>)

Captain Kathy
Of the Good Ship R/H
AKA Elanor Gamgee