Cho Chang

[Kelley]

No: HPFGUIDX 13067

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "Signe Cluiss" <signe_weasley at h...> wrote:
> When I was a newbie I posted this and no one replied.  I will try 
my luck again...
>  
> I have a question about Cho.  I got the impression that she was of
> Asian ethnicity b/c of her name.  However, Stephanie thinks she has 
blonde hair. I looked it up in GoF, and I can see where Stephanie got 
confused b/c it talks about Cho sitting next to the girl with silvery 
blonde hair (Fleur).  However, she continues to argue (she says she 
remembers something in PoA) and it has begun to effect our Quiudditch-
life, j/k.  So if anyone has anymore proof of Cho's ethnicity, please 
reply.
> 
> Signe Weasley

Hi Signe.  I skimmed through the Cho parts in PoA, and found no 
concrete description other than 'about a head shorter than Harry' 
and 'very pretty'.  Don't have GoF right now, so can't check there.  
However, I'm not recalling any 'proof' of her ehtnicity there, 
either.  Though, I will say, I thought her name was JKR's quite 
pointed way of telling us that Cho is Asian.  It never occurred to me 
that she (Cho) might be seen otherwise.   Same as with Lee Jordan 
being described with dread locks.  To me, this was JKR's way of 
giving us enough info to make an assumption, a correct one in these 
cases, rather than a red herring type of clue, about the various 
characters, without her having to go through the entire list of 
characters and giving a run-down of their looks, race, etc.  Had JKR 
done that, it would've seemed too heavy-handed, IMO.  She was clear 
about Dean Thomas, and eventually gave a clearer description of 
Angelina as well, but I would say mainly because it might not've come 
up otherwise.  Similarly, it seems a given to me that Seamus Finnigan 
is Irish, (it may say so somewhere, I'm trying to recall) and that's 
only based on his name, and that the Patil twins are of Indian 
descent, same reason (until we get their description in GoF as 
well).  With Fleur, her appearance doesn't make me think 'French', 
but her name does.  This seems what JKR's done with Cho, to me, 
anyway.

Kelley