Hermione the housewife?

[Ebony]

No: HPFGUIDX 9819

I'm quite prolific tonight...

--- In HPforGrownups at egroups.com, "Heather Edmonds" <Heather at h...> 
wrote:
> Playing devil's advocate here I think the operative word you used 
is choices. What about the theory that the purpose of education is to 
give you choices, not take them away. Being the smartest witch of her 
generation gives Hermione the oppportunity to choose what she wants 
to do, and those choices may change depending on the life stage she 
is at. 

You know, Heather, I started to say this but I restrained myself.  I 
wanted to start a thread.  We talked about this a little in last 
week's chat but did not elaborate.  I wanted to do so here on list.

> What if at some point Hermione wants to sit at home and bake 
cookies?  Would that be so awful? Personally I can't see that she 
would want to, but that's not the issue. I deplore those who tell 
women they are wasting their education (usually its their degree) 
staying at home.

I agree with you.  Sometime in the future, I see myself staying at 
home with my children.  I've even thought about homeschooling, and 
have talked about this possibility with my S.O. (significant other).  
Both of us were raised by mothers who stayed at home, and we think 
that it was extremely valuable.

It's probably too early to tell, but do you think this is what 
Hermione would want in the future?  Hermione's brains aren't the only 
aspect of her character that would be a factor here.  

Consider her role models.  Her own mother is a professional.  Perhaps 
Dr. Granger stayed home with Hermione when she was a young child, but 
the two things we know for certain about the Grangers is that they're 
Muggles and they're dentists.  One of her two best friends' mom is a 
homemaker.  And we can ascertain from her acquisition of the Time-
Turner in PoA that McGonagall has also become a role model.

So which of the three would serve as a role model for Hermione?  Dr. 
Granger?  Molly?  Minerva?  Some combination of the three women?

When I first joined the list, I made the observation that witches may 
have to make a choice that modern women do not.  I'm wondering if in 
this fictional society, women are either homemakers *or* career 
professionals.  That seems to be the pattern.  

Of course, we know comparatively little about the girls and women in 
the canon... but to a feminist, this silence speaks volumes.  The 
very fact that these unknown quantities exist is indicative of an 
unequal balance in the wizarding world.  This is not a question of 
PoV--even selectively seeing Harry could not fail to notice details 
that we could easily interpret as indications of female empowerment.  
Coed sports are the only thing I can think of.  Can anyone think of 
others?

If the House-Elf Liberation Front was not a girlish phase Hermione 
was going through, then she's revealed herself to be a character who 
is passionate about injustice.  Would this inequity within her own 
world escape her notice?

If this fork exists, with paths alternately leading to "home" 
and "career", which road might Hermione choose?

And *where* is Carole when you need her?  She could speak volumes 
about this issue... <g>

--Ebony